Thursday Media Transcript: CB Prince Amukamara

CB Prince Amukamara

October 15, 2015

Q: Do you know how you did it?

A: I know it was in the third quarter. I think I was playing cloud and I made the tackle on the fullback back in the flat. I just felt something weird. I stayed in on that drive and then when I realized, “Ok, I’m having a hard time running,” I never want to be a liability out there so I had the trainers come check it out. They said, “Ok, the tendon is still attached.” I said, “Ok, good. If I can still go, then you’re not going to stop me. I’m going to go.” So then I ran out and of course that’s when Anquan scored on that play. Just finished the whole game with it.

Q: Did you think it was as serious as it turned out to be when you went back in the game? Do you think you could have reinjured it?

A: No, I don’t think I injured it more. I still don’t think it’s as serious. I think serious would be me being on IR or serious would be the tendon fully coming off the bone like my bicep. So that wasn’t the case, it’s still attached. It gives me a chance to rehab it and we’ll do another MRI in a couple weeks to see if progress has been made and we’ll go from there.

Q: So it bothered you running?

A: Yeah, it bothered me running but pressing-wise, I was able to do that. So that’s another reason I stayed in the game. But when I would open up and run, I would feel it a little bit more. During the game when you have all that adrenaline, you don’t really feel no pain.

Q: How disappointing is this for you? You were putting together a good season, the team is winning now.

A: Yeah, it is. It’s always discouraging for me anytime I get an injury or I miss time. But I’m just happy it’s an upper body injury and hopefully I don’t miss a lot of time.

Q: You said “good chance” before when you were talking about coming back. Is there any chance or any concern on your part that this might wind up being larger and finish your season?

A: Not right now. I’m very encouraged because I’m more mobile, I can move it, I can move it around. I can still brush my teeth and I can still do stuff with it. That gives me encouragement. When it starts to get to the second and third week and if I’m still at this stage, then I’ll probably start panicking a little bit.

Q: Did you say it’s on the same side of the bicep injury?

A: No, no, no. It’s the opposite.

Q: Obviously it is the contract year, you know that. Does that factor into your mindset at all? Do you even think of that? How do you view that?

A: Right now just not trying to worry about that. I’m really just worried about, “Man, we’re on a good run.” Just really trying to help this team win the division. This was a huge week with the Eagles and especially with how it ended last week. It would have been a good game to play in only because we have so much momentum right now. It would have been great. That’s the most disappointing.

Q: Do you sit there and go, “Am I ever going to have a year where I’m not injured?”

A: Yeah that question has definitely come into my head. I try different things. I tried switching my eating habits, my workout habits. So I’m still just going to continue to just try to figure it out.

Q: How do you think Jayron Hosley will do in your place?

A: I think Hosley is going to do great. Hosley did a great job for DRC against the Falcons and the Redskins. I feel like he’s been playing great for us and I feel like he’s definitely ready.

Q: What do you see specifically from him that’s better than what he showed in previous years?

A: Just his confidence. I know coming out of college he was a guy who made a lot of plays on the ball. So just his confidence level and how he carries himself on the field. If he doesn’t make a play, he’s not down on himself. The coaches are very much confident in him and I think that helps him out a lot.

Q: Is your injury one particular play or an accumulation of plays?

A: It was one particular play. It was on a tackle that I made on the 49ers fullback. And yeah, I just felt discomfort in my arm and in my shoulder. The trainers checked it out and the doctor diagnosed me there and just told me it was a torn pec or a strained pec. He told me that the tendon was still connected which is a good thing and that allowed me to continue to play.

Q: Was there any doubt in your mind whether you were going to get back in there and what was your thought process when he told you that?

A: Well we were pressing a lot that game, so since I was able to still press, I felt like I could still go out there and get the job done. But the fact that it did hurt me to run a little bit, I just figured one half, I could push through this.

Q: In two weeks when you see the MRI, the MRI is about seeing the progress that it’s healing?

A: Yeah. So the MRI just shows if I’m healing. But leading up to the MRI I’ll know if I’m getting my strength back. If I could do a pushup, that would be a good sign. If I could start pushing a little bit of weight, that would be a good sign. So leading up there, I would know if I’m improving or not.

Q: In your head, Coach Coughlin told us two to four weeks, the two week spot is when you can start thinking about getting closer to being back on the field?

A: Yeah, I would say that’s about right.

Q: How do you feel now compared to Sunday night?

A: I feel better than I did on Sunday. I think Sunday—I drive with my left hand, after the game it was kind of tough driving but since it’s been mobile, it’s starting to get easier. Like I said, I’m able to brush my teeth. Usually that brushing motion kind of affects it a little bit. Anytime I’m able to do my daily routine with no discomfort, that’s promising.

Q: This team has obviously had an alarming number of injuries this year and really the last three years. Do you ever wonder why it just kind of seems to keep happening to this team?

A: Sometimes, I do, sometimes, I don’t because you never really know. It’s a physical game, sometimes it can be a fluke injury. There’s like 60 guys on this team and each one has a different way they eat, a different way they work out, a different way they hydrate themselves. There’s probably so many factors.