RB Shane Vereen
November 30, 2016
Q: How does it feel to get back out there?
A: It feels great. It has been a long time coming. I am just happy that I was able to get back out there a little bit.
Q: What have you been hearing as far as a time table?
A: Man, I wish I knew, honestly. It is up to the doctors. I am progressing, doing everything that they have me do each and every day, just trying to take baby steps and hope enough of the baby steps will be to getting back on the field.
Q: Seeing a six-game winning streak definitely makes you want to get back out there even more?
A: Absolutely. I just want to come back and be a part of this team. Missing the last few games, you start to lose the comradery, you start to feel like you aren’t so much a part of the team right now, so I can’t wait to just feel like I am back.
Q: How close do you feel physically?
A: Physically, I feel good. If it was just up to how I felt like, then I would have been back, but there is a lot that goes into it and we have to be smart.
Q: What do you have to prove to them?
A: You have to prove that you have enough strength to play. There is a lot. There is a laundry list of things and I am trying to do my best to listen to them and take their advice.
Q: Because it was an upper body injury, were you able to stay in shape and run?
A: Yeah, for the most part that was a lot easier. Once I was cleared to run, I was able to kind of get myself back into shape and I would say I was fortunate from that aspect.
Q: When you got this injury, did you think you would be able to come back or was that a surprise?
A: The injury was a surprise because I knew I had hurt my arm, but I didn’t think it was that bad. So just trying to cope with the injury, I never really put a time table on it because I didn’t know how bad it was. I didn’t know what the surgery was going to be. I had never gone through something like that before and it is kind of a rare injury, so I wasn’t too sure. I was just hoping for the best and we didn’t know for sure if there was even going to be a chance until after surgery, so luckily we had some good news.
Q: What do you think you can add to the team?
A: Hopefully points. I think that is going to help us down the line, consistency and points and being able to keep this thing going. I know offensively, being in all the meetings, we are definitely not where we want to be, but December is the most important time of the year, most important time of the season and hopefully I can contribute.
Q: How much are you eyeing next week as the week to come back?
A: That would be great. Division opponent, playing against Dallas no less, that would be awesome. Like I said, it is kind of out of my hands. It is up to the progression and it is up to the doctors.
Q: Has this week been ruled out?
A: I wish it wasn’t. I am not sure, honestly. I am the wrong person to ask.
Q: You mentioned missing out on the comradery. You have been on a couple road trips. Did that help you to get some of that comradery back?
A: Absolutely. It is from a different standpoint and I have been able to watch the games and stuff from a different standpoint and a different aspect and it has been good. It has been a learning experience for me from that aspect and, shoot, when I am there on Sundays it is cool, but it hurts at the same time.
Q: Is that perspective something that you think can help your game coming back?
A: Absolutely. Yeah, just seeing the game from an outside perspective, almost from a coach’s perspective, you kind of understand why the rules that they are giving you or the assignments and why they are telling you to do this, that or the other and you see how little things can screw up a whole play or a whole drive.
Q: What kind of year did you think you were having before you went down?
A: I thought it was a good start. Definitely a good start. Unfortunately, things happen and it is the game of football and I am hoping to come back and continue.
Q: It must be a great relief to you that you might be able to come back and the team hasn’t lost.
A: Yeah, absolutely. Hats off to this team. They have done tremendous from the start.
