Knox Talks About His Recovery...........................Updated: February 2

Updated: February 2, 2012, 7:46 PM ET
Johnny Knox talks about his recovery

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By Michael C. Wright
ESPNChicago.com
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In making his first public comments since suffering a horrific back injury Dec. 18 against the Seattle Seahawks, Bears receiver Johnny Knox posted on Twitter that he can remember the play "like it was yesterday."


Knox suffered a fractured vertebra that required surgery on a hit against the Seahawks, after a 17-yard catch on a slant route in the first quarter. Attempting to make a move to get free after the reception, Knox fumbled when Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor poked the ball loose. Scrambling to recover the loose ball, Knox absorbed a vicious blow from Seattle defensive end Anthony Hargrove that bent the receiver backward awkwardly.
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Knox lay motionless on the turf at Soldier Field for several minutes after the blow as medical personnel frantically worked on the receiver. Knox posted his first thought after the hit was, "Can [I] move my legs. k im good." Asked about the most memorable moment of the experience, the receiver -- @Jknox13 on Twitter -- tweeted, "Damn [I] fumbled lol."

Despite the gruesome nature of the hit, Knox is expected to be able to continue his career. At the time, Bears coach Lovie Smith called the hit "brutal," but "I can't say that [it was dirty]. [The] guy was playing hard, an unfortunate play. It's a violent sport, and sometimes ... you don't see hits like that very often. But I can't say it was dirty or anything like that."


[I]Based on Knox's response to a question from one of his followers, the receiver came dangerously close to not being able to walk again. Asked how close, Knox replied, "If tell [you], [you] won't be able to sleep." Knox will be required to wear a back brace until the middle of March, and the receiver tweeted the brace is only taken off when he showers. Knox also posted a picture of the brace on his Twitter account.


Knox finished the season with 727 yards and two touchdowns in 2011, averaging 19.6 yards per catch, which ranked as second best in the NFL and 10th best in Bears single-season franchise history, and the highest by a member of the club since 1987, when Willie Gault averaged 20.1 yards per catch.


Having turned down an offer for a contract extension very similar to the one signed by Earl Bennett at the end of the season according to multiple sources, Knox enters the final year of his original rookie contract which will pay him $565,000 in base salary.


Responding to a question about whether he'd be able to play in 2012, Knox replied, "I'm focused on getting 100% first!"


Michael C. Wright covers the Bears for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

Just a couple of observation starting in reverse order. If he received an offer similar to the one the Bears gave Bennett and he passed on it he was a fool. Not because he was injured, although as it turns out that certainly is a factor to consider, but because he's not worth more than that given his inconsistency.

Now, having said that something stands out in his play I think is worth commenting on especially today. Knox and Manningham are virtually identical in size, 6' 185lbs but the Giants don't expect Manningham to run the slants and other plays inside the hash marks that Knox ran with Martz calling plays. It was that kind of a play he got injured and on and it was that kind of play where he slipped and Cutler was injured chasing down the DB who got the pick.

This is a prime example of how the Bears constantly misuse the talent they do have. Johnny Knox is a gazelle, a downfield threat, so why use him like he was a mule deer? Those plays are what we have Bennett for and even more the reason why we need another WR who can work and control the middle of the field. When you have a guy who can average nearly 20 ypc you have no business using him the same way you use a Roy Williams who's 3" taller and 30lbs heavier. Those two never should have been competing for the same position anyway.

I hope Knox is able to return. He's not a bad receiver when he's used correctly and before anyone criticizes him for bad routes think about the fact that just before Manningham made that game saving over the shoulder grab Cris Collinsworth was criticizing for running a route poorly on the previous series. That's why Manningham isn't NY's #1 receiver but he's an effective and an explosive guy when he and Manning do hook up.

We don't need a Mario Manningham, we have our own, and we have our Victor Cruz in Earl Bennett but what we don't have is a Hakeem Nicks to run those routes that Knox should never even be asked to run in the first place. They're not the strong point in his game and his game does have it's strong points. Let's just hope that Phil Emery recognizes this too and gets that bigger , taller, tougher WR that Jay needs to have in his arsenal. Get him his Brandon Marshall type or a Hakeem Nicks or anyone who can take those throws and let Knox go back to being a gazelle again. He was never built for the way he was being used.

I just hope he can forget the hit and comes back and plays w/o any fear of getting hit ..... that can lead to a serious case of the drops.

Yeah, I think we all hope that he can and that's he's 100% both mentally and physically. Despite some stupid plays and sharing time with RWill he still had over 700 yards receiving and the second highest apc in the NFL.