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Whitner feels "worthless"
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 11, 2009 11:41 AM ET
Bills safety Donte Whitner has had a rough season. He suffered a thumb injury in September that caused him to miss two games, and when he returned, he promptly suffered a high ankle sprain that has caused him to miss two more.
Whitner is back to practice this week, but he's still not sure if he'll play on Sunday. And he says that makes him feel like he doesn't belong.
"It's very tough," Whitner said, per the Buffalo News. "You almost have to pull yourself out of a funk every now and then because a lot of times when you miss a lot of time you feel kind of worthless. You're just around watching practice, watching film, talking to guys in the training room, but you're not actually out there putting all the work in.
"It's not like I want to be out injured. You don't want anything that's going to be prolonged or anything that's going to be career- or season-ending. I'm just thankful I don't have that. I have an opportunity to maybe play the next eight games of the season and I'm looking forward to it."
If there's any silver lining for the Bills, it's been that Whitner's absence has opened the door to more playing time for rookie safety Jairus Byrd, who has played well and is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions. But the Bills want to have Whitner back on the field, and Whitner clearly does too.
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 11, 2009 11:41 AM ET
Bills safety Donte Whitner has had a rough season. He suffered a thumb injury in September that caused him to miss two games, and when he returned, he promptly suffered a high ankle sprain that has caused him to miss two more.
Whitner is back to practice this week, but he's still not sure if he'll play on Sunday. And he says that makes him feel like he doesn't belong.
"It's very tough," Whitner said, per the Buffalo News. "You almost have to pull yourself out of a funk every now and then because a lot of times when you miss a lot of time you feel kind of worthless. You're just around watching practice, watching film, talking to guys in the training room, but you're not actually out there putting all the work in.
"It's not like I want to be out injured. You don't want anything that's going to be prolonged or anything that's going to be career- or season-ending. I'm just thankful I don't have that. I have an opportunity to maybe play the next eight games of the season and I'm looking forward to it."
If there's any silver lining for the Bills, it's been that Whitner's absence has opened the door to more playing time for rookie safety Jairus Byrd, who has played well and is tied for the league lead with seven interceptions. But the Bills want to have Whitner back on the field, and Whitner clearly does too.
"Expect rejection, but expect more to overcome it." 
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