Buffalo Bills LB Shawne Merriman says injures helped him learn to be even stronger – NFL News
Buffalo Bills’ linebacker Shawne Merriman, whose pro career has been hit by successive injuries, said the timeout has made him smarter and learn how to rely on technical and physical knowledge of the game to build strong defences around him.
He said he has been blown by a number of guys on the field due to his lack of knowledge about physical tools of the game and other techniques, which the injury period has allowed him to learn and develop.
Shawne said:
"I'm a much smarter player and much more technical now. I know a lot more about the game. When you don't have those physical tools the last three years and being able to blow by a guy or great pass-rush ability, you start to learn more about the game and
you get a little bit more technically sound.”
He added:
"And that's what happened. Now my body is ready to take that on again along with the knowledge I've picked up over the last few years. It's going to be good."
The player is due to return to action being 100 percent – probably for the first time in three years – from training camp, which the Bills are due to open later this week.
It is rather unfortunate for the linebacker to have missed the game many times due to respective injury scares. As he has admitted, he is one of the few players who are roughed up by the opponents for too many times in their brief careers.
Yet Shawne stands out in the top few who have relied on the period of recovery and rehab to build their confidence and gain strength in certain areas. He is also one in the only few who have given serious thought to their problems and identify and develop
their alternative strengths to overcome their weaknesses.
It is yet to be known how beneficial the newly learned techniques are for the LB but one thing for sure is that he has not let himself down in the mental fitness and strength in the phase of recovery. It is very important for pro players to best utilise
their off-field time as many go down low in spirits and morale and find it difficult to ease back into the game.
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