Cornerback Jimmy Smith wheeled through the Ravens' locker room Thursday with his foot in boot and propped up on a scooter.
After chatting with teammates, he talked with a group of reporters for the first time since having his season ended by a foot injury.
"It sucks," Smith said. "You live with it. You get over it. I'll be back"
Smith went down on the opening series of the Week 8 matchup against the Bengals. He first walked off the field under his own power, but then had to get carted to the locker room.
Initial tests showed he would only have to miss a few weeks with a foot sprain, but doctors then decided he would need surgery. Once the doctors went in for surgery, they determined that he had a serious lisfranc injury. A lisfranc injury occurs in the mid-foot when bones or ligaments are damaged.
"I was more just pissed because I thought it was something more minor, but going in there and finding out what it was, and them telling me how serious or severe it was," Smith said. "It's like any other injury. I'll bounce back."
Smith will be sidelined for the forseeable future. The injury has a six-month recovery time, he said, which means he would likely be able to return in time for training camp.
"It's been three weeks, so I've got some time on this little scooter right here," he said.
The injury ended a breakout season for the fourth-year cornerback. He was arguably the Ravens' top defender, and was having as strong of a season as any cornerback around the league.
Smith finished the season with 28 tackles, one interception and eight passes defensed.
"It just makes it difficult, period, just the fact that I can't be out here with my team, and help contribute," he said. "It's an injury, and everybody deals with it in the league. I'm not too stressed. No matter how great the season was, I'm happy I got to play as long as I did. I'm happy it didn't happen in the first three games or something.
"It's just unfortunate, but it's part of the game. You deal with it. It's nothing big."
