Steelers safety Troy Polamalu suffered a serious knee injury last season, one that he worried might end his career.
"Yes, it was a concern," said Polamalu. "The hardest thing was if I would have injured it again, the doctor was saying that it will be a career-ending injury, most likely.
"I had to face that."
Polamalu was forced to wear a brace when he did play last season, something he was reluctant to do.
"In the past, I had to wear a brace because it was career-threatening. A career-ending injury if I would have sustained another injury," said Polamalu, explaining why he didn't play down the stretch last season.
Polamalu Feared Career-Ending Injury