Packers linebacker Clay Matthews played the second half of the 2010 season and all of the postseason with a broken leg.
Matthews, who had 13.5 sacks during the season and 3.5 more during Green Bay's run to the Super Bowl title, mentioned the injury while answering a question about how much the Packers will miss departed defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins, who signed with the Eagles.
"I don't make a big deal of it," Matthews said. "(It happened) some time in the middle of the season. You can't do anything about it. I was just taking practices off and showing up on gameday and giving it my all."
Matthews was listed on the injury report every week from Week 9 through the NFC Championship Game as probable with a shin injury, which in fact was a lower-leg stress fracture.
"I had a stress fracture in my leg," he admitted. "A sore shin as you guys call it, but that's all right. Obviously, I'm not making excuses. Cullen is a terrific athlete, and we're definitely going to take a hit in our defensive line, but at the same time I think they have confidence in the guys coming up."
Clay Matthews Played Second Half Of 2010 With Broken Leg