Tyrann Mathieu is a special player on the field. And according to one of his teammates, he has special healing powers off the field, too.
"They're having to hold him back," Larry Fitzgerald said, via The Arizona Republic. "He heals like Wolverine. He's so passionate and we love him dearly. And we're so happy to see he's going to be ready to go for us by training camp, and he can pick right where he left off."
Healing like a wolverine is no small complement, but it fits with what seems like an epic comeback by Mathieu. The Cardinals' hybrid star established himself as one of the most valuable players in football over the past three seasons and doesn't plan on slowing down any time soon.
Though ACL injuries are not the detriment they used to be, many players still experience a transition year after recovery. Mathieu isn't expecting one.
"If you really think about it, my injuries aren't injuries where you say, 'Oh, he isn't taking care of his body or he's too small to be out there,'" Mathieu said. "My injuries were all fluke injuries, the kind that I couldn't control.
"I understand the position I'm in and the mountain I have to climb. I just tell people to relax. It's going to be all right. I'm going to play 12-15 years and hopefully I'll spend all that time in Arizona."
The attitude and confidence is reassuring. Sometimes we forget how dark of a place Mathieu was in just a few years ago -- a subject which he elaborated on in a recent interview with CBS Sports. A short time later, he's become the picture of an NFL superstar -- one we have no reason to doubt during this comeback.