Wolfe can't afford to let injury keep him off field

By Vaughn McClure | Tribune staff reporter
7:46 PM CDT, August 10, 2008


BOURBONNAIS - The pain in Garrett Wolfe's left hamstring continues to throb.

The Bears running back feels it when he dips through the hole. He feels it after catching a short pass over the middle.

"I'd say I'm about 80 percent,'' Wolfe said. "It's gotten better from when I first hurt it, but I'm still not where I need to be. It's really starting to get on my nerves.''

He sure fooled the 50,000-plus fans attending last Thursday's exhibition against Kansas City. Wolfe, who rushed for a team-high 64 yards on seven carries, turned a short pass from Rex Grossman into a 25-yard touchdown. He also sprinted down the sideline for a 42-yard pickup.

"We'd like to think that the 42-yarder would have been a touchdown had I been fully healthy,'' Wolfe said with a laugh.

Although he missed a few days of camp when the injury first occurred, Wolfe has no plans to nurse the injury now--not with so much to prove.

"I haven't done anything in this league, so every opportunity I have to show something, I need to be out there,'' he said. "Those days off are for guys who have done something in the NFL."

"My injury is just one of those things I can fight through. It's not a broken foot.''

It is easy to understand Wolfe's sense of urgency. The Bears drafted an every-down back in rookie Matt Forte. New acquisition Kevin Jones, who finished his second day of practice Sunday, was once a 1,000-yard rusher with the Detroit Lions. Add Adrian Peterson to the equation and the result is a suddenly loaded backfield.

The coaching staff views Wolfe as a third-down back capable of making big plays, particularly off screens. But his unproductive rookie season and diminutive size (5 feet 7 inches, 186 pounds) cast some doubt.

"It bugs me that people just automatically write you off,'' said Wolfe, who carried the ball 31 times for just 85 yards as a rookie last season. "They say, 'He's not going to be here. He's not going to play.'

"Even though we try not to read things or watch television, you can't help but hear those things. ... For me, being a Chicago kid � Even though those opinions don't matter, they still affect you. ... It can bother me and it does bother me.''

Running backs coach Tim Spencer said Wolfe has no reason to worry.

"Garrett Wolfe will be on our team for sure,'' Spencer said. "And he'll be making plays.''

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/...9232.story

I just read your post on the Bears forum. I didn't think Wolfe was 100% when he broke that 40 yard run, he just didn't seem like he was at full speed. If he was, he probably would have scored on that play. I hope he can get fully healthy soon so he can prove to everyone that he deserves a spot on the roster.

for the pathetic bears offense, an 80% wolfe is probably better than anyone else short of hester.

Reminds me of the game he had against Toledo, when he was coming off an injury.

Wolfe has a history of recurring hamstring injuries.

Speaking of the Bears' RB coach, anyone else remember watching Tim Spencer play for the Chicago Blitz?

If he is going to be on the team "for sure" they should let him rest and heal the hammy.

Huskie_Jon Wrote:Reminds me of the game he had against Toledo, when he was coming off an injury.

Yeah it seems like when Wolfe's hamstring is bothering him............look out! That is when he plays at his best it seems like.

Also remember a few years back Spencer's son Cole played for NIU as a TE. I remember seeing Spencer up at a lot of games so he definitely knows what GW can do