Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has promised that he will be fit to play on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said that Matthews, one of the club's key defensive performers so far this season, was recovering well, and the player has now taken it a step further.
"Yes, I plan to play; I'll be out there this Sunday," Fox Sports quotes Matthews as saying.
"The first part of getting over a hamstring strain is healing and, obviously, I can't control that. Coming back, the final hurdle you have to overcome is, 'mentally are you comfortable with exerting 100% effort or even more so?' I wouldn't put myself out there if I wasn't.
"Coming in on Monday, I felt good. I obviously had to prove to myself and to the coaches that I'm capable of not only being able to run and cut and do everything I need to, but do it at a high level to where it won't affect this defense. So, I feel good about it. I don't think you'll see a drop-off come Sunday."
Matthews had started all three Packers games this season before last week's bye round.
Matt Domm
