Tennessee Titans linebacker Akeem Ayers has admitted that he played through injury in the 2013 season.
The 24-year-old was struggling with a knee problem before the start of the campaign and the issue gradually got worse throughout out the year, leading to a decrease in his production on the field.
Ayers has since undergone surgery on both of his knees in the hope of regaining full fitness for the 2014 campaign.
"It was actually pretty bad even before the season started," Ayers told the Tennessean.
"I didn't know the severity of the injury until pretty much after the season. I pretty much thought it was soreness or pain that would eventually go away.
"But throughout the season, it got worse and worse. I had to sit [parts of] games out and sit practices out, but I didn't really know how bad it was until the end of the season. That's when I found out I needed surgery."
Ayers recorded 48 tackles, one sack and one interception in the 2013 season.
Simon Sinclair
