[vincesanity82]

Can LeCharles Bentley make it back on the field in 2007? That’s what is discussed in today’s Plain Dealer, as the Browns center will attempt to return to the field this season. Bentley, a Cleveland native who signed a lucrative free agent contract with the Browns prior to the 2006 season, has yet to play a snap for the Browns. On the first day of contact drills last July Bentley tore his left patella tendon, an injury that cost him the entire 2006 season and has threatened his career.
In an interview with The Plain Dealer’s Mary Cay Cabot, Bentley revealed that in the past eleven months he has undergone four surgeries on his left knee, not two as initially reported. While the first surgery was performed to repair the damaged patella tendon, the next three were done in order to clean out a life-threatening staph infection that developed in the knee.
It has been widely believed that Bentley would undergo yet another surgery on the troublesome left knee this summer, an operation initially believed to be the third that would in fact be his fifth. However, after months of rehabilitation between Columbus and Phoenix, Bentley is convinced he can play this season without another surgery and vows to return to the field to don the colors of his hometown team.
“I want to fulfill my promise to Browns fans to come back and help this team win,” Bentley told The Plain Dealer. “I don’t want to let anybody down.”

Could LeCharles Be Back on the Field in 07 For Cleveland? » NFL GridIron Gab

[Lefty Noob]

He won't be back this year, if ever. That knee's too torn up right now to even consider playing in 2007.

[vincesanity82]

Bentley says he'll be ready for camp


CLEVELAND - Center LeCharles Bentley, whose first season with the Browns ended with a freakish knee injury last summer that became infected and threatened his life and NFL career, plans to play for the Browns this season.
The Browns' marquee free-agent signing in 2006, Bentley said Sunday that he will report to training camp in a few weeks and that his goal is to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
``It's unbelievable how far I've come in the last few months,'' Bentley said in a phone interview from Arizona, where he has been rehabbing and working out for the past few months. ``I feel so blessed to even be in a position to think about playing again. I've come so far. I'm not going to stop now.''
Bentley, who tore his left patellar tendon while planting on the first full-contact play of training camp last July, expects to be on the field for the Browns' first full workout on July 27.
He called Browns coach Romeo Crennel two weeks ago to tell him that he'd be in camp and that he planned to play this season.
``I think he was shocked,'' Bentley said. ``I think a lot of people are.''
Bentley, 27, revealed that he has undergone four surgeries since getting hurt, the final two operations to clean out a staph infection that ate away at his tendon and a virus that became so severe that doctors considered amputating his leg.
``At one point, I was so sick they weren't sure I was going to live through the night,'' Bentley said.
New York Giants team physician Dr. Russell Warren performed Bentley's latest operation in November, when more staph was cleaned out and a portion of the deteriorated tendon was removed.
After that procedure, Warren advised Bentley to begin thinking about life without football.
But Bentley, who signed a six-year, $36 million free-agent contract with the Browns to play for his hometown team, wasn't ready to give up. And after a few weeks of workouts, Bentley became convinced he could make it all the way back.
``He (Warren) is a great doctor,'' Bentley said. ``But doctors have told people they have six months to live and they go on to live full lives for years. For a while my wheels were spinning, but I was determined to make it back.''
Warren considered a fifth operation on Bentley in early June, but after seeing the two-time Pro Bowler's improvement in May, decided against it.
``He thought it was remarkable,'' Bentley said. ``He thought I had made enough progress that I didn't need another one (operation). I've still got a few more hurdles to overcome but I've come so far already.''
Bentley plans to visit Warren again before returning to the field.
His unexpected return is terrific news for the rebuilding Browns, who didn't think they would have him for the upcoming season and weren't sure if the former Ohio State star would ever play for them at all.
``I'm sure people still don't know if I'll be back, and it's still probably going to be a little wait and see,'' he said. ``But if I play one more snap, that's one more snap than a lot of people ever thought I'd play.
``People are quick to want to kill a dream. But a lot of work and a lot of prayers later I'm ready to play again. I've been blessed.''

Beacon Journal | 07/02/2007 | Bentley says he'll be ready for camp

[vincesanity82]

Browns Center Bentley Cleared to Play


The Cleveland Browns got some amazing good news on Monday as center LeCharlesBentley was cleared by his surgeon to return to the playing field when the team has their first practice on Monday. The news means that Bentley, who at one point was advised to retire, is close to coming back after a serious career-threatening knee injury. Today Bentley had a physical New York Giants team physician Dr. Russell Warren, who had performed two operations on Bentley. He also helped out LeCharles when the injury was complicated by a staph infection. “I passed it,” Bentley told AP. “I’m good to go.” The injury and staph infection nearly killed Bentley, and at one point doctors were thinking they may have to amputate his leg. Bentley said he will go back to Arizona, where he has been the last few months rehabbing his injury. He will be back in Cleveland on Thursday to report for training camp. He will also have to pass a team physical before he can take the field with his teammates on Monday. “That really doesn’t matter to me,” Bentley said. “The top doctor in the field has told me that I’m OK. I’ve just got to keep making progress.
Having Bentley back on the field on even just on the sidelines is a huge boost to the Browns, who signed the local product to a $36 million dollar contract in March of 2006.


Browns Center Bentley Cleared to Play » NFL GridIron Gab

[Lefty Noob]

Wow... how? Man, he must have one hell of a doctor. Color me stunned.

[vincesanity82]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Wow... how? Man, he must have one hell of a doctor. Color me stunned.

yea me three, this is huge for the browns..

[azrael492]

call me cynical, but I don't think he will play this year. If he does, he will tear his knee up for good.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by azrael492

call me cynical, but I don't think he will play this year. If he does, he will tear his knee up for good.

Not only is he expected to play this fall, but he's actually going to practice on Monday. I knew he was desperate to get back, but man, I hope he's ready.

[vincesanity82]

Browns center LeCharles Bentley, attempting a comeback from a career-threatening knee injury, stopped going to the Cleveland Clinic after two outside surgeons told him he had an infection and needed an immediate fourth knee surgery, a newspaper reported Sunday.Bentley sought a second opinion, flying to New York to see Dr. Russell Warren, the team physician for the New York Giants, and also stopped going to his Clinic appointments, the newspaper said. Warren found that Bentley's knee was still infected and needed another surgery right away, according to Bentley and his agent Jonathan Feinsod. A third doctor, Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., also examined Bentley and agreed with Warren, said Bentley's financial adviser, Mark Callahan, who attended Bentley's appointment with Andrews.

Bentley returned to the Browns' training camp, but has only been attending meetings and watching drills from the sidelines. He's due for a team physical at the end of the month which could help determine whether he'll play for the team again.

Browns' Bentley stopped going to Clinic before surgery - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

[Lefty Noob]

So how many doctors does he need to tell him he still has an infection and needs another surgery before he actually listens to him? He's really not doing the team any favors by putting this off - it's only doing to delay his actual return. Bentley should've never run his mouth about coming back this season when just about everyone and their mother knew it was going to be impossible. Now I worry about him doing something stupid to save face.