National Football League

QB calls ankle injury "non-issue"

Published Aug. 17, 2012 2:17 a.m. ET

foxsports

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford says speculation he might need offseason ankle surgery is off-base.

''That would be news to me,'' Bradford said Thursday night after practice. ''To be honest, I'm tired of talking about the ankle.

''Until it causes me to miss reps or miss time, it's a non-issue.''

Bradford missed six games with a high left ankle sprain last season, aggravating the injury a few times after being hurt in mid-October and sitting out the final three games. He brought up the injury after the team scrimmaged earlier this month when asked generically how he felt physically, volunteering the ankle would need to be managed.

''It's close,'' Bradford said on Aug. 4. ''I think it's as good as it's going to feel. It's something we're managing right now.''

Bradford added then that it had been a ''little bit frustrating that it's somewhat there still'' and that rest and rehab hadn't been quite enough.

Bradford was 7 for 9 for 57 yards in the preseason opener, a 38-3 loss at Indianapolis. Coach Jeff Fisher said most starters will probably play another series or so longer in Saturday night's Governor's Cup game in St. Louis against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fisher said he thought Bradford has been moving well, has had no issues and didn't ''anticipate'' offseason surgery would be needed.

''He's doing fine. You can see he's out there doing fine,'' Fisher said. ''I think it won't go away because everybody keeps asking him.

''Quit asking him and it'll heal up.''

Fisher said surgery could sideline a player four to six months, but rehabbing the injury could be a longer process.

''A high ankle mechanism is serious stuff,'' Fisher said. ''There was a lot of separation in there last year. He tried to play through on it and he couldn't. He's doing fine.''