Pittsburgh Steelers running back Baron Batch checked in with 93.7 The Fan recently to talk about his recovery from the ACL knee injury that suffered during training camp last season. Batch, who was drafted in the 7th round of the 2011 NFL draft by the Steelers, was asked about how his recovery is going and how he is felling now. Batch replied, “I\’m feeling good. I actually just got done working out and I\’m feeling back to normal and I\’m excited about getting back to Pittsburgh and getting back to work.”
Batch was asked about what the process was throughout all of this and he said, “Well during the season it was tough. It was a waiting process just kind of watching everybody else play, that got kind of frustrating at times, but it also motivated me and now I\’m to the point where I am excited about this upcoming season and ready to get an opportunity to get back out there.”
Batch then was asked his thought process that went along with actually being thankful for his injury and he replied, “Well I feel like this past year I got to sit back and watch and learn. I learned a ton about just the NFL, about how to approach things, how to be a professional and I think it\’s going to be information that\’s going to pay off and make me a better player in the future.
When asked if he had talked to fellow running back Rashard Mendenhall, who tore his ACL during the final regular season game, and if he had any tips for him as far as his recovery goes. Batch said, “Yeah I chatted with him right after his surgery and I kind of just told him to keep his head up. It\’s really just the first few moths or so that it\’s a waiting process. You can\’t do a ton. It gets repetitive and I just told him to stay motivated. You know he\’s a motivated guy and he\’s going to bounce back stronger than ever.”
When asked what he learned by watching the other running backs over the course of the season and how he thinks he stacks up to them heading into next season. Batch replied, “Well I think we have a really competitive group and that\’s one thing that I learned this year is just to stay ready and compete. We had a guy like John Clay that got activated late in the year and contributed and you just never know when your number is going to be called and at what capacity you\’re going to be able to put your hand in the pile and contribute to the team and help get wins. I think it\’s important just to stay ready and stay prepared. And a guy like Mewelde Moore really showed me just how to study film and just be a professional. Having all that just kind of stack up, I know it\’s going to help me this upcoming year.
You listen to the complete interview here as Batch also discussed his love of blogging and what his former college coach Dana Holgorsen can expect when West Virginia moves to the Big 12.
