Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer has revealed that he is learning to be patient as he bids to recover from an ACL injury which has kept him out of action since October.
The 27-year-old signal caller had guided the Browns to two wins on the spin before he sustained the season-ending knee problem in a game with the Buffalo Bills.
Hoyer is now well into his rehabilitation programme, although he has admitted that he has had to fight off the initial mental frustration of the injury.
He told reporters: "The frustration definitely sets in sometimes when I'm doing stuff like stretching. When I'm like, 'What the heck is this stuff doing for me? I'd rather be out throwing the football, running, whatever'. You realise everything is part of the plan, and it's all to get you better.
"I've never been a big stretch guy, but after going through this and stretching every day, you definitely feel the difference. Your muscles feel a little elastic and you bounce back a little bit quicker from certain things."
Hoyer threw for over 600 yards and five touchdowns in his three appearances this season.