HOUSTON -- Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Thursday that center Alex Mack's left fibula injury was "going to hurt, but a lot of guys are playing through stuff."
But not every guy is dealing with a hairline fracture.
ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news Sunday morning of the severity of Mack's injury as the Falcons prepare to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. Mack was worth monitoring no matter how much the team downplayed the injury, which occurred in the NFC Championship Game. Now the storyline becomes that much more intriguing, with the prospect of the Falcons' high-scoring offense having a significant figure either limited or even taken out of the equation.