INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon Ducks linebacker Troy Dye not only played the second half of last season with a broken thumb, he also played the Ducks’ final four games, including the Civil War, Pac-12 championship game and Rose Bowl with a partially torn right meniscus.

Dye told The Oregonian/OregonLive he suffered the injury during the second or third quarter of Oregon’s Nov. 16 game against Arizona and had a knee scope last month, which caused him to pull out of the Senior Bowl. The Norco, California, native is among seven former Oregon players at the NFL combine, but Dye said he will not take part in any on-field drills or tests this weekend and instead aim to do so at Oregon’s Pro Day on March 12.

“He’s very tough and with his thumb too? He’s about as tough as it gets,” Justin Herbert said. “A lot of respect for him and the things he’s been able to (do).”

Former teammates and competitors alike lauded Dye’s toughness for playing with a broken thumb, which he suffered during the win at Washington and left him in a cast for five games, and later the knee injury. Dye wasn’t limited during open viewing practice periods in Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl, but was dealing with obvious pain at the time.

“Troy’s as tough as it gets,” former Oregon center Jake Hanson said. “I didn’t know that he had a significant knee injury. I knew that he was a little banged up, but I had no idea it was such a significant injury that needed surgery or anything like that. Troy’s a great competitor, he’s a great teammate, he’s a great leader. He’s really everything you want.”

Dye led Oregon in tackles for a fourth consecutive season, with 84 stops, including 9.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups. He had 46 tackles in the last six games, including 34 while playing through the knee injury in the last four. He made eight tackles and snared an interception with a clubbed right hand against Utah in the Pac-12 championship game and finished with nine tackles and a forced fumble against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

“I think it all comes back to him being a team guy,” former Ducks left guard Shane Lemieux said. “I think a lot of that was unselfish. He wanted to not the team down when he played through those injuries. That was the highest level of character that you can show. I’m really proud of the way he played despite all that and he’s a great guy and great player.”

Former Utah running back Zack Moss, who had 19 carries for 113 yards and was tackled by Dye five times in the Pac-12 title game, said the Ducks linebacker was the toughest opposing player he played.

Dye was instrumental in Oregon’s containment of Wisconsin All-American running back Jonathan Taylor, who had 21 carries for 94 yards and fumbled because of a play by the Ducks weak-side linebacker.

Taylor respected Dye, who tackled him five times in the Rose Bowl, for playing that well despite a serious knee injury.

“That shows what kind of a player he is and how mentally tough he is," Taylor said. "It’s the Rose Bowl; it’s the biggest game of the year for those guys and us as well. Being able to be that mentally tough to go out there, that shows the kind of player that he is.”

Former Badgers center Tyler Biadasz, who won the Rimington Trophy, called it “pretty remarkable” for Dye to play in the Rose Bowl with such a significant injury.

“Good for him that he could do that and I’m glad I could play against him,” Biadasz said. “He’s a good cat. He was awesome to play against, to talk to even throughout the game a little bit. He’s a great player and I was happy to compete against him.”

Former Arizona running back J.J. Taylor grew up with Dye, and while he could absolutely believe his friend would play through injury, Taylor was still unaware of it until Dye told him when they saw each other at the NFL combine.

“If he’d never told me, I would’ve never known and it would have been like you just balled out once again, another season,” Taylor said. “That’s someone that loves the game and he’s willing to put his body on the line for it, and it’s exactly what he does.”