Getty Images

Lions wide receiver Bruce Ellington is 33 percent less likely to have hamstring problems as he was earlier in his career.

Or, he at least has 33 percent less hamstring to hurt.

According to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, Ellington was discussing his past problems with hamstring injuries, when he offered a startling admission.

“I don’t know if it’s fully recovered,” he said, “because they removed it. So I don’t have it anymore.”

He went onto explain that doctors removed “the semitendinosus,” which is one of the three hamstring muscles.

He’s been playing, so he’s obviously figured out how to adapt. Ellington said he can still dunk a basketball, even though he’s just 5-9 and, you know, MISSING A MUSCLE IN THE BACK OF HIS LEG.

He said doctors suggested removing the muscle in 2016 after he tore it, telling him he’d likely struggle with scar tissue and re-injury the rest of his career. “I was like, ‘What?'” Ellington said. “It freaked me out.”

Former Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson had the same procedure, and he turned out OK. And other players have succeeded without seemingly vital parts, such as longtime NFL cornerback Jimmy Hitchcock (who played without ACLs in his knees). So while it sounds like a bit of a medical oddity, he’s overcome it, and he’s contributing for a team which is running short at his position.