DENVER, CO - AUGUST 23: Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney #90 of the Houston Texans stands on the sideline before a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on August 23, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

HOUSTON (CBS HOUSTON) – He’s back.

Jadeveon Clowney participated in just walkthroughs, individual drills, and stretches, but he’s back in his uniform and with his teammates on the field.

Make no mistake, he wanted more.

“I was like ‘Coach, let me get some pass rush today.’ He was like ‘No, it’s your first day out here, we’re going to take it slow.’ I was like, ‘Man, what am I going to do now this whole time?’ Take it slow, you’re going to have plenty of opportunity, so just wait.”

The 2014 number one overall pick might be taking it slow today, but his hard work paid off and got him ready to be back faster than most anticipated. He said the rehab process was “more than I worked in my whole life” but added “it was worth it.”

He knows coming back from his injury is no easy task either. Clowney aims to prove doubters of his return to form wrong.

“Everybody was telling me about the surgery. How hard it was going to be and a lot of guys don’t do this after the surgery don’t do that. I was like, I’m going to try to beat the odds. I’ve always been like that my whole life.”

Jon Beason, the former Giants and Panthers linebacker who had a similar procedure, was someone Clowney leaned on during the process. He said he took notes from Beason on what to expect and how to get back.

It wasn’t always easy though.

“My mom, my girl, it was just like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to get up and go,’ and I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know about today, I’m calling in today.’ They were like ‘No, man, don’t do it.’”

“So they got me out of the house, and I just got up here, and once I was done I was like, ‘Man, I’m glad I did it today.’”

His current support system, his teammates, were happy to see him but not without a few jokes at Clowney’s expense. He said linebacker Brian Cushing joked with him about being the new kid back out there but Clowney noted being with his teammates was the best part about being back.

No return date for game action was given by head coach Bill O’Brien or Clowney.

O’Brien said this week is all about taking it slow with his outside linebacker and then getting him ready for games.

Clowney is maybe more game ready than he was when he returned the first time last season. He said he felt better now than he did after his first surgery last year. No soreness either according to Clowney.

A new beginning. Almost like a rookie even.

“I do feel like kind of a rookie because I didn’t get to play more than, what, four games. So yeah, it’s kind of like a rookie season all over again for me.”

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