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Zach Miller has undergone nine surgeries the past three months, with the initial surgery saving his left leg. The Bears tight end now is “out of the woods” and in hopes of one day playing football again.

Miller, though, is realistic. He knows it might not happen, and if it doesn’t, “then that’s just the way it goes and we’ve got to move on and do something else,” the Wahoo, Neb., native told Omaha radio host Scott Voorhees on 1110 KFAB this week.

Miller severely dislocated his left knee and tore the popliteal artery, which supplies blood to the lower leg, during a game against the Saints on October 29. He hopes his latest surgery in early January, which repaired his PCL and LCL, is his last.

He said his knee is stable, but Miller still faces a long road ahead.

“Physically I’ve been through a number of surgeries or whatever it may be,” Miller said. “I can recover from that. But the mental aspect is something you’ve got to learn how to work it, how to block out some stuff and really just stay positive, which I’ve done a pretty good job doing.”

Miller still has to turn away at sight of the gruesome play.

“I’ve seen still shots of it, pictures of it, on accident,” Miller said. “Maybe a week ago was the first time I was able to look at the picture and not turn away. I don’t know if I’ll watch the video, if I ever will.”