Pectoral injury hard ordeal for Baxter

BEREA (AP) -- It's been nearly two weeks since Browns cornerback Gary Baxter sustained a painful chest injury that ended his season. He's now feeling a much deeper, distressful affliction.
For the first time, Baxter doesn't have football.
"It's the toughest challenge of my life because football is all I know," Baxter said. "It's all I want to do. That's it, and when that gets taken away from you that hurts more than anything. There's an emptiness. I've got to stay positive. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm down in spirits right now."
Baxter spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since tearing a pectoral muscle while making a tackle in the Oct. 23 game against Detroit. In the first quarter, Baxter came in from the left side on a blitz and brought down Lions running back Kevin Jones.
Almost immediately, he knew something was wrong.
The moment
"When I made the tackle, I came with a lot of force with my right arm and I felt it, it popped," he said. "I got up and I thought maybe it was a muscle bruise and something that I can fight through. I stayed in for one more play and I realized I didn't have any strength in my right arm and I knew I was in trouble then."
Baxter has already begun rehab, which doctors have told the 26-year-old will take four to five months.
"I know my body and I told them I can be back before then," said Baxter, who also missed the season opener with a concussion. "It's such a tough challenge for me that I want to be out there as fast as I can."
After spending four seasons in Baltimore, Baxter signed a six-year, $30 million free agent contract in March with Cleveland that included a $10 million bonus.
"My expectations here were very high and they were very high from the people that brought me in, and for me not being able to fulfill those obligations right now because I'm hurt is very painful for me," he said. "This is by far the toughest challenge I've ever faced."
For now, Baxter, who had two interceptions, plans to fill the void of not being on the field by helping his teammates off it.
"I hope the guys understand that I'm going to do everything I can to be there for them and help them with the game plan and do anything I can because I'm still a part of this team," he said. "I'm going to coach my butt off. I'm going to become Coach Baxter. As long as they know I'm here, I'm going to give them as much knowledge as I can."
New appreciation
Getting hurt has brought Baxter a renewed appreciation for his profession. Now that it has been temporarily taken from him, he has a deeper gratitude at being able to play a game he loves dearly.
"So many times we take things for granted. We win. We lose and we go through the struggles," he said. "But we never factor in if we ever get hurt. So the next time I do put on the cleats and the helmet and the shoulder pads, I'm going to love every moment. That's why I told the guys to play their hearts out because when you see things from my perspective you would give anything to be back out on that football field, and you'd give anything to win."