Cardinals' Fitzgerald: Tyrann Mathieu 'heals like Wolverine'

Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu is known as the "Honey Badger," but he may have just been bestowed with an even more fitting, and slightly more intimidating, nickname: "The Wolverine."

Mathieu is recovering from his second torn ACL in three years, but has already begun running just four months removed from the injury.

His speedy recovery has led teammate Larry Fitzgerald to compare the 23-year-old to Marvel superhero Wolverine, who, like Mathieu, is known for his ability to heal at super-human speeds, as well as his short stature.

"They're having to hold him back," Fitzgerald said of the Cardinals coaches in charge of Mathieu's rehabilitation, according to Dan Bickley of AZCentral Sports. "He heals like Wolverine. He's so passionate and we love him dearly. And we're so happy to see he's going to be ready to go for us by training camp, and he can pick right where he left off."

Mathieu is on the cusp of becoming one of the league's premier defensive players, which has made his inability to stay healthy all the more frustrating.

However, the Cardinals star emphasized he believes his injuries are just bad luck, and he'll still have a lengthy NFL career.

"If you really think about it, my injuries aren't injuries where you say, 'Oh, he isn't taking care of his body or he's too small to be out there,'" Mathieu said. "My injuries were all fluke injuries, the kind that I couldn't control.

"I understand the position I'm in and the mountain I have to climb. I just tell people to relax. It's going to be all right. I'm going to play 12-15 years and hopefully I'll spend all that time in Arizona."

- With h/t to NFL.com