Kiko Alonso: Knee injury was not ACL, just a 'cleaning'

Kiko Alonso said Thursday that his anterior cruciate ligament was not injured in Week 3, and he called his knee injury a "cleaning." Alonso, in his first public comments since the injury, said he does not have a timetable for his return.

"Sooner, the better," he said.

Alonso, who has twice torn his ACL, was never worried that he suffered that injury.

"I knew it wasn't that bad, because obviously I've had it twice," he said. "It didn't feel like that. I knew I didn't have it."

The MRI exam could not determine what it was, which is why he had to go to Dr. James Andrews for further evaluation. That's why he had arthroscopic knee surgey.

"They went in there and cleaned it out," Alonso said. "… Like when you take a car for a clean."

Alonso said the injury happened while he was running on his third-to-last play against Dallas. He remained in the game for two more plays before he told the medical staff his knee was bothering him. The training staff took him out of the game.

Alonso, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL and had tendinitis during the summer, does not know if the injury will linger.

"Hope not," he said.