Matt Forte had a great rookie season where he became the first rookie in NFL history to rush for at least 1,000 yards and catch more than 62 passes. But his numbers fell off last season and it probably was caused by his injuries.

Here’s what Forte had to say about how his feeling this off-season on ChicagoBears.com:

“I feel a lot faster,” Forte said. “I’m not injured during OTAs like last year. At the end of the season last year, I had knee surgery. I got that healed up and I actually went down to Florida and did some training so I could re-do the speed training and stuff that I did before that I didn’t get to do because of my injuries.”

“It’s a team,” he said. “It’s not me versus Chester. He’s in here to help out the team and I’m here to help out the team, too, to get a championship, so that’s what it is.”

“A lot of teams have two-running back systems and actually it prolongs their careers, so I don’t mind having him here to take some reps and get in there as long as we win games and it’s working,” Forte said.

“This is the National Football League. People are going to be brought in and out every day. Competition is part of the game. If you’re afraid of competition you shouldn’t be playing anyway, so I come out here and compete every day.”

“You don’t even have to look at the numbers, just the name of Marshall Faulk,” Forte said. “We watch a lot of old film on them. When they had Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce and all those guys, it just makes you get excited about how good this offense can be and some of the talented guys we’ve got on this team that can fit those positions.”

(All quotes from Chicagobears.com)