IRVING, Texas --DeMarcus Ware turns 30 this August, but that shouldn't be taken as a sign that the two-time NFL sack king is slowing down. He remains arguably the most feared pass rusher in the game, still in the prime of his career.
As Ware has gotten older, he has adjusted his diet and training to keep himself at a high level. With the Cowboys' medical and athletic training staff, he's also monitoring the neck/shoulder stingers that have popped up at times since he was carted off the field during a December 2009 game against the Chargers.
Ware returned the following week to seal the Cowboys' upset over the undefeated Saints with a sack/forced fumble. He said he has had stinger symptoms here and the since -- a brief tingling, numb sensation -- including late last season.
Due to a minor neck strain, he did not participate in last week's open (and voluntary) OTA as a precaution but returned to practice this week. A series of tests came back negative, and head coach Jason Garrett reiterated Wednesday after practice that the team isn't concerned about the six-time Pro Bowler's health.
"You can never be 100 percent saying it's not going to happen when you're out there playing aggressive," Ware said, "but you've got to take the precautionary things in the offseason to make sure that it doesn't happen again and that's what I was doing (last week)."
Ware said he's feeling fine right now, partly because the Cowboys aren't having full-contact practices in pads. He had special pads ordered this offseason to help protect him.
"I think it's just going to be that way," he said. "You've got to find some way to work through it and just go through precautionary stuff."
