Pinkston feels grateful to be alive following a health scare that ended his season. The Cleveland Browns guard was hospitalized in October following a game against Cincinnati with blood clots in his lungs. The second-year player doctors told him if he had taken a hit in the game that "I could've probably died then so I'm all happy about it that I'm still here."||||||| Pinkston, speaking with reporters on Friday for the first time since getting sick, said he has been working out and plans to play next season. He said he feels "normal" and is looking forward to resuming his career. Pinkston said he thought he only had bronchitis in the week leading up to being hospitalized. He continues to take blood thinners. The ordeal has changed Pinkston's view on life, he said.

Pinkston has been released from the hospital after being treated for blood clots in his lungs.||||||| Pinkston, who started Cleveland's first six games at left guard, was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic last week with the life-threatening condition. The 25-year-old was placed on injured reserve earlier this week, ending his second NFL season. A Browns spokesman confirmed Pinkston was released Wednesday.