GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Eddie Lacy is a bulldozing running back. He ran that way in college at Alabama. He ran that way last year when he won the NFL's offensive rookie of the year, and he never once talked about changing his style.

At least he hadn't before Thursday, when the Green Bay Packers running back was cleared to return from the concussion he sustained in last week's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

For the first time, Lacy hinted at the possibility that he might have to alter his hard-charging style of running for the sake of career longevity, saying "somehow I'll have to figure out a way to change the way I run but still keep the physical part of it."

It's not something Lacy said he planned to change immediately, and his position coach, former NFL fullback Sam Gash, doesn't believe his pupil needs to alter his approach despite being diagnosed with his second concussion in the last 51 weeks.

"He's a physical guy," Gash said Thursday a few hours after Lacy's comments. "I don't really get into him changing what he's doing. He's been successful in the NFL, and he's going to continue to do what makes him successful. If that's him feeling like he has to change or whatever, then that's what we would obviously talk about. But as of right now, it's not really a question that I can, should, or really want to answer."

For his part, Lacy indicated that whatever changes he makes -- if any -- likely will not be drastic.

Last season, on the way to a Packers' rookie record of 1,178 yards rushing, Lacy had the fourth-most yards after contact in the NFL last season with 531, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"I can only be myself," said Lacy, who was limited to just 34 yards on 12 carries in the opener. "I was drafted here because of the way I run. It's just what I have to do. Just trying to alter it, make sure I'm still physical but trying to keep the concussions out of it somehow. I'll figure that out along the way. I'm definitely going to still run the way I run."