Bengals OT Fisher cleared to play after heart surgery

Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Jake Fisher has been medically cleared to resume his football career after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in November, the team announced.

Fisher underwent a corrective surgical procedure on Nov. 18 in Chicago to address the situation that landed him on the non-football illness list.

"I've been working with lighter ones, but now I'm back to offseason workouts," the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Fisher said, via the Bengals' website. "You have to be conscious of it. You have to monitor it. But you still have to live life. You can't let it cripple you in any way."

Fisher, who was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, started a career-high seven of the team's first eight games at right tackle last season.

The 24-year-old will be checked every three to four months. He'll also have a monitor at home, but he isn't particularly thrilled with that.

"During the first three months you have to watch it, but who wants to live like that?" Fisher said. "No one wants to live in that constant stage of what is my heart doing? Check it every once in a while here and there, go to the spot in your house where you want to check it (on a heart monitor) and leave the (stuff) there and go live your life. It's not enjoyable. It's not what life is about."