MIAMI — Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney still hopes to play in the Super Bowl despite a torn ligament in his right ankle.

“Hopefully, towards the end of the week it starts to get better,” Freeney said at Tuesday’s media day. “The decision will come later on in the week. It’s kind of early now.”

An All-Pro player, Freeney wore a pair of flip-flops to the morning session. His injured ankle was unwrapped.

“Very discouraging” was how he described his inability to practice for Sunday’s NFL title game against the New Orleans Saints.

“The competitor in me says they’ll never stop me from being on the field,” he said with a laugh before adding: “There’s some pain there definitely, with throwing everything at it, all types of techniques, to find the best thing to get this thing as good as possible. You name it, I’ve probably done it.” Freeney injured the ankle in the AFC championship game against the New York Jets and said the chances of working out later this week weren’t good.