I'm thankful for all the things that this job has given me and my family. But probably the thing that I am most proud of throughout my career is that, not only myself, but my family and the people around me have just been regular people, which we are.
But when you lose a family member or something tragic happens, that stays with you forever. You never get over it. Knowing that you have to deal with that for the rest of your life... Football is important, but not as important as you once thought it was.
If you grew up in a household with a football coach who looks like a drill sergeant, you would think you would be tough.
You're never guaranteed about next year. People ask what you think of next season, you have to seize the opportunities when they're in front of you.
I don't worry anymore about where's the big hangout Tuesday night, Friday. Couldn't tell you and no one comes to me for advice anymore in those areas anymore, so real boring I would say.
I can't believe I survived, not only my life, but I am still playing football 'cause half of those eight or nine years I don't even remember.
Every game I've ever played, regardless if it was pre-season or Super Bowl, meant the same to me, and I laid it all on the line.
It's been six years since I have had a drink and I have two girls, and my priorities are a lot different now and I just can't believe I was that guy. And I would not go back, I would not trade the way I am now for anything.