“A Snapshot of a NFL Quarterback”
In recent years the NFL has enjoyed enormous popularity. During these times, football players pass through the NFL and leave their mark. Some marks are positive and some less positive. This story is about a NFL Quarterback with the right stuff who played with a competitive edge, who carried himself with defining class, and who left an indelible mark of leadership with his teammates and coaches. One evening in October, Trent Green’s life changed forever. With the sudden loss of his father, the Quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs was playing a football game for the first time in his life without the proud eyes of his father watching. The loss of a parent is something almost everyone will have to deal with at one point in time. With the support of his personal family and his Chiefs’ family, Trent managed to deal with his loss not only privately, but publicly, when he resumed his role as starting Quarterback within days of his personal loss.
The game was played in San Diego on Sunday, and Trent had practiced only once leading up to the game, taking personal leave to spend time with his family. Trent flew into San Diego on a late Saturday evening flight, bedded down at the hotel, and was present for the pre-game meal that next morning. The last time Trent had touched a football was during the week’s first workout, prior to his father’s sudden and unexpected death. It was in the second quarter of the game and we were sitting on the bench flipping through the game photos from the previous series of downs, when I remember looking over to him as he flipped to a final page that was blank. Trent kept staring down at this empty page, and I’m sure his mind was flashing one-hundred miles an hour.
The game against the Chargers that Sunday was a battle. In the first half Trent struggled, as did the entire team. In the locker room as we were about to go back onto the field, I looked into Trent’s eyes to wish him the best of success for the next half and he leaned forward looking as if he were going to eat the words out of my mouth.Then he paused just long enough to whisper, “I am going to lead this team with all my heart.” Trent Green went back out for the second half of play and lit the Chargers up, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns in the final half, nearly pulling out a victory. What an outstanding display of courage and concentration. In a very adverse environment, he was able to center on what he had to focus on. Trent completed 72% of his passes and logged a Quarterback Efficiency Rating of 111. It was one of the best ten games of his NFL career. His display of perseverance that game sums up the inner strength and dynamic leadership that Trent brought to the locker room and carried onto the playing field. His teammates will never forget Trent Green’s performance that October afternoon, nor will they ever forget his courage under fire.
