Bears tight end Zach Miller’s stay in New Orleans was longer than anticipated, so the Saints’ tight ends wanted him to at least feel welcome.
Miller remains in the hospital after his dislocated knee led to a torn artery which required emergency surgery to save his leg. He’s expected to be there several more days as he recovers, so the Saints tight ends decided to visit him to make sure he was OK.
“He was very appreciative of us thinking of him,” Saints tight end Michael Hoomanawanui said, via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “He’s gotta be here for a week or whatever, and if you can make it feel like home for him a little bit ...
“He was alert, and we were just talking like he was one of us. It was a cool 20 minutes or whatever we spent with him. I know he’s got a long road ahead, . . . but it was good to see him.”
Other Saints players and their wives were putting together care packages for Miller and his family during their stay at University Medical Center, which helps. And Hoomanawanui spoke of the “brotherhood” of players at times like this.
It has to help Miller, who might not be around his own team for some time, as he recovers from an injury which could have had an impact far beyond playing football.