The NFLPA (we’ve officially dropped the asterisk in anticipation of the official return of union status) has issued a video featuring a series of “thank you” messages from a variety of NFL players.
Played over the kind of background music that in the right circumstances can make a grown man cry, the realization that this multi-year mess finally is over coupled with the words from the players almost got me a little choked up. (Almost. And that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)
Players speaking on the video include Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, Colts linebacker Gary Brackett, Falcons linebacker Coy Wire, Rams offensive lineman Adam Goldberg, Buccaneers receiver Maurice Stovall, Saints offensive lineman Jon Stinchcomb, Bears kicker Robbie Gould (whose sore-thumb build was accentuated by his high school physics teacher attire), free-agent (as of five minutes ago) linebacker Takeo Spikes, Bills safety George Wilson, Lions safety Erik Coleman, free-agent (as of five minutes ago) Tyson Clabo, Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis, and Bengals tackle Andrew Whitworth.
Said Spikes: “In the end, we all got what we wanted. And that’s football.”
Amen.
Whitworth wrapped it up with something that nearly caused me to run through the nearest wall. (Or, as the case may be, to bounce off the nearest wall. Because I truly am the juggernaut, bitch.)
“We got this thing done,” Whitworth said, “now let’s play some ball.”