RIP

I was saddened today to read of the passing of Darryl Stingley. For those who don't remember, Darryl was the wide receiver for the Patriots who was paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game against the Raiders.

1978 was the first year that I played organized football as a child. We didn't wear pads and it was flag football. But, the Darryl Stingley injury still affected me and I never forgot what happened to Darryl.

I played tight end in high school and I often found myself going over the middle to catch passes. I never got seriously hurt, but I did break my collarbone once when I went up to catch a pass and had my feet taken out from under me while I was in the air. I landed hard on my head and left shoulder. I still remember laying on the field, looking up at the night sky, and feeling a numb sensation in my shoulder. I also remember moving my fingers and toes as I lay there just to make sure that I wasn't paralyzed. I didn't think about Darryl at that specific moment, but I did think about him later that night as I was having the x-rays taken at the hospital. I got up after that hit and went back to the huddle. I finished the game that night and I didn't think I was seriously hurt until after I took off my pads in the locker room and saw the swelling in the mirror. The worst part of the story was that we were playing a preseason intrasquad game and the guy who hit me was a friend of mine. You might recognize his name if I told you who it was because he went on to play for several years in the NFL. I'm not going to tell you so you'll just have to guess.

Anyway, enough about me. Darryl was a good guy who got hurt playing the game he loved. It could happen to anybody and it was a sobering reminder of how dangerous the game of football can be. I followed Darryl's story over the years and was amazed at all he accomplished after his injury. Darryl will be in my prayers tonight and I hope he will be in yours as well. RIP, Darryl.