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Is there such a thing as an unsung superstar? I offer New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi. He has been in the league 12 years, won three Super Bowls, been to the Pro Bowl, yet most people think of him as, "Oh yeah, the guy who had the stroke."
He might even be the best No. 54 in the NFL. There is Zach Thomas, who has had an outstanding career with the Miami Dolphins but has never been to a Super Bowl. There is Brian Urlacher, who lost the Super Bowl last year with the Bears. And there is Hall of Famer Randy White, the defensive end who was the co-MVP of Super Bowl XII when Dallas beat Denver.
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| Tedy Bruschi credits hard work and preparation for his success. (Getty Images) |
Like every fan, Bruschi watched the Pittsburgh-Jacksonville game on television. But unlike every fan, he was trying to figure out how to personally stop Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew.
"They're a terrific one-two punch," he said. "Jones-Drew is small and compact, hiding behind the line, then he pops out somewhere. And I voted for Fred Taylor to go to the Pro Bowl. He still has take-it-to-the-house speed."
Bruschi, who knows the Patriots have struggled stopping the run, said the Jaguars have another interesting aspect to their running game.
"They rotate the running backs, so they're always fresh," he said. "They try to wear down the defense, so it's double the challenge. They're a tremendous threat and they're always ready to go."
Bruschi said he's typical of a Bill Belichick linebacker.
"Bill wants smart, tough, low-to-the-ground linebackers," he said. "It's a philosophical tree -- from Bill Parcells to Bill Belichick to Romeo Crennel. My coach, Pepper Johnson, has us look at film of the Giants' linebackers -- Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Carl Banks, and Pep. Coach Belichick wants it done the same way."
He even said -- are you sitting down? -- Belichick is funny.
"You should hear him in the meetings," said Bruschi. "He'll say something kind of quietly, and it may take a second to get it, but then you burst out laughing."
Former Patriots linebacker Steve Nelson said Bruschi has what all great linebackers have.
"A lot of people think being a linebacker is about technique," he said, "square your shoulders, keep your head up. But it's really about getting a guy to the ground. That's what Tedy Bruschi does."
Bruschi quickly agreed.
"That's absolutely right," he said. "Being a great linebacker is about instinct and tackling. First you need a sense of where the running back is going, and then you have to bring him down."
Bruschi didn't even play football until his freshman year in high school. Raised in a tough section of San Francisco, of Filipino and Italian descent, he only played pickup games in the street. When his family moved to Roseville, outside Sacramento, he began to play organized football.
At the University Arizona, he tied an NCAA record for sacks when he played for Dick Tomey's famed "Desert Swarm."
But his greatest challenge came two days after the Pro Bowl in 2005, when Bruschi felt numbness down the left side of his body and couldn't see his son out of his left eye.
"I knew something was wrong," he said, "but I never thought it was a stroke. I thought that was something that happened to your grandparents."
More than 750,000 people a year have a stroke, according to the American Heart Association. With the help of his wife, Heidi, and their three sons, Bruschi was careful and consistent about his rehabilitation.
In an emotional day for everyone, Bruschi made his first public appearance in April 2005, when the Red Sox asked him, along with Bill Russell and Bobby Orr, to throw out a ceremonial pitch when the Red Sox received their 2004 World Series rings. He wore No. 47 as a tribute to Terry Francona.
"Terry also went to Arizona," said Bruschi, "and throughout my recovery, he called me every week."
Bruschi, 100 percent recovered, was cleared to play Oct. 30, 2005, against the Buffalo Bills. At Gillette Stadium that night, it was the loudest ovation he'd ever heard.
"I'm proud to be a stroke survivor," Bruschi said. "I hope I can be a symbol to others."
"His greatest asset is his leadership," said Brad Blank, his well-respected Boston agent. Bruschi had always represented himself, but after the stroke, he hired Blank. "Tedy understands the responsibility of helping other people."
Bruschi is nothing if not a competitor.
"I can't wait for this game," he said. "Jacksonville reminds me of us. They're hard-nosed, physical and tough. Jack Del Rio is like a Bill Cowher or a Bill Belichick. They'll be ready and so will we. And I hope the conditions are brutal. I love to play in bad weather."