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Nick Collins' injury has easily been the low point of this magical Packers season. A three-time Pro Bowler and key contributor in last year's Super Bowl run, Collins had emerged as one of the best safeties in the league ...
Nick Collins? injury has easily been the low point of this magical Packers season. A three-time Pro Bowler and key contributor in last year?s Super Bowl run, Collins had emerged as one of the best safeties in the league (if not one of the hahdest hittin? safeties in da league). But things changed ? very quickly ? in week 2 against Carolina. Trying to bring down the not-so-easy-to-tackle Jonathan Stewart, Collins? head was hit awkwardly by Stewart?s leg. His body went numb, and trainers rushed out to check on him. Fortunately, he had movement in all his extremities ? a huge relief to his family watching at home. I can?t help but think of Jerry Maguire scene were Rod Tidwell gets hurt and his wife starts freaking out. It?s a scary moment for all involved.
After suffering a potentially career-threatening injury like that, you would expect a person to be at the very least a little down. Perhaps lots of time spent wondering, ?why me??. But if you think Collins shared that line of thinking, you?d be dead wrong. After reading this great piece from the JSOnline, a few things are clear:
If positive thinking is helpful in the recovery process, Collins will play again. There was no dwelling, no isolation, nothing to indicate that he was letting the injury get the best of him mentally in addition to the physical damage it caused. Collins believes he will play again:
?For myself to get down, that means I?ll get lazy and not want to do anything,? Collins said. ?I?d start thinking I don?t want to play again. I don?t want that mind-set. I want my mind-set to be always positive and just keep going and make as much progress as I can and go from there.?
What was the Packers? loss is his family?s gain. It?s far too easy for fans to forget that professional athletes may have families just like the fans do. Collins has four kids and a wife, but because of the time commitments and travel required to be a professional athlete, he?s been MIA for some of his kids? biggest moments. But as a result of his injury, he?s had plenty of time to spend with his family ? making up for all of those precious, lost moments. If you?re trying to find a silver lining in a devastating injury like this, look no further than the amount of time he gets to spend with his loved ones.
Despite all of this, Collins is still staying visible with the team ? and still trying to help. Charlie Peprah ? Collins? replacement at safety ? may be 28 years old, but he played very sparingly in his first 4 years before joining the Packers. Starting next to Peprah is 22 year old Morgan Burnett, one of the more promising young safeties in the NFL. Sure, Collins could just stay home and worry about rehabbing and tending to his family. But that just wouldn?t be in his character. Collins pops into weekly safeties meetings and roams the sidelines during games, offering advice whenever he can without being too overbearing. I?d say it?s helping:
?To have a veteran guy in your corner takes the pressure off you,? Burnett said. ?It makes you feel comfortable to go out and make plays?He tells us to trust our eyes, trust what we see. Trust what you see and go ahead and make a play on the ball.?
In Green Bay?s 45-38 win at San Diego, Collins called both interceptions returned for touchdowns. Peprah?s 40-yarder for a score? ?Told him that was coming.? Tramon Williams? 43-yarder? ?I knew that slant was coming.?
You can poll Packers fans, asking them who their favorite player is. A lot will say Rodgers. Maybe Clay Matthews will come in second. But you know who?s creeping up my list? It?s the guy who had the clutch pick-six in the Super Bowl last year. It?s the three-time Pro Bowler. It?s the guy you might think may never play another snap in the NFL.
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