NFC South: Joe Horn
Reflecting on Ricky Williams and Saints
Tuesday’s news that Baltimore Ravens running back Ricky Williams is retiring comes with a bit of an NFC South angle.
Williams once was the biggest thing to ever hit the New Orleans Saints. Remember the 1999 draft, when the Saints traded away all their picks from that year, plus a couple more for the following year, for the right to draft Williams?
Yeah, it made headlines all over the place because it was one of the most daring trades ever -- we’re talking way more daring and dangerous than what the Falcons gave up to get Julio Jones or what the Saints gave up to get Mark Ingram in the 2011 draft.
It was the biggest deal coach Mike Ditka made and (along with a 3-13 record that season) it led to the end of his coaching career.
When coach Jim Haslett arrived the next season, Williams had some success. He had two 1,000-yard seasons, but there were issues. Williams was a unique personality. He didn’t interact a lot with teammates and often conducted interviews behind the shield of his helmet.
"Ricky's just a different guy," former New Orleans receiver Joe Horn once said. "People he wanted to deal with, he did. And people he wanted to have nothing to do with, he didn't. No one could understand that. I don't think guys in the locker room could grasp that he wanted to be to himself -- you know, quiet. If you didn't understand him and didn't know what he was about, it always kept people in suspense."
Haslett was in suspense or, at the very least, never quite could figure out Williams. That’s part of the reason Deuce McAllister was drafted. By the end of the 2001 season, in which Williams rushed for 1,245 yards and caught 60 passes, Haslett was pretty clear that Williams didn’t fit his long-term plans.
In the spring of 2002, the Saints traded Williams to the Miami Dolphins. They were able to get back some of what they initially gave up for Williams by getting four draft picks, including two first-round choices, in return.
Williams’ career would go on to have all sorts of twists and turns. He had success at times in Miami. He also retired from football in 2004, only to return in 2005. Williams was suspended by the NFL in 2006 and wound up playing for Toronto in the Canadian Football League.
Williams returned to the Dolphins in 2007. He finished his career with Baltimore and ended up with 10,009 rushing yards and 74 total touchdowns (66 of them on the ground).
Not a bad career, especially when you consider all the interruptions.
Would it have somehow worked out better if things had been handled differently and Williams spent his entire career in New Orleans? It’s impossible to say for sure.
Williams’ track record suggests he might have encountered some of the same, or different, problems if he had been with the Saints the entire time. Things worked out all right for him. They also worked out for the Saints, aside from the initial price tag to get Williams. McAllister ended up having a very nice career.
Reggie Bush came in and did some nice things at certain times. Along the way, the Saints also added Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles, who have done some pretty nice things at running back.
Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 15:
Time for a comeback? Before things got out of hand over the past couple of months, Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman had built a reputation for leading his team to fourth-quarter comebacks. The Bucs might not be capable of that these days, but there is some encouraging news on this front. The Cowboys, Tampa Bay's opponent Saturday, have lost three games this season after leading by at least 12 points in the fourth quarter. In the 51 seasons prior to this one, Dallas had lost only twice after leading by 12 or more points in the fourth quarter.
Jake Roth/US PRESSWIRETampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman's 18 interceptions leads the NFL.On a record pace II. New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham has a streak of five games in which he has had at least five receptions. Graham is on pace for 98 catches and 1,355 receiving yards. Marques Colston set the team record with 98 receptions in 2007. The franchise record for receiving yards in a season is 1,399, set by Joe Horn in 2004.
Chasing Manning. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton already has thrown for 3,573 yards. He needs 167 more yards to break the rookie record that was set by Peyton Manning in 1998.
Coughing it up. Tampa Bay running back LeGarrette Blount fumbled twice last Sunday and lost one. Blount now has five fumbles for the season. That ranks him No. 2 in the league among running backs. Only Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew (six) has more fumbles.
Drew Brees had a 101.4 NFL passer rating. That’s the 40th time he’s hit the 100 mark since joining the Saints in 2006. The Saints are 33-7 in those games.
Brees tied Brett Favre for second in history with his 36th consecutive game with a touchdown pass. The NFL record is 47, held by Johnny Unitas.
Brees is the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in the first nine games of the season. He set the previous record in 2008, when he had 2,985 yards through nine games.
Brees extended his own NFL record by completing 20 or more passes for the 29th consecutive game.
Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham are the first running back/tight end combination to each have 50 or more receptions through the first nine games of a season. Sproles has 56 catches and Graham has 55.
Sproles now has 347 rushing yards for the season. That’s a new career high.
Marques Colston now has 403 career catches. The only players in Saints’ history with more catches are Eric Martin (532) and Joe Horn (523).
Safety Roman Harper now has 5.5 sacks this season. That’s the most in a season by any safety in Saints’ history.
Kicker John Kasay became the eighth player in NFL history to reach 1,900 career points.
Each NFC South team has some way of honoring its former players. For instance, the Bucs do it with their Ring of Honor, which, so far, includes only Lee Roy Selmon and John McKay.
We’ll see how long this lockout lasts, but I’m thinking if it drags into the middle of June or later, we might go ahead and do some Call It polls to let you select who belongs in the NFC South Hall of Fame. There’s no such thing right now, but, even if it’s just for fun, it might be a good time to start one.
Here’s a list of past inductees into the Saints Hall of Fame.
- 1988 -- Archie Manning and Danny Abramowicz
- 1989 -- Tommy Myers and Tom Dempsey
- 1990 -- Billy Kilmer
- 1991 -- Tony Galbreath and Derland Moore
- 1992 -- George Rogers, Jake Kupp and John Hill
- 1993 -- Joe Federspiel
- 1994 -- Henry Childs and Jim Finks
- 1995 -- Doug Atkins and Bob Pollard
- 1996 -- Dave Whitsell and Dave Waymer
- 1997 -- Stan Brock and Rickey Jackson
- 1998 -- Dalton Hilliard and Sam Mills
- 1999 -- Bobby Hebert and Eric Martin
- 2000 -- Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson
- 2001 -- Jim Wilks and Hoby Brenner
- 2002 -- Jim Mora and Frank Warren
- 2003 -- Jim Dombrowski and Wayne Martin
- 2004 -- Rueben Mayes and Steve Sidwell
- 2006 -- Joel Hilgenberg
- 2007 -- Joe Johnson
- 2008 -- William Roaf
- 2009 -- Morten Andersen
- 2010 -- Joe Horn
But things just got a little busier. The New Orleans Saints just sent out an announcement that the Saints Hall of Fame selection committee has selected the franchise’s all-time team as the franchise looks ahead to its 45th season. The committee is a collection of local media members and it selects an all-time Saints team every five years.
The latest version is out and here it is. Players with asterisks after their name were unanimous selections. The years after the players’ names indicate their time with the Saints.
Offense
- Wide Receiver – Eric Martin* (1985-93)
- Wide Receiver – Joe Horn* (2000-06)
- Center – John Hill* (1975-84)
- Guard – Jim Dombrowski* (1986-96)
- Guard – Jahri Evans* (2006-present)
- Tackle – Willie Roaf* (1993-2001)
- Tackle – Stan Brock* (1980-92)
- Tight End – Hoby Brenner* (1981-93)
- Quarterback – Drew Brees* (2006-present)
- Running Back – Dalton Hilliard* (1986-93)
- Running Back – Deuce McAllister (2001-09)
- Athlete – Reggie Bush (2006-present)
- Defensive Line – Wayne Martin (1989-99)
- Defensive Line – Jim Wilks (1981-93)
- Defensive Line – Joe Johnson* (1994-98, 2000-01)
- Defensive Line – Will Smith (2004-present)
- Linebacker – Sam Mills* (1986-94)
- Linebacker – Vaughan Johnson* (1986-93)
- Linebacker – Rickey Jackson* (1981-93)
- Linebacker – Pat Swilling* (1986-92)
- Cornerback – Dave Waymer* (1980-89)
- Cornerback – Mike McKenzie (2004-09)
- Safety – Tommy Myers (1972-81)
- Safety – Sammy Knight (1997-02)
- Kicker – Morten Andersen *(1982-94)
- Punter – Tommy Barnhardt (1987, 89-94, 99)
- Special Teamer – Fred McAfee* (1991-93, 2000-06)
- Kick/Punt Returner – Michael Lewis* (2001-06)
- Sean Payton (2006-present)
Pat Yasinskas: Michael Vick and White were very close friends when they played together. But Vick was not the most accurate of passers in those days. White emerged in the 2007 season with Harrington and Redman playing a lot. I wouldn’t credit them all that much for his emergence, but I think they played a small part. More importantly, I think the influences of Joe Horn and Paul Petrino, as discussed in the column, really triggered the turnaround and the arrival of Matt Ryan in 2008 helped put White over the top.
Haiile in Durham, N.C., writes: Do you think Julius Peppers is looking at the situation in Carolina and saying "I saw that coming"?
Pat Yasinskas: I covered Peppers for most of his career, but I would never try to read his mind. That’s because Peppers is a very private and complex person and he never really shared his thoughts on much of anything. I will say I don’t think Peppers is the type to gloat. I think he just had been very unhappy in Carolina and wanted out of there for several years. My best guess is he’s just happy to be out of there and doesn’t really care what’s happening to the Panthers.
Richard in Ann Arbor, Mich. writes: With regards to the stat about Carolina winning 7 of the last 10 regular season games against New Orleans, I think it's worth mentioning that, in two of those victories, the Saints were playing a "meaningless" game in which they made no real effort to win. In the 2006 finale, Drew Brees played two series, produced a touchdown, hit the bench. In last year's finale, Brees did not even play; Mark Brunell went all the way. Those are still victories for the Panthers, of course, but it's hard to take them seriously with regards to the division rivalry.
Pat Yasinskas: Some valid points there. This year, I view Carolina as a sinking ship. If the Saints make the Panthers 0-4 on Sunday, I think the bottom really is going to start to fall out in Carolina.
Robert in Dallas, Texas, writes: Just saw some of the Albert Haynesworth interview on ESPN-in your opinion do you think his attitude would be different if he would have signed with Tampa?
Pat Yasinskas: Believe it or not, things might have turned out even worse if Haynesworth had come to the Buccaneers, who actually offered him more money than the Redskins. Haynesworth said one of the reasons he decided not to come to Tampa Bay was that there were too many distractions and he wanted to go to a place where he could concentrate on football. It’s pretty obvious Haynesworth hasn’t been real focused in Washington. So, if he had doubts about his ability to focus in Tampa …well, let’s just say it’s probably best the Bucs didn’t sign him.
Sam in Raleigh, N.C., writes: You have often said that when there are head coaching changes coaching staffs tend to get dismantled. If John Fox leaves what are the chances that an up and comer like Jim Skipper would stick around as RB coach or OC?
Pat Yasinskas: I’ve known Jim Skipper for years. I think he’s one of the best assistant coaches in the league and he’s also a person I truly respect. But I don’t think you can call Skipper an up-and-comer. He’s 61 and will turn 62 in January. Plus, Skipper has been on Fox’s staff from the start. If Fox goes, Skipper almost certainly goes with him. Fox shouldn’t have a problem getting a job somewhere else. If that happens, I think there’s a pretty good chance Skipper ends up on his new staff.
A second-round draft pick in 2007, Jarrett has done very little in four seasons. He hit a low point last week when he was declared an inactive on game day. Jarrett admitted he’s frustrated, and he talked about how he struggled with paying attention to detail early in his career.
Paterno said Jarrett might have been the best receiver prospect in the country. But Paterno said he couldn’t even attempt to recruit Jarrett because of poor academics. Jarrett ended up at the University of Southern California.
With the Trojans, Jarrett said he was allowed to be an athlete, but never was put in positions where he had to read defenses or do a lot of thinking.
The other things that came to mind as I read the Jarrett story was the story I wrote on Atlanta’s Roddy White on Friday. White said the turning point in his career came when veteran Joe Horn took him under his wing.
Although Jarrett said his relationship with Steve Smith is good, the two clashed when Jarrett was a rookie. Jarrett also played behind veteran Muhsin Muhammad the last couple of years.
Smith and Muhammad are many things, but I don’t know that either is the kind of guy that’s going to volunteer himself to be a mentor. Wide receivers are a strange breed and a lot of NFL players are protective of their own jobs. I think White simply was lucky to run into a guy like Horn, who was the exception to the rule.
AP Photo/Paul Abell Roddy White struggled early in his career, but can smile now as the NFC South's top receiver.There, I’ve said it, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized this has been the case for quite some time. You’re welcome to try to pinpoint the exact date that a guy who once seemed headed to being a bust became the best receiver in the NFC South. I couldn’t do it and, when I asked White, neither could he.
Fact is, White has just kind of grown into the role as some other guys have been backed off their claims. Narrow the time frame down from 2007 until today and White has been steadily surging while Carolina’s Steve Smith has been weighed down by a series of quarterback problems. Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant came and went in Tampa Bay. New Orleans’ Marques Colston has had to share Drew Brees’ passes with all those other targets the Saints have.
AP Photo/Ric FeldRoddy White struggled during his first two years in the league until he "just finally grew up,'' White said.“Roddy White is the complete wide receiver,’’ Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan said moments after the Falcons recorded one of the bigger regular-season wins in franchise history Sunday with a 27-24 overtime victory against the Saints in the Superdome. “He’s big, he’s strong and he’s fast. He runs great routes. He works hard. You couldn’t ask for more in a wide receiver.’’
Funny, because once upon a time, there were people around the league who thought White was going to go down in history as one of the biggest receiver busts ever. Taken out of the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the first round (27th overall) in 2005, White was seen as a raw talent.
One person who worked for the Falcons at the time White first arrived admitted the brass in Flowery Branch had a huge case of buyer's remorse after they saw White in his first training camp and through most of his first two seasons. That person said there was a moment during White’s rookie season when an assistant coach stood up in a meeting and said White simply wasn’t good enough to play in the NFL and there was no argument in response.
But a strange thing happened after White bumbled his way through a rookie season that featured 29 catches and a second season in which he improved to 30 catches, but zero touchdowns. As the Michael Vick saga was casting a sad shadow over the Falcons and Bobby Petrino was about to do the same, White suddenly became a legitimate NFL wide receiver.
That may be the single bright spot to emerge from a very dark time in franchise history. The more you look at where White is now, the brighter that spot gets. As the world around the Falcons seemed to be crumbling, a convergence of events were taking place that would shock everyone and put White’s career on a good path.
“I guess the easiest way to put it was that I just finally grew up,’’ White said.
That’s the simple way to put it, but White is quick to point out that it was much more complex than that. He’s even quicker to point out that he had some help.
“I’d gone through life just getting by on being a good natural athlete,’’ White said. “That’s the way I approached it my first two years and, in the NFL, it’s not good enough to just be an athlete.’’
As Vick was going and Petrino was coming, two other subtle moves took place that would forever change White’s career for the better. Perhaps the only good move Petrino made in his short stint as the head coach of the Falcons was hiring his younger brother, Paul, to coach wide receivers.
“When coach [Jim] Mora and his guys were here, I was eating a lot of cheeseburgers and going at about 215 [pounds],’’ White said. “When Paul Petrino came in, he sat me down and said, 'You need to get back to where you were in college.' I got back to around 205 to 208 and I suddenly realized I was moving faster and jumping higher. But it wasn’t just that. Paul Petrino worked me so hard and pushed me to string together good practices, go out there and do it every day.’’
Paul Petrino got some help from another source. In 2007, the Falcons brought in veteran wide receiver Joe Horn, in large part because they weren’t sure if White could play. But Horn ended up being part of the reason White has been playing so well in recent years.
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireRoddy White has 25 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns this season.The results were pretty much instant. In a 2007 season in which the Falcons went through several quarterbacks with little success, White somehow emerged with 83 catches for 1,202 yards and six touchdowns.
The next year, coach Mike Smith arrived and promptly drafted Ryan, who clicked with White right from the start. White had 88 catches for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008 and 85 catches for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2009.
“It was somewhat of a gradual process, but there was a good chemistry between Roddy and me right from the start,’’ Ryan said. “It just keeps getting stronger because Roddy’s a guy that works very hard and he’s always where he’s supposed to be.’’
White’s been to the Pro Bowl the last two seasons and there’s no reason to think he won’t be there again.
“The thing with Matt is, he came in from the beginning and was asking what kind of routes I liked running and where I liked getting the ball and things like that,’’ White said. “When you do that, you’re both sort of volunteering ways to get better.’’
In their third season together, Ryan and White have the Falcons off to a fast start. In the past two games (victories against Arizona and New Orleans), the running game has clicked, the passing game has clicked and the rebuilt defense has a faster, more aggressive look.
“The sky really is the limit for this team,’’ White said.
It’s kind of funny that the guy the Falcons once thought couldn’t play is leading the way. He’s soaring on the field and he has become a leader in the locker room. Before every game, there’s a little reminder of the past and how White got to where he is now.
“Before every game, Joe Horn sends a text,’’ White said. “It’s pretty simple. He just says, go out, play hard, play physical and play smart.’’
That’s what White has been doing, and that’s the other strange twist to all this. The guy who once couldn’t go past fast-food restaurants on the way home or stay out of the nightclubs is taking on the role Horn once did.
“You know, it’s hard to find a guy that will share information with you when we’re all competing for jobs,’’ White said. “But Joe did that with me and now I try to do it with Harry Douglas. I look at Harry like my little brother, but I also look at him as what I used to be before Joe came along. I’m always on Harry about working hard every day. The most important thing Joe taught me was that you have to put the game first.’’
White’s been doing that since 2007 and that’s what has put him among the best receivers in the NFL.
Horn officially retiring as member of Saints
“Since he first arrived here in 2000, Joe made a significant impact on our team both on and off the field,” Saints owner Tom Benson said. “In addition to being one of the top players of all-time to wear a Saints uniform, he was always generous with his time to youth and those less fortunate in our community. I am proud that Joe will retire as a member of the New Orleans Saints family.”
Horn made it to four Pro Bowls in his seven seasons in New Orleans. He already has been elected into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame and will be formally inducted before one of this season’s home games.
But the guy who might be the best wide receiver in the NFC South doesn’t have the traits that so many wide receivers do. That’s New Orleans’ Marques Colston. He’s humble and he’s quiet.
“That’s just my nature,’’ Colston said. “I just like to go out and handle my business and do what I’m supposed to do. It just so happens that this is the biggest stage probably in the world that day. Hopefully people will get the opportunity to see exactly what I can do.”
Maybe his background – coming out of Hofstra in the seventh round – plays a role, but Colston said he doesn’t follow the attitude that he’s got to go out and draw attention to himself.
“That’s fine with me,’’ Colston said. “For me, it’s all about being respected by my peers. I think as long as I continue to work and do the things that I’m doing, I’ll earn that respect.”
Podcast: Horn on Saints' Super Bowl run
what it was like watching his former team win the NFC Championship, how the Saints are going to be able to slow down Peyton Manning and why they are destined to win the Super Bowl.Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
The much-anticipated NFC South all-decade team offense was supposed to go up before the defense and special teams this morning. Due to a technical glitch it did not.
But we'll run your offense out now. I say "your" team because it truly is. I asked you to vote and you did by the hundreds. I didn't make any of the selections. You did. I just counted up the ballots, so give each other grief in the comments section below if you don't like a pick (In fact, you made some picks I wouldn't have and I'll note them below).
Quarterback: Jake Delhomme. This was really close. After nearly 700 votes, Delhomme edged out Drew Brees by 11 votes. It was a tough call because Brees has been with the Saints since only 2006 and Delhomme has won a pile of game for the Panthers. I still would have gone with Brees just because he's been so spectacular in those three seasons. This wasn't just a two-horse race. Brad Johnson, the only NFC South quarterback to win a Super Bowl, finished a respectable third and Michael Vick even got 22 votes.
Running back, Warrick Dunn. I wouldn't call it a total landslide because there was some solid support for Deuce McAllister, but Dunn won pretty easily. He was productive in Tampa Bay and Atlanta throughout the entire decade. No argument here.
Fullback: Mike Alstott. This one was an absolute runaway and it probably should have been. Alstott had a very nice career even though he was almost as overrated as Jason Sehorn. Plus, there wasn't much competition. Carolina's Brad Hoover did get a few votes and those people deserve bonus points for looking beyond the easy and the obvious.
Tight end: Alge Crumpler. Crumpler was the easiest winner on the offense. The only reason we can't say Crumpler was a unanimous choice was because there was one vote for Wesley Walls. Not another tight end even got a vote.
Wide receivers: Steve Smith and Joe Horn. Smith was nearly unanimous and Horn wasn't that far off. Muhsin Muhammad got some attention and, somehow, Keyshawn Johnson got a vote. Thanks for stopping by the blog, Key.
Offensive tackles: Jordan Gross and Jammal Brown: Willie Roaf got some votes, which was a nice try by Saints fans, but Roaf was shipped off to Kansas City early in the decade and didn't qualify. Gross won easily. Brown edged a pack that actually included Todd Weiner and Todd Steussie. If he hadn't, I might have vetoed the vote and inserted Roaf on the team.
Guards: Davin Joseph and Travelle Wharton. This position had more variety than any other. After looking at the guys who also got votes, I've got no problem with Joseph and Wharton.
Center: Jeff Faine. This was one of the closer calls. Faine won with almost 40 percent of the vote. LeCharles Bentley and Todd McClure each had more than 30 percent of the vote.
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
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Roy Cummings reports there's been at least some dialogue between the Bucs and the agent for receiver Joe Horn.
Not a huge surprise because the Bucs have been linked to just about every available or possibly available receiver this offseason. Names like Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison have been thrown around. Nothing's happened yet, but it's a pretty safe bet the Bucs, despite their youth movement, will bring in a veteran receiver at some point.
The only sure thing they've got at receiver is Antonio Bryant. They're also counting heavily on Michael Clayton, who's not a sure thing. After that, they've got nothing but a bunch of young guys, although some of them have upside.
T.O. saga a reminder that WRs are a different sort
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
As the Terrell Owens saga takes another turn with his release by Dallas, I'm reminded of a fascinating psychological profile of wide receivers I stumbled across a few years ago.
The profile actually goes back way earlier than that, but it holds remarkably true. In 1973, Arnold J. Mandell worked as a team psychiatrist for the San Diego Chargers. Coach Harland Savard asked Mandell to come up with personality profiles for the different position groups.
Mandell took a unique approach. He collected handwriting samples from all the Chargers and the entire class of rookies around the league in 1973. He worked with a handwriting analyst and also observed players closely. Mandell came up with personality profiles for every position group and I can see some truths in every one of them.
But Mandell especially nailed it in his personality profile on wide receivers.
"The wide receiver is a very special human being," Mandell wrote. "He shares many features with actors and movie stars. He is narcissistic and vain and basically a loner."
Yeah, you never want to stereotype. But think about that a little bit. Every great wide receiver fits to some degree.
Owens, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, Steve Smith, Joe Horn, Keyshawn Johnson? They've all got it. Think even further back to guys like Michael Irvin, Otis Taylor, Mark Clayton and Mark Duper. They had it, too. You can argue about guys like Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice. But talk to people who've been around them and they'll tell you they've got a touch of the wide receiver traits, but they're just better at hiding them. It's also part of what makes them great.
Falcons' White grows up in a hurry
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| Howard Smith/US Presswire | |
| Roddy White has gone from obscurity to being the Atlanta's No. 1 WR. |
Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas
There was a time when a large percentage of McDonald's employees in greater Atlanta would see Roddy White and automatically push a button.
"I had them trained," White said with a laugh. "The No. 2 combo, always the No. 2 combo -- Quarter-Pounder with cheese, large fries and a Hi-C. Every day. Sometimes, two or three times a day. Sometimes, at 3 or 4 in the morning."
This is the story of how White went from the No. 2 combo to being the No. 1 wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and, perhaps, one of the best in the NFL. It's about slimming down and growing up. More than anything, it's a story about learning to take care of others and, in the process, taking care of yourself.
If the people at McDonald's could see White now -- and they haven't in quite some time -- they wouldn't recognize him. These days, White's home early most evenings. He's eating (and making) dinners that are heavy on fruits and vegetables. If he goes out, it's to watch the kids -- his kids, essentially -- play high school football.
Tyrone Moore, 15, is White's brother. Ali White, 17, is his cousin. They play football at and attend Mill Creek High School, which is just a few miles away from the Falcons' practice facility in Flowery Branch. They live with White, 27, who has taken on the role of parent for both boys.
It happened almost overnight. It happened before the 2007 school year began and it happened at just about the same time White made a bunch of other decisions that probably saved his career. It's a long and complicated story, but, when you look at the end result, it's no coincidence that all these good things happened at the same time.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Pat Yasinskas
Yasinskas joined ESPN.com in January 2008 after covering the Carolina Panthers for The Charlotte Observer for nine seasons. He began his journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990.
