A Pro Football Player Who Knows Who He Is!

I followed Michael Robinson as a college football player. His senior year at quarterback was his best as he led Penn State to a 11-1 record, an Orange Bowl victory over Florida State and a final #3 ranking in the national polls. He was selected as the Big Ten Conference offensive player of the year and was a consensus second team All American. The San Francisco 49ers drafted him in the fourth round of the NFL draft and immediately converted him into a running back. Robinson's dream of playing quarterback in the NFL ended right there. But that did not deter him (as it might have done for some). He gave his new position his all. Eventually the 49ers released him after five seasons. He was then signed by the Seattle Seahawks. This Sunday he will have the opportunity to play in the NFL's elite game ... the Super Bowl. And it is an opportunity he does not take for granted. 

Back in August, Robinson was forced to leave a preseason game against the Broncos (the Seahawks' opponent in Sunday's Super Bowl). The illness he was suffering was due to a reaction of his body to an antibiotic. He began to lose weight (he lost close to 30 pounds!) and was hospitalized several times. Robinson's kidney and liver were beginning to shut down. Finally the doctors were able to reverse the illness and Michael began his road to recovery. As he worked on his conditioning and restoring his lost weight, he began making plans for his post NFL life. He realized that he was on the wrong side of thirty and the Seahawks had two younger running backs doing the job. But then in October, one of these was injured. This opened the door for Robinson's return. He signed a one year contract with Seattle and will play on Sunday. 

During an interview this week, he was asked about how, during his illness, he had dealt with the possibility of never playing in the NFL again. In his response he said this, "I don't want football to define me. I'm a man, a Christian, a husband, a father who just happens to play football. I would have been OK with that." Those are refreshing words from a professional athlete with a lesson for all of us. No matter what your vocation ... teacher, nurse, police officer, accountant, custodian, trucker, retailer, stay-at-home mom .... you are a CHRISTIAN who just happens to be a teacher, nurse, police officer, accountant, custodian, trucker, retailer, stay-at-home mom (Colossians 3:23)! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj