To Eric LeGrand, MetLife Stadium’s gray seats and symmetrical shape make it difficult to determine where on the field his life changed forever.
“I don’t even know which 25-yard line I got hurt on, because it looks like a big circle to me. It all looks the same,” the former Rutgers football player told USA TODAY Sports by phone Wednesday night.
LeGrand, paralyzed in a 2010 game against Army, has become an inspiration to many because of his courageous fight through a severe spinal injury.
“Every time I go there, I try to figure out which one I went down on, and I cannot figure out which one it is,” he said. “I cannot figure it out. And I’m trying. Hopefully, I can figure it out this time or someone can tell me which one.”
LeGrand signed an honorary contract with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, who are now coached by his former college coach, Greg Schiano. LeGrand said he has been asked to participate in the coin toss when the Bucs meet the New York Giants on Sunday.
And when he finds that 25-yard line, he hopes to commemorate the spot in a way only he could.
“I might have to do a few doughnuts in my wheelchair around the spot,” LeGrand said. “And have fun.”
LeGrand said he and his agent, IMG’s Sandy Montag, are in discussions with the Giants about his role in the coin toss. The Giants confirmed they have offered him the opportunity.
LeGrand said a potential sticking point in the talks could be that he’ll be unabashedly “for the Buccaneers,” but he vows to keep his attire professional — which means he won’t be wearing the No. 52 Bucs jersey he received during his tenure with the team.
“I don’t feel like getting booed by the crowd when I go out there in a Tampa Bay LeGrand jersey,” he joked. “You know how those NewYork/New Jersey fans are. When they’re playing a team and you have passionate Giants fans and you’re a part of that team, like I am, you never know. Even though I’m from New Jersey and everything, you never know.”
LeGrand wasn’t announced to the crowd this past weekend during the Bucs’ game against the Panthers, in which Schiano earned his first NFL victory. Considering what LeGrand saw from the sideline, Giants coach Tom Coughlin is wise to say he’s been studying old Rutgers game tape to get a feel for Schiano’s defense.
“I actually kind of loved it. I know the defense he’s playing and I’m calling out the plays I know,” LeGrand said. “I could see how flustered (Panthers quarterback) Cam Newton was and I’m thinking, ‘This is insane. I played in this defense.'”
LeGrand caught himself at that moment.
“I can’t give up too much,” he said, “or Coach is going to kill me.”
Schiano doesn’t know whether he’ll experience any emotions while thinking about LeGrand’s accident. He’s been in MetLife Stadium a few times since LeGrand slammed into Army kickoff returner Malcom Brown and shattered his C3 and C4 vertebrae, but this will be Schiano’s first time back on the sideline.
“The Giants have provided a place for (Eric) and his family to watch the game, which I think is awesome of them,” Schiano told New York/New Jersey media on Wednesday. “It’s just a good New Jersey thing, and a good thing overall for football.”
Justin Tuck, a friend of LeGrand and a fellow spokesman for Subway, doesn’t mind LeGrand’s rooting for Tampa.
“Didn’t they pay him?” Tuck said.
Well, no. LeGrand’s deal with the Bucs involved no money.
“Well, he got a jersey,” Tuck replied. “I’ll understand.”
As will the fans, despite LeGrand’s concerns. His fighting spirit and positive attitude through tremendous adversity have made LeGrand a role model and even landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated last year. LeGrand and his family recently reached out to the family of Devon Walker, a Tulane football player who suffered a spinal cord injury in a game on Sept. 8.
LeGrand said he has made significant progress in recent weeks and is now sitting upright “like I’m sitting against a wall, which is insane and it feels good,” as opposed to the “slouchy” posture in his wheelchair he used to have.
“I still have these twitches going on in my fingers and my arms and have all little contractions through my muscles, throughout my entire body,” LeGrand said. “I can’t feel them, but with the tests I’ve done, you can feel there’s contractions going on.”
Just then, for the first time in a 10-minute interview, the talkative LeGrand fell silent.
“That’s crazy,” he said after a few seconds. “As we were just speaking, I moved my middle finger a little bit. My left middle finger just started twitching.”
Moments like that, in which LeGrand finds joy and encouragement are why he shouldn’t worry about a negative reaction from a crowd that will be rooting for him no matter his affiliation.
“I hope the crowd accepts me for who I am, even though I’m for the Buccaneers,” he said. “I hope they accept me for who I am and what I’m doing, and that’s to inspire the world, day by day, continue to fight and show you can handle adversity in many ways.”
WRITTEN BY Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY & FULL STORY HERE
