Tampa Bay Bucs Greg Schiano Signs Paralyzed Former Player, Eric LeGrand

Published: 2^nd May 12 5:34 pm

by Marian Hinton
Texas Sports Blogger

1 Rant »

Tampa Bay Bucs Greg Schiano Signs Paralyzed Former Player, Eric LeGrand

Danny Wild-US PRESSWIRE

In October of 2010, tragedy struck the football field as Rutgers Scarlet Knight’s defensive end, Eric LeGrand, fell to the ground after a collision in which he was trying to tackle his opponent. LeGrand lay motionless on the ground for several minutes before being taken to a near-by hospital where doctors declared him to be paralyzed from the neck down.

Watching this horrific scene was Rutgers’ then head coach, Greg Schiano.

LeGrand was told early after the incident that he would be a quadriplegic and that he would be forced to use a ventilator. However, a short time later, he began breathing on his own and was later able to stand on his own.

Now, two years later, LeGrand is still unable to walk, but thanks to his former coach, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his childhood dream, though perhaps the way he had anticipated it, has come true.

Last night, Shiano called LeGrand’s mother to tell her of his intent to sign his former player to the Tampa Bay Bucaneers.

Early Wednesday morning, Coach Schiano broke the news to his former player, telling him that “it was the least he could do.”

LeGrand simply couldn’t believe him, and kept asking Schiano if he was sure he really wanted to sign him.

Through his exitement and joy, LeGrand told the press, “It’s something I always dreamed about, go to the NFL and retire and become a sportscaster. Dreams do come true if you really believe. You do the right things in life, good things happen to you. He (Schiano) really just did this out of the kindness of his heart. It’s really what he wanted to do. I had no idea this was going to happen.”

Schiano explained to the media that lately he had been thinking about how this would have been LeGrand’s draft class, and explained that LeGrand, whom he has remained close to since the tragic accident, “epitomizes what we are looking for in Buccaneer Men.”

The date, May 2, is a symbolic one as LeGrand wore the No. 52 during his days with the Scarlet Knights.

“It’s symbolic,” LeGrand said, ”something coach wanted to do and I appreciate that. It just shows the man that he is.”

Indeed it does, and I bet Coach Schiano would say the exact same thing about Eric LeGrand. It seems that we could learn a lot from both of them.

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