But this was my chance to go to the Super Bowl. Nothing was going to stop me.
I remember when I started in place of Deacon in last year's first game in San Francisco. felt like I was taking a part of him away.
Merlin really taught me how to concentrate, that you play each play as if it were the only play. And if you put all the plays together like that, then you'll come out on top.
You have to be prepared for things like that and I think the coaches here have worked very hard getting us ready for everything under the sun.
When you look at other defensive ends who have been inducted prior, you look at the hard numbers, and you do say, this is a subjective thing.
Sure enough, it wasn't long until I got a call, telling me I had a scholarship there. It was the only scholarship offer I had and, believe me, I jumped at it.
He owned a service station, and I used to go there and piddle around - pump some gas, get in the way.