Because off the field, and in the locker room, this move will be felt for a while. Not that the Colts won’t move on. They have before, and they will this time. But Lilja certainly is one of the more popular players among his teammates, and one of the more “regular” guys in a locker room of regular guys.
We in the media don’t like to root for players. We are, by nature, a cynical objective. But there weren’t many in the media who knew Lilja who could honestly tell you they weren’t pulling for him last season, when he returned from three knee surgeries that cost him the 2008 season.
One of my favorite Super Bowl week memories from last month is of standing in the interview area of the Colts’ hotel. This was Wednesday or Thursday, and I was standing near a podium where Lilja sat. The room was brightly decorated, draped and decked in the obligatory Super Bowl colors. Lilja sat for an hour, talking to the media and recounting his story.
It was remarkable, watching him, to think that just eight or nine months before, he didn’t know if he would ever play again.
And that day at the Super Bowl I remember thinking that here was a guy who realized even before the injury that he was one of the fortunate few to get to live the dream. After the injury, once he returned, he seemed to savor every moment even more.
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