Kellen Winslow's will allows him to find a way

TAMPA - Kellen Winslow has enough money to say goodbye to the National Football League and lead a life of leisure, and no one could blame him if he did.

Some of those closest to him say you wouldn't believe what he goes through each week just to get on the field, where his right knee will be subjected once again to the special punishment someone playing tight end receives.

"His want-to and drive to be great amazes me. Most young men would spend money and time doing other things to enjoy life, but he enjoys football," Buccaneers tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts said.

"He cares about his legacy. He'll spend more time trying to get his body right. We kid him that he walks around with a body pack just to get going. The things he does to get ready on Sunday, the people who know football would applaud him."

It is a demanding ritual for sure, but that's what you have to do to keep playing after at least six operations on that knee. Any doctor would likely say "enough" but if they did Winslow would still keep coming.

"I don't even think everybody in the locker room knows what he goes through. He does so much work to get ready on Sunday," center Jeff Faine said. "It takes all week, down to the last day, for him to be prepared to play."

For the answer why he goes through all this, pay close attention the next time the Bucs have the ball on third down. Through two games this season, Winslow has eight catches — all on third down. He leads the NFL in that category, which is interesting enough. The numbers go even deeper, though.

"I think I'm so scared of failure; that's what drives me, I want to be great. It's my job," Winslow said quietly. "We show up for work and we play football. It's completely my job, something you have to work at and prepare for. It's my responsibility and my duty to prepare myself and be ready."

He had four catches in the 20-7 win against Carolina last week and each one kept drives alive that ended in points; two touchdowns and a field goal. He and quarterback Josh Freeman clearly have something special going, and people have noticed.

"Here's the central issue with him: He's generally too big and too strong for the secondary men to cover. He can create separation and break points and really bang on the big guys," said Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, whose Steelers will try to stop him today when they play the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium.

"And he's an athletic problem for linebacker or linebacker-body types to cover because he's such a fluid athlete. Therein lies the problem in defending him. It will be a tall task for us."

It goes both ways. Games like this get Winslow going even more. He'll be matched frequently against Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and it should be something to see.

"He's the best. He's the best in-the-box player I've ever seen. He's so explosive; I just respect the hell out of him. He's my favorite player to go against, him and (Ravens safety) Ed Reed," Winslow said.

A lot of people raised eyebrows a year ago when General Manager Mark Dominik sent a pair of draft picks to Cleveland for Winslow, and then gave him the largest contract in the league for a tight end.

Not everyone was sold on the deal at first but any suggestion the Bucs overpaid has long since been forgotten. He has been everything they had hoped.

"Everybody plays but not everybody wants it. There is Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan … those guys want to take the last shot, make the last putt. He wants the ball," Roberts said.

"If you throw it to him, he'll make a play. He walks around with a football all day. He thinks about putting himself in those positions to make a play. He wants that pressure — throw it to him, that's what he says."

But it's reasonable to ask why, in his seventh season, he continues to put himself through the daily ritual of exercises, massages and strengthening it takes to stay on the field.

Winslow answers in one word: "Will."

"You've got to overcome it because nobody really cares about your situation," he said. "When the game is on the line and you need a play, are you going to make that play? That's all that matters."

He keeps making the plays. Winslow caught 77 passes for 884 yards last year, both team records for tight ends, and he has been such a key to the early success this season.

While his play has spoken loudly on the field, he has talked softly off of it — if at all. He is polite but can be elusive to the media, and that's the way he wants it. He made headlines for things he said in Cleveland, but not now.

"I just don't talk much anymore. I don't feel the need to," he said. "I'd rather play football and go home to my family and let the critics think what they think. I took a back seat, let the critics talk, and just do my job."

That's why he'll be out there this afternoon, summoning the will to push through the pain and once again stare down failure. After you strip away the money, hype and everything else that goes with the NFL, it's really simple.

Winslow plays because he loves the game. Everything else can wait.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(tbo.com)