Now that the Super Bowl teams are set, the stories are also coming into focus. On one side, it will be the sure-fire MVP in Cam Newton. On the other, the likely swan song of Peyton Manning, who holds almost all the records that matter.
But I'm thinking about another story. Not about what happened, but what could have been.
In 1996, the Rams drafted a running back that could have anchored their running game for the next decade. Nobody doubted Lawrence Phillips' talent. He was a dominant player at the University of Nebraska. It was his off-field issues that gave teams pause. He had already been arrested for assault before he had finished his college career, but the Rams gave him a chance.
He lasted less than two seasons before they cut him. They didn't let him learn behind a more veteran starter. They didn't trade him. They cut a top-six pick before two full seasons had expired. You know how valuable picks are to teams. Johnny Manziel has lasted longer in Cleveland than that. But Phillips wasn't accused of partying too much. Serious trouble followed Phillips to the NFL, and they let him go.
But then the Dolphins game him a chance. He played two games for them before another assault arrest led to another release.
Then the Dragons gave him a chance. As in, the Barcelona Dragons of the old NFL Europe. That led to another shot in the NFL (with the 49ers), which led to Arena Football and eventually the Canadian Football League. Lawrence Phillips couoldn't stay out of trouble, but he finished his football career with a national championship with Nebraska and a Grey Cup with Montreal to his name.
His last stop, not surprisingly, was the California Department of Corrections. A pair of convictions led to a 32-year sentence. If that was the end of his story, it would be sad enough. But, after being accused of killing his cellmate, Phillips faced the death penalty. He ended up delivering that sentence himself, dying Jan. 13 in a suspected suicide. A few days later, the Broncos beat the Steelers and the Panthers held off the Seahawks in the divisional round of the playoffs. Phillips was 40 years old.
I'm not mentioning this to paint Phillips as a victim. The victims are the people he assaulted, threatened with weapons and possibly killed. But as a football fan and fantasy player, I can't help but wonder what could have been.
In an alternate universe, Phillips could have been a fantasy MVP for dynasty teams, leading them to title after title. Considering the length of the typical career, he'd be eligible for the Hall of Fame by now. Fans would debate whether he deserved entry, and fantasy owners would remember the times he won them championships, or defeated them by himself.
Or maybe he would have just had an average career, never living up to lofty expectations but making a nice living for a few years. No Hall of Fame, but he'd be another guy who made millions playing the game.
Or maybe he'd have been a disappointment on the field, becoming the target of "NFL bust" lists and rebuilding his life away from football. Maybe he'd be coaching at the high school level, or selling insurance, or doing local commercials to capitalize on his collegiate fame.
Any of those endings would have been infinitely better than reality. As fantasy owners, we judge players based solely on the statistics they produce. We praise the ones who win games or help us win titles, and shake our heads at the guys who don't get the job done. Maybe we even think of them as losers. But Phillips' story makes me realize how every player in the game is a winner. Some of them came from privilege, while others had difficult childhoods. But they made it to the top of their chosen profession just by putting on a helmet and a jersey for one of the 32 NFL teams.
It might not feel like it right now, but Carson Palmer is a winner. Even with six turnovers on Sunday. Even if he never makes it to the playoffs again. So is Brian Hoyer, who had five turnovers earlier in the playoffs.
Heck, so was Matt Leinart, who was Johnny Manziel before anyone had heard of Johnny Football. And Manziel too, even if he never gets his career on track. All of those guys have the rest of their lives ahead of them, and probably some leftover football money. They have the rest of their lives, and it probably won't end alone in a cell.
This weekend the NFL will hold its Pro Bowl. Next weekend is the biggest sporting event of the year. At one point, people thought Lawrence Phillips could have been a staple at both events. He had talent. He had a chance. He had second and third chances. And by the end, nobody was surprised at how things turned out.
Just something to think about as we ponder whether Manning "needs" another ring to cement his legacy, or if Ted Ginn is "terrible" if he drops a couple of passes in Santa Clara. There's more to football than fantasy football, and there's more to life than football. Enjoy the Pro Bowl.
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