I lost a contract worth more than $1M by breaking my arm in training camp, going into my fourth season in the NFL. I was cut.
I signed with Miami, but their rookie TE performed well while I rehabbed, and I didn’t grasp the offense well enough to contribute effectively when I was healthy. After my best year in 2001, I was suddenly a third-stringer and not seeing playing time in 2002.
I begged to play on special teams. Understand: My contract incentives were all about offensive production.
I became an excellent special teams player.
The next year, I received two contract offers. One, incentive-laden from Miami.
And one, a $9M deal, from Chicago.
I was as shocked as anybody.
Why, a year after I caught, exactly, two passes, would they offer me this contract?
They said, “Special teams. Character. That’s why we want you as our starting Tight End”
I think we often, particularly in business, have it backward:
Good businesses don’t invest in results. Good businesses invest in good character and a strong work ethic, which leads to results.
We don’t often control our good years or bad years; but we always control whether or not we are worthy of investment, even if no one is investing.
Character and work ethic are leading indicators of results.
