Rutgers University has never really been a hotbed of NFL talent. Of course, there’s the McCourty twins, Jason and Devin, and former Giants center Shaun O’Hara and Falcons wideout Mohamed Sanu. After that, there’s Logan Ryan, Tyler Kroft, Kenny Britt, and Ray Rice, and that’s about it for household names.
One name not on that list who was looking to solidify a draft pick in his junior year was Eric LeGrand, the former Top 25 linebacker recruit out of high school. However, that all changed in the blink of an eye late in a game against Army on Oct. 16, 2010—exactly nine years ago today. The defensive tackle made what looked to be a routine tackle, one we’ve all seen hundreds of times in high school, college, and the NFL.
But LeGrand laid motionless on the ground. The trainers and coaches raced onto the field. After some time, the Scarlet Knight was carted off the field.
LeGrand suffered a spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors said he would never regain movement below his neck.
Any ordinary human being would feel dejected after that; sitting home feeling sorry for oneself would make most people feel that way. But Eric Legrand is not most people. This remarkable, inspiring young man from the Garden State has since lived his life by one simple word: believe.
Believing that this wouldn’t define him.
Believing that he would one day walk again, defying the doctors.
He has been defying that original prognosis in the nine years since the injury and has regained movement in his shoulders and sensation throughout his body.
His former head coach at Rutgers, Greg Schiano, after becoming the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signed LeGrand to a contract in May of 2012, albeit a symbolic one. He fulfilled the player’s dream of being signed to an NFL team.
“It’s something I always dreamed about, go to the NFL and retire and become a sportscaster,” LeGrand told ESPN. “Dreams do come true if you really believe. You do the right things in life [and] good things happen to you. Coach Schiano really just did this out of the kindness of his heart. It’s really what he wanted to do. I had no idea this was going to happen.”
After formally retiring in July 2012, he told ESPN, “I’ve been blown away by the tremendous outpouring of support, both in Tampa Bay and nationally, through this whole thing. Everyone’s support has really motivated me more and more to get better. I grind hard every day to achieve my main goal and that’s to walk again.”
In 2017, the WWE named LeGrand the recipient of their Warrior Award at their annual Hall of Fame event.
With the anniversary of LeGrand’s injury today, it is fitting to not just dwell on the injury that changed his life, but also the man he has become despite it.
The 29-year-old is a motivational speaker, author, and sportscaster for Rutgers. He is also a role model, or as he puts it on his apparel line (the proceeds of which support the Christopher Reeve Foundation), Roll Model. Simple, but with the o in roll being a handicap icon. And on the back of the merchandise, you can find that one word—believe—on a ribbon across the number 52, his jersey number.
You can purchase merchandise and apparel through his shop here.
I have seen videos of multiple of LeGrand’s speaking engagements, and the one takeaway is if Eric is laughing and smiling, who are any of us to be sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves?
LeGrand generously granted Fan Source Network some time, despite his busy schedule, to chat, which speaks even more to this man’s character.
Joe Heller: “How is your recovery going?”
Eric LeGrand: “My recovery is going great. [I am] continuing to do therapy at Kessler Institute in West Orange twice a week, which helps keep me healthy.”
JH: “Do you ever regret football?”
EL: “Never. Football has made me into the man I am today from all the lessons it has taught. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without football.”
JH: “What do you say to kids (or more so, their parents) who may be skeptical about them playing football? Those who recall the play you were injured on?”
EH: “I tell them, if your child has a passion for football, let them play. I truly believe it is the best teacher for life qualities that you will need.”
JH: “When and where are some of your upcoming speaking events? And how would one get tickets?”
EL: “I have an event coming up on Oct. 28th.”
Lastly, I took to Facebook and Twitter and spoke to my fellow Fan Source Network contributors and posed a simple question.
What does the name Eric LeGrand mean to you?
There were a few responses about the player who was injured in a college game, and the reason behind Greg Schiano’s kickoff change proposal. But the overwhelmingly repetitive responses were of words like inspirational, role model, dedication, determination, the definition of positivity, classy, strength, perseverance, courageous, and warrior. And of course, perhaps the best response: the former Rutgers player who’s got more heart than I’ll ever have.
That’s not bad for a young man from a small town in New Jersey.
The epitome of Jersey Strong.
