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Trent Green, is a man who, to me, is the epitome of an NFL star, and one who, on and off the field, made me stop and take note. His presence on the field was felt by those who played with and coached him, and his style off the field affected the communities he touched. Trent Green, although no longer with the NFL, should not be forgotten by those who come behind him.

Why? Some ask, laughingly…he played for the Redskins, the Rams, the Chiefs…the Dolphins….no teams of great note, overall. And perhaps that is true. Yet, Trent Green made an impression on most of the teams he played for…and more importantly, the people he played with.

I am not writing in an effort to display his stats. I mean, Trent Green played for the Chiefs between the years of 2001-2005, and spent most of 2005 injured. But you are all football fans, so you already know that, between the years of 2001-2005, Peyton Manning (20,902) was the only QB who threw for more yards than Green (20,117) did. I’m sure that you all recall that he had four consecutive years with a passer rating of 90.0 or better, a feat topped at that time only by Hall of Famer Steve Young.

Of course you all realize already that in 2004, he joined Drew Bledsoe, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Warren Moon as the only QB’s to go 3 years in a row with 4,000 yards+. And the fact that, with Green calling signals, the Chiefs led the NFL in offense, for the first time in franchise history, in 2004. And that, in 2003, the Chiefs got off to a 9-0 start, finishing the year w/ 13-3, and leading the NFL in scoring.

We’ll forget about his Pro Bowl berths….I’m sure you all know about those. Besides, Green was HIGHLY undervalued as a QB and should have gone more often.

And of course you know that he earned a Super Bowl ring while playing for the Rams. He was injured most of that year, so most do not take note of that fact. While with the Rams, both he and Kurt Warner seemed plagued with injuries, although, in the year 2000, the two of them led the Rams to the highest team passing yard total in NFL history, with 5,232 net yards. They went to the playoffs that year, losing in the first round due to a poor defensive unit.

OK…I said I wasn’t writing to display his stats….since we all know and appreciate them already.

I’m writing because of the type of player that he was.

Trent Green was not drafted until late, very late, in the 8th round of the Draft in 1993. In 1994, The Draft was shortened to seven rounds. And in spite of the fact that Green played through plenty of pain – from surgically-repaired knees to sprained ankles, bruised ribs, contusions and concussions; even a stent that was placed in his leg at one point – He NEVER forgot how lucky he was just to be stepping out on the field. He had finally reached his dream of having his own team (The Rams), when he suffered a season ending knee injury that threatened his career.

The Chiefs saw what he could do the year after, however, and took note. Here was a player who was a leader in his own right. He made everyone around him better for being there. And he did it all without the drama we see so often these days. He showed up to every practice…every game.

Some will say, “That was his job.” And yes….it was. But so few manage to do it with the style and grace that Green managed. He both stayed late on the field to practice timing and came in early to go over video. Some accused him of being a perfectionist, which to him, was a compliment of the highest order. He was an expert at pulling the very best efforts out of his teammates. QB and team respected one another, totally, another thing that is not always found on teams these days. Trent carried himself with a rare class and dignity, reminding one of certain rare players such as Jerry Rice, Len Dawson, Warren Moon and Will Shields.

He did not forget his fans, which cannot be said of many in this era. Trent went through his mail himself, would sign and return cards that were sent to him, was always seen out on the field on visitors days, signing footballs for the kids who so eagerly waited for just a brief moment to speak to him.

In KC, a big pre-game tradition is the tailgaiting, and Trent would often show up for a few minutes, asking tailgaters about their favorite recipes before he hit the field. I’ve been told that when he was rehabbing from his injury as a St Louis Ram, that he would find his way over to the Children’s Hospital, giving stuff to the children there, signing autographs, and just hanging out with the kids. People tend not to forget that sort of thing. Parents certainly do not forget when someone treats their children well, especially when it is someone we know is busy, and often inundated by crowds, and, frankly, just doesn’t have to take the time to do that particular kindness.

In Kansas City, he opened up the Trent Green Family Foundation, his attempt at pushing the community to support families with chronically or terminally ill children and seniors. In addition, the Foundation provides and enhances educational opportunities for children whose families lack the financial means to do so.

As a Kansas City fan, I was sorry to see Trent leave when he chose to play for the Dolphins, sorrier still to see him re-injured, as were the many KC fans who continued to follow his career, even after he left the area. I was thrilled when, after choosing retirement from the NFL, he chose to make Kansas City his home. Last year he did some pregame spots for KCTV5, only to be invited by them this year to join Mike Kelley, (Missouri State University), in hosting the Chiefs preseason coverage. I can only hope for him that his career as an announcer will take him far.

Not all football heroes can be picked out of a crowd by the number of rings on their fingers. Some are great simply because they are leaders of men, and make an impression on the people whose lives they touch as they walk through life.

Chiefsmom

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