On Sunday, as Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones exited the field following his team’s 19-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, head coach Mike Vrabel welcomed Jones with a bear hug in the tunnel leading to the pitch.
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Jones had been injured at the end of the game but had continued to play. Even after he was injured, Jones could still assist in moving a large group of players as Derrick Henry carried the ball to keep a streak going at the midfield position. Vrabel expressed his admiration and appreciation for players like Jones, who risk their health to contribute to the club’s success on Monday.
People underestimate the time commitment, emotional investment, and financial stakes of professional sports, says Vrabel. They put a lot of effort into it and compete with one another in a hostile environment. So said, I have an incredible amount of respect for the bulk of these individuals who, week after week, find a way to succeed despite the odds being stacked against them. They function at a level much lower than 100% during the game. Things come up, they get assessed, and you can see immediately that it matters a lot to them because of how they talk about it.
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Vrabel refused to reveal the contents of his conversation with Jones. Still, the second video of their exchange showed him wiping away emotions and saying, “I’ve never seen anything like it. I love you like my own.” Vrabel expressed his gratitude to Money for allowing him the opportunity to collaborate with players such as Jones.
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-->Vrabel stated that all she wanted to say was that she appreciated them and that our conversation about it would be private. You show up for work every day, spend a significant amount of time here, and as a result, you develop a great deal of respect for how the guys behave as individuals.