This last week was a big week. We won a division game against a really good team, the Philadelphia Eagles, which put us into first place in the NFC East. That is a good place to be a quarter of the way through the season. The game was a great contest. We ended up knocking Michael Vick out of the game, which I think a lot of people look at as an advantage for us. I could see how people would say that, but I thought Kevin Kolb came in and played really well. I heard he was criticized after the game. I don’t really see why. I thought he played pretty well. He just plays the game a different way than Vick does. I think people just wanted Vick in there. Anyway, we came away with a well-deserved and hard-fought victory.
The biggest thing I took away from the game and the thing that made me the happiest was when the Philadelphia fans gave Donovan a standing ovation. He deserved nothing less. I could tell it meant a lot to him. He gave them 11 great years and he never asked to be traded. He is the leader of this team and has been embraced by this community but it was good to see him get the standing ovation.
On a side note, I was walking behind him when I walked into Redskin Park on Monday. One of our media guys asked him if he would call into a show and talk about the Philly game. Donovan didn’t want to. He just wanted to put it all behind him. He just wanted to move on and focus on the Packers, our next game. He didn’t want to gloat, rub it in, or anything like that. He just wanted to be done with it. I don’t even know if he knew I was behind him, but that’s just and example of the kind of class he has and what a great individual he is.
Something unusual happened last week. Our practice fields were rained out and flooded, so we couldn’t practice on them. So we took buses to one the Dulles airport hangers, where we had a walk through. There was condensation on the floor, which made them very slippery. So some guys took their shoes and socks off so they wouldn’t slip and fall. I will definitely never forget having a walk through at an airport hanger in our bare feet for a Thursday practice.
I just wanted to take time in this blog to thank everyone who helped me get to where I’m at in life. First and foremost, I want to thank Jesus, the creator and inventor of all. Thank you for blessing me with a good family, people who love me, food on my table, clothes on my back and roof over my head. Thank you for blessing me with a great job, great kid(s), a great wife, friends, for being part of this great country and for giving me a rare opportunity not only with football, but with so many other aspects of my life. Thank you for all of that and so much more. Basically, thank you for everything because it all came from you.
I want to thank my wife for supporting me through the highs and lows of not only football, but also life in general. I want to thank her for taking care of everything, so I can focus on playing football and have as little other stress in my life as possible. She literally does everything; cooks, cleans, pays bills and takes care of any and everything you could possibly think of for our family. Thank you for our beautiful baby boy and the next child that is on the way. Thank you for standing by me and for forgiving me when I mess up. You are my rock, the person I lean on when I need support and someone I truly love spending my life with. They say behind every successful man is a strong woman. That saying couldn’t be more true. Thank you. I love you very much!!
I want to thank my dad for always supporting me and believing in me. When it came to sports, you had my back and supported me in every way you could possibly think of and I appreciate that. You were the one person who always believed in me, even when nobody else did and even when I didn’t. I always thought your expectations were too high for me but looking back on it, you just believed in me. When some people said they believed and supported me, I would wonder if they were telling the truth but with you, there was never any doubt. We haven’t always seen eye-to-eye but I want to thank you for the effort you put into supporting me in sports.
To my mom, you always wanted the best for me and for me to be happy no matter what it was I was doing. You want to be close to us, support us in any way we need, and have a good lifelong relationship with us. You have supported me in everything throughout my life and I know that you always will. I know you will be there for us in anyway that we need. For your help and support, I thank you, mom.
To my Grandma and Grandpa Warner, you saved my mom’s life when she probably wouldn’t have otherwise lived. You raised her and supported her the best way you knew how. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t even be here. I wouldn’t have met my beautiful wife and we wouldn’t have our awesome son and future child. My sister and her family also wouldn’t be here. For that, I thank you. Grandpa Warner, I will always miss you and remember our cribbage battles, card games and your great opinions with great fondness.
To my Grandma and Grandpa Carriker, thank you for opening up your home to me just about every weekend my freshman year of college, a time that was very hard for me. At a time when all I wanted to do was run away and I wasn’t very happy, you drove down to Lincoln every weekend to come get me and we would spend the weekend watching college football and playing cards. You didn’t particularly like me watching football on every TV all day but you let me do it anyways. I wasn’t always the most gracious card player but you enjoyed the games anyways. Thank you for helping me through a rough time in my life. I don’t even know if you understand how much you helped but I will never forget. I hope to see you as soon as a can and I hope you’re doing well.
I’d also like to thank my sister Keri and her family. You and your husband John always came to my games in college and so far in the NFL no matter how long it took you to get there. I know you watch the games when you’re back in Montana and I know Taylor wasn’t the only one jumping up and down with her pom-poms rooting for me. You helped me out whenever I needed it and I know if I ever needed anything in the future you would always help in anyway you could. Thank you.
To my sister Gina, I look forward to living near you guys very soon and getting to spend a lot more time with you. I bet all of the fighting over toys we did when you came to visit every summer is where I got my competitive spirit from. I can’t wait to watch our kids grow up together and I look forward to many Saturdays of giving Mark crap while watching Nebraska romp all over Colorado.
To my brother Darren, we don’t know each other that well and we are very different. But anybody who is willing to come to a football game they obviously have no interest in (I know that because you fell asleep during the game), just to spend time with family and watch his brother play, is someone that I appreciate. Thank you. Also, I did enjoy the day we went to Shakespeare in the Park. If you ever want to go again, just let me know.
To my brother-in-law and financial advisor Phil, you are much more than that. You are a good friend. You are someone I trust 100% with no reservations and someone who I know supports me 100%, not just in business or as a formal family member but as a true friend. You are my boy and I will always have your back.
To Joe and Sheila, thank you for helping us anytime we ask or need it. You have gone above and beyond the call of duty. For that, I thank you.
Kathy and Bryson Bailey, you helped me in ways people don’t even know about. I’ve come a long ways from the kid who used to run around throwing the football up in the air to himself in the back yard. You were my neighbors growing up, but you were also my friends.
To Jana, who attempted to tutor me through physics our senior year but instead I just got banned from your house by your dad for being a bad influence, thanks for being a good friend and attempting to be my tutor.
To my coaches throughout the years, Mr. and Mrs. Hull, thank you for exposing me to colleges who otherwise would have never looked at a kid who was on an 0-9 football team his senior year and had a record of 2-36 in four years of high school football. Teams who would have otherwise never heard of me, especially Nebraska, the school you knew was my favorite, and I honestly thought I had a 0% chance of getting into. For treating all of my bumps and bruises, I think you told me I had 13 ice bags on my body after some games. For helping me with my contacts during that game, even when I was really mad at you.
To Mr. Logsdon, for introducing me to football in the 7th grade when I first started playing. I will never forget our offense. 90 spin, which was a hitch and go, more often than not, a deep pass from me to Troy Mitchell for a touchdown.
To Coach Blake, even though he is receiving some heat right now, he is a good man and a good friend.
To coach Coz, who always made fun of me for wearing my back pack and said I looked like a boy scout trying to sell cookies. I hope you do great up in Minnesota.
Last but certainly not least, thank you to my fans. Thank you for the support so far in my career, through thick and thin, through good times and hard times. Those that are the true fans and never waivered, I want to thank you. To any new fans or fans that have fallen by the wayside, thank you for your support whether it be now in the present or in the past.
There are other people who have helped and supported me along the way. My agents, school teachers, neighbors, friends, supporters and even more coaches. Thank you very much. Thank you to anyone who ever helped or supported me in any way, shape or form. A person who is successful has to have help from people around them to get where they are. To everyone who helped me along the way, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate it.
“Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.” – Author Unknown
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Adam Carriker