Grant says Packers 2010 injuries will keep championship team hungry

by Andy | Apr 4, 2011 | NFL Random Thoughts

I was doing some other work with the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener on mute in the background (Gotta love that free MLB Extra Innings trial at the beginning of the season) when I noticed that Green Bay running back Ryan Grant was being interviewed by the Brew Crew’s announcing team on Fox Sports Wisconsin.

Turns out the Brewers were honoring the Packers and their Super Bowl championship by having a collection of the Green Bay players throw out the first pitch on opening day at Miller Park.

The Packers’ starter at running back heading into the season was all class during the inning-long interview. He acknowledged that sitting out the season and the Super Bowl was difficult but also acknowledged that it was not bittersweet at all because he realizes many contemporaries won’t have the opportunity to even attend the big game as a player.

Grant, who injured his leg and ankle in the team’s opening game and missed the entire season, added that the coaching staff and front office deserve a lot of credit for keeping the team together through a collection of injuries that included him, tight end Jermichael Finley, linebacker Nick Barnett and a dozen others.

On the other hand, Grant adds that the stars who missed the Super Bowl due to injury may help the Packers avoid the so-called Super Bowl hangover, as those players will pine to get their opportunities to experience the game on the field.

“I think that will continue to keep guys hungry,” Grant told the announcing crew of Bill Schroeder and Brian Anderson. “We do feel like we’re built to be a team in the mix for the next couple years.”

I’ve grudgingly grown to respect Grant quite a bit. When he emerged out of nowhere in 2007 to run for nearly 1,000 yards, I thought he was a one-timer who would stick around just long enough for someone better to come along. Instead, he followed that season up with two 1,200-yard seasons, hitting paydirt 11 times in 2009.

I think James Starks, who came on strong at the end of the regular season this year and helped establish a run threat for Green Bay on their Super Bowl run, may be more talented than Grant. But Grant has proven he will give Starks a battle when it comes to how they split the carries in 2011 and beyond. And missing the season, he adds, has his body feeling the best it has since 2007.

In the meantime, my respect for Grant grew even more when he told the story of how he managed to arrive in time for the opening ceremony Monday at the ballpark. The driver of the car that was supposed to take him to the airport in New York for his flight to Milwaukee locked the doors and drove off, Grant recounted. Grant missed his flight and ended up paying a good chunk of change to charter a plane.

“I gave my word,” he said.

During a time when the NFL is in the middle of a lockout, with several players running into legal issues and several others tweeting idiocy and gibberish, that’s a refreshing attitude to hear. So kudos and best wishes to Grant as he attempts his comeback in 2011.