Chad inspires, even in defeat

Chad inspires, even in defeat

Mates line up to thank their QB




Chad Pennington

FOXBOROUGH - One by one they searched for him, because even though the sting had barely begun to settle in following the Jets' 37-16 loss to the Patriots yesterday, Chad Pennington needed to hear this.
Jerricho Cotchery explained it as best he could. Laveranues Coles said it, too, and then came Pete Kendall, and soon Pennington was getting it from every corner, from the offense and defense and coaching staff and most every other soul he had touched over the past couple of years.

"He knows how everyone on this team feels about him," Cotchery said a short while later, as Pennington dressed alone at his locker. "I told him he's an inspiration to us all, to be able to do what he's done and lead this team. Just saying that, I don't think that was enough. I didn't actually clarify everything I want to say about him."

Now that the Jets' starry dreams have crashed with a thud, there will be plenty of time to tell tales about how Pennington's commitment and character were reflecting pools for everyone else. As Kendall said, "How can you not feel like that about Chad?" And it was true: the quarterback defined what it meant to play for the 2006 J-E-T-S.

Pennington's eyes shone like ornaments afterward, perhaps because his battered body could finally sense it could now take a deserved rest, but more likely because he is as genuine a teammate as you will ever find. Even in the numb haze of this wild-card loss, it was easy to understand how the Jets hadn't an ounce of quit in them. Pennington might not be blessed with Tom Brady's talent, but there is no question he radiates leadership, which happens to be the largest clue in how the Jets ever came this far.

"When you receive compliments from your team," Pennington said of the postgame salutes, "there's not an award, there's not anything other than a Super Bowl ring that's more satisfying or means as much as that does."

He eloquently described the hurt of this moment, how the sweat and "real blood" and tears he had shed through two shoulder surgeries and a 16-game hump had come crashing down in 60 minutes of jaw-crushing football. But every time someone started to suggest the Patriots were on a different level, Pennington's nostrils flared and his voice spewed passion. He reiterated what every other Jet said, that the line between the two organizations was paper thin, the teams separated by just a few plays here and there.

"There's not one teammate of mine in that locker room who didn't expect to win. We didn't come here just to get a 'congratulations' or a pat on the back and a 'good job Jets, we'll see you next season,'" Pennington said.

It's almost a clich? to mention Pennington's toughness, but it should be noted that on the Jets' second series of the opening quarter, their QB got clipped and hyperextended his left elbow. He was out for one down, came back with his arm wrapped and still managed to spring the Jets' longest offensive play in their postseason history with a 77-yard touchdown strike to Cotchery for a brief 10-7 New York lead.

But there were two what-is-he-doing lowlights to come, the first a backward pass that might've, could've been a lateral on a play nearly everyone in the stadium thought was dead. The fumble only led to a field goal, to a 23-13 Patriot lead, and Pennington's journey, the extraordinary trip he's referenced all season, didn't really end until the fourth quarter, when he made a bad read and Asante Samuel picked a pass out of the balmy Massachusetts sky and skipped into the end zone for the final score. Pennington finished with 300 yards on 23-of-40 passing, one TD and one INT. His bones had a few nasty run-ins with the Gillette carpet, but his heart seemed to beat stronger after every sack.

"There is one thing about me that everyone should know, as far as this game is concerned, the only thing I think about, the only thing I dream about, is winning and winning the championship," Pennington said. "That's it, period."

If there was one silver lining, it's that he can spend the next few months somewhat healthy, without having to retrain his shoulder to do simple tasks like brush his teeth. The Jets were many things this season - classy, poised, good citizens - but mostly they were survivors. They were a lot like their quarterback.

As the sun set on another wondrous New England winter day, Pennington was glummer than glum. There would be no more brutal practices, no more 18-hour work days. What's a guy to do?

"I have to work harder. I have to find more ways to get better, to lead this team to win," said Pennington, his departing words just one more reason his teammates felt they had to give him one last hug.

Originally published on January 8, 2007

 

it makes me so PROUD to be a fan of this TEAM and that is what they are a TEAM!! i could picture them singing kumbia (sp i know i'm way off). You can truely see that they are all friends on and off.