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After series of setbacks, Incognito gets chance
Richie Incognito was afraid to wonder whether his dream of playing in the NFL might never materialize. "I thought the minute I started thinking negative, then it would happen," he said. "So, I kept positive."
The power of positive thinking will pay off Sunday for Incognito when he suits up for his first regular-season game. He'll start at left guard for the Rams when they meet Denver in the opener at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is at noon.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Incognito has waited nearly three years and endured "setback after setback after setback" along the way. He hasn't played in a game that counts since his Nebraska outfit turned aside Michigan 17-13 in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28, 2003.
"It was real tough ... real tough," said Incognito, 23. "Leaving college, I kind of just set realistic goals for myself and looked forward to things, like the (scouting) combine, my pro day, the draft, my rookie year, things like that."
Incognito left college early at Nebraska's insistence. After two standout seasons, he was booted from the program when he was found guilty of misdemeanor assault stemming from a fight at a party. He already had been suspended for a variety of indiscretions, including being ejected from a game for fighting.
When his attempt to enroll at Oregon was rebuffed, Incognito wound up idle during the 2004 season. He went to the NFL scouting combine in the spring of 2005 and suffered a broken kneecap during his workout.
The injury not only hurt his draft status -- the Rams took him in the third round (No. 81 overall) -- but kept him out all last season. "You've just got to persevere ... keep plugging along," he said.
Incognito did most of his rehab work at Rams Park, attended meetings and absorbed the atmosphere.
"It was kind of like a redshirt year; that's how I looked at it," he said. "Breaking me in, kind of hanging out, getting into the system. I picked up on a few things last year that helped me learn this system a little quicker."
He earned his first-team job in the spring and retained it through the preseason.
"I think he had a lot to prove in the offseason, and he made great strides there," coach Scott Linehan said. "He's shown to be a consistent player, and a very physical player. We're looking forward to seeing how he does."
Finally, the knee has healed and the wait is over. "I'm really excited; it's live bullets now," Incognito said. "It's a big day for me."
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After series of setbacks, Incognito gets chance
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