Like any rookie football player trying to earn a spot on an NFL roster, New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich is being evaluated on every play he makes on the field. And, like every other neophyte player getting his first taste of the NFL, Herzlich will experience any number of milestone "firsts" as he embarks on his professional career.
But, unlike the great majority of his peers, there won't be many worsts that occur for him on the gridiron.
You see, Herzlich has already overcome a rare form of bone cancer that he was diagnosed with in 2009 while still in college. After that, there isn't much that can happen on the football field that can seem that bad. Meanwhile, he is an inspiration to millions of cancer survivors and those still struggling against illness every time he steps onto the field.
In the Giants' preseason romp over the Chicago Bears, Herzlich achieved an inspirational "first," picking off a fourth quarter pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie at the 2-yard line. Once told that he'd never play football again because of a titanium rod placed in his left leg, Herzlich showed yet another sign that he is regaining the explosiveness that made him an All-American at Boston College in 2008 before his life-threatening diagnosis.
“It was awesome,” Herzlich told ESPN New York after the game. “You try to get in the right spot and you get lucky. The quarterback threw it near me. I was just making a play.”
Herzlich signed with the Giants after not being selected in the 2011 NFL draft and faces an uphill battle to secure a roster spot, but his work ethic and focus have gained the attention of his coaches.
"Herzlich, I love," said Giants linebacker coach Jim Herrmann. "Obviously his sickness has really driven his focus to succeed -- and he's going to succeed. That's just the way he is. Pretty much he was on his death bed and now he's playing with the New York Giants."