Coy Wire in 2009 training camp (AP Photo/John Amis)
There's a sledgehammer in Coy Wire's locker. This particular one is equally a utility and symbolic tool--much like Wire himself.
During a visit earlier this year in June to soldiers of the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division in Fort Benning, Georgia, the Falcons linebacker gave a stirring talk to the soldiers about overcoming all the adversity and obstacles one faces in a lifetime.
Nicknamed "The Sledgehammer Brigade," the soldiers presented Wire with the sledgehammer as a token of their appreciation.
Football players are often called warriors and war analogies fly readily when describing what is happening on a football field, but the 31-year-old Wire knows who the true heroes are. The Stanford graduate describes the opportunity as equally fulfilling for him as he hopes it was for his audience.
"It was humbling," says Wire. "You think what we do is going into battle every Sunday. It is in a certain way, but in the grand scheme of things it's not really at all. To look people in the eye you know are sacrificing, potentially their lives, for a greater good, is very humbling. It makes you thankful for the country in which you live."
It's situations and responses like that led Wire's teammates with the Atlanta Falcons to nominate him as their 2009 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, an award given on behalf of the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation and the NFL to a player on each of the league's 32 teams that best represents professionalism, great strength, and dedication.
Named after Ed Block, Head Athletic Trainer for the Baltimore Colts for 23 years and lifelong humanitarian, the award strives to celebrate inspirational players and raise awareness and funding to prevent child abuse.
"For me, that's the greatest honor that I could receive, an award that's voted on by my teammates, the guys that know you," he says. "I'm really honored and feel very privileged that I received that award to represent the Falcons this year."
Wire, whose studies revolved around religion and philosophy while in college, feeds on motivation, both the kind he receives and gives. The giving part is often in abundance and yet another reason why his teammates gave him another form of recognition.
For the second straight season as an Atlanta Falcon, he was selected at the end of the season as a team captain. The team names in-season captains on a week-to-week basis and Head Coach Mike Smith has his players name the team captains at the conclusion of the season.
"It's one of those things where at every phase of the game you have to have a veteran whose been there, seen that, done that," says second-year Falcon Thomas DeCoud. "He's that guy on our special teams. You always have to have those kinds of vets that know what's going to happen and know the game of the football. He's that guy for us. He definitely does a great job. You can put him anywhere and he'll get the job done. It's great to have that jack-of-all-trades on your team."
His numbers aren't inspiring, but his approach, attitude, and message are. He recorded 17 tackles and one forced fumble as a backup linebacker in 2009. He made his mark was on special teams as the leader of a group of young players who battle each Sunday to catch the coaches' eyes in hopes of one day earning a starting role with the team, as DeCoud did in 2008. Wire's nine special teams tackles ranked third on the team.
"With your backup linebackers, you want to make sure that they’re guys that can contribute on special teams, and Coy’s done a very good job," Smith said recently. "Anytime he’s been asked to play on defense, he’s stepped up. He’s been very, very consistent. I really think he’s one of the leaders."
It's typical for Wire to sidestep much praise. He speaks in quiet tones about the value of his teammates and coaches, each and every player in the locker room. In a game that pushes players to great selfish lengths to achieve personal greatness and contribute to team success, Wire seems to have it all figured out. He embraces the opportunity to lead his young teammates on special teams and finds it easy to do so because they put in the same work he does.
"Really, it's been easy, for two reasons," says Wire. "One, because of the type of players that we have. They take it seriously. It's important to them and you don't normally see that in the special teams phase of the game across the league. But most importantly our coach, Keith Armstrong. He's a great asset to this organization and to each individual player as a coach. ...I'm very fortunate, and so are the other guys on special teams, to have a coordinator like Keith Armstrong on our side."
Even though he was relegated to a backup role this season with the promotion of third-year linebacker Stephen Nicholas and the free agency signing of Mike Peterson (after starting three consecutive games to close the 2008 season) he's still found himself in the middle of some big moments in Atlanta's season, including two difficult and physical plays that exemplify the reckless way Wire plays.
In Week 6, following a long drive by the Chicago Bears, defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux forced a fumble by running back Matt Forte on the Atlanta one-yard line. Losing his helmet in the process, Wire emerged with the ball to preserve the Falcons' one-touchdown lead.
An excited Wire held on to the ball as he ran to the sidelines pointing to the fans. Once there, Smith hugged his linebacker in a move that showed equal respect and appreciation.
Following the game, Wire would say little of what was said between the head coach and player.
"Coach Smith, he was just letting me know that I did my part and he was thankful that I took advantage of the opportunity and did my part within the defense,"
During a feverish comeback against the New Orleans Saints in Week 8, Wire gave the Falcons offense the ball late in the fourth quarter. Down 11, Wire's hit and fumble recovery on Saints' running back Mike Bell allowed Atlanta to take over with 1:23 remaining, though all they could add was a field goal to draw within eight.
Everyone in the Superdome knew the Falcons would attempt an onside kick following the field goal for one final shot. It happened and the Falcons' special teams captain recovered it at the Atlanta 39, though it wasn't apparent right away and was far from simply recovering a loose football.
For over a minute, officials tried to remove bodies of players from both teams piled by Atlanta's sideline. As players gave up the fight and began to remove themselves from the accumulation, Wire emerged possessing the football. Atlanta would go on to lose the game, but Wire did everything he could to produce a win.
Those are the kind of plays that have defined Wire's career. The only player in Stanford football history to have lead the team in rushing as a running back (his freshman season) and in tackles, as a linebacker in his junior season, says once his career is over he hopes to be remembered simply as a player that did things the right way.
"Looking back on it someday, I'd want to be a guy that my ex-teammates remember off the field, living a life with character and integrity," says Wire. "A guy that they could trust and count on, not only on the field, but especially off the field."
But no one's saying the linebacker's career is done. Wire, who came back from a spinal injury in 2007, was part of a five-player series on the NFL Network, 'On the Fringe', that followed the players through training camp as they played for the football lives. Of the five, Wire was the only one to earn a 53-man roster spot with his training camp team.
His June speaking engagement in front of the troops wasn't his first time as a speaker and he contends that it won't be his last. You get the sense that Wire believes a person's performance is sometimes less about ability and more about desire and will. A self-described Mind Coach for the athletic training company that he founded, Ignite, the linebacker assumes the responsibility of trying to pass on everything he's been taught in his lifetime. It just so happens, he's pretty good at it.
"I think each of us have gotten to where we are because other people have helped us," says Wire. "They've taught us something or showed us something that helped us become a better person. So anytime that we have the opportunity to pass on something that may help someone else, it's a duty. It's a privilege to not possess what we learn but pass it on."
His eighth season by personal standards was another success: another full year of an NFL paycheck, another year of beating the supposed odds of the three-and-a-half year average of an NFL player's career, another healthy season ,and another season that earned him the respect and admiration of his teammates. But on the field, the won-loss record of the Atlanta Falcons wasn't indicative of success, winning records and dubious streak-ending (Atlanta's 2009 season allowed the team to put together its first back-to-back winning seasons in franchise history) notwithstanding.
The Atlanta Falcons special teams captain still believes 2009 was distinctive. It featured a team he was proud to be a part of, playing a game he believes he's fortunate to still be playing.
"Every Sunday that I'm able to step on that football, to me is a blessing," says Wire. "I don't take it for granted for one second. Any moment that I'm still playing in this league is a great honor. Just to be a part of this team who had to struggle to overcome a lot of adversity with injuries and schedule issues. It's been great to be a part of a unit, an organization, that never gave in, never complained, just kept working, and showed great character. So, that's special."
Imagine that: a team playing like one its captains. Playing like the teammate chosen for an award that symbolizes courage, compassion, commitment, and community.
I always love to hear what you've got to say. Leave a comment or email me for the Weekly Mailbag: jdanielcox@gmail.com. Click "subscribe" to receive emails whenever a new article is posted. Follow me on Twitter.
Comments