Gary Brackett joined the Colts in 2003 as an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers. Since then, he's lost his mother, father and brother while also becoming the starting middle linebacker in Tony Dungy's revamped defense. Brackett used his unique perspective to speak about how the death of Dungy's son James and the coach's return have affected the Colts. —David Fleming
We met with Coach before the funeral in a side room of the church, and that's when most of us knew everything would be okay. He walked in with this big smile. That surprised us. Oh, the relief. He was so happy to see us, so grateful for the support. I know that when life knocks you off balance, you fall back on what you are at your core, and Coach Dungy was so full of strength and faith that it inspired many of us. It really did.
He spoke that day in church about cherishing your loved ones and your life, about not taking anything for granted. And I think he was coaching us from up there. He was talking about this team, this season, too. Nothing is guaranteed. We've got everything in place we've been striving for. The Super Bowl still goes through us. So let's cherish this rare opportunity, despite everything that's happened. Let's make the most of it.
This team was 13—0 at one point, so I don't know how much more guys can give on the field. But this tragedy has increased our sense of urgency. It has brought us closer. Communication is what brings teams together, and this really had guys talking, about real things and real issues. This forced us to reach out to each other. On some teams, everyone has their own opinion, their own agenda, and everyone is removed from each other. But this death showed us how much everybody loves Coach. Everyone is coming from the same place with the same motivation-let's finish what we started.
What I've learned from my experiences is that no one who dies would want their death to ruin your life. You have to let the healing begin and do the things you love to do. For Coach, I mean, it's obvious: he loves football-the teaching, the coaching, the film prep, being out at practice. The love of the game is what got me through. It will get Coach through, too.
Coming back is a personal decision. None of us knows how we'd react in a similar situation. But when I went through something similar, what I really craved the most was a sense of normalcy. I didn't need to be home by myself sulking and sobbing. Trust me, when you're on the field, in the moment, it's like a minivacation from the pain; you get to set it down and run free. You get to leave that burden at the sideline. Even if it's just for a little while, it can mean everything to someone who's hurting so much.
When I first saw him back at the facility, I was eating breakfast. I just gave him a hug. After two minutes with him, I could tell things were going to be okay for us. When a loved one dies, healing begins once you look forward again. And that's the message behind Coach Dungy's return: the best is yet to come.