Finally getting that call saying I was on the team? Needless to say I was very happy. This is my hometown. Then, the next day, my dreams came crashing down. I understand that this is a business and you can't take stuff personally, but it was a very, very tough time.

With the statue and gates with my name, it's all a great thrill. People are now saying ' I'll meet you at the Perry statue'. It's a strange feeling, makes you feel a little queasy. It's a beautifully-done statue. People don't know how I used to be, they only know me as I am now.

We have a saying on this team that we're not going to let anybody come in here and punk us.

But this is home for me. I've grown a lot since I came here. I feel like I've come a long way as a player the last two years. I want to be here and I realized that the organization wants me here, too.

Tom Heckert (vice president of player personnel) and my running backs coach (Ted Williams) both called me and told me they still want me here,

You can’t worry about what you can’t control. I worry about how I play on the field. As long as I’m doing well, I can be satisfied.