TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Henderson column: Prophetic Pittman Proves Everyone Wrong

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 18, 2007

ATLANTA - He knew instantly he was hurt and he knew it was bad. So as he struggled to his feet off the turf at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Michael Pittman thought about Paris Warren.

And then he slowly looked down his left leg, toward his ankle. He remembered how Warren's ankle was twisted at an awful angle, dislocated after a tackle at the end of the final exhibition game.

"When I looked down and saw my ankle was straight it was like, 'OK, let's put some pressure on it,'" Pittman said. "But when I did, I couldn't feel my toes."

He had torn ligaments and had severe bruising in his ankle.

That was four games ago.

"I told everybody I'd get back as fast as I could," he said.

It may be faster than anyone would have guessed - anyone except Michael Pittman.

He says he will return to action today when the Bucs face the Falcons. Doctors had warned he'd miss at least six weeks, maybe eight, maybe even 10. But through an aggressive treatment regimen that included acupuncture, vitamin therapy and direct injections into his ankle, Pittman says he is as close to full speed as one can get this time of year.

"I'm ready to go," he said. "I can't wait."

Jon Gruden won't commit to playing Pittman today; he is listed as questionable, so, officially, it's 50-50. But that may just be a bit of gamesmanship, since Atlanta coach Bobby Petrino is playing the same "maybe, maybe not" guessing game with his quarterbacks. Put it this way: Pittman expects to play. His teammates expect Pittman to play.

"It's great to have Mike back," fellow running back Earnest Graham said. "Right before he got injured, we had a pretty good rhythm running the ball. We complement each other very well. With Mike back, I think we'll be able to give people some trouble."

Never Gets Hurt

Gruden calls Pittman "The Joker" - not because of Pittman's sense of humor, but because of the unpredictable elements he brings to the Bucs offense. He can line up at tailback, fullback, wide receiver, or even tight end. He can block, catch passes, run over people or run around them.

He can play a little. He can play a lot.

He can help on special teams. He can be a featured back.

"I love playing football," he said. "It's all about playing the game."

You might be surprised to learn his 3,245 career rushing yards with the Bucs rank fourth in team history. Or that his 78-yard run against Kansas City in 2004 is the longest by a Buc.

But his greatest attribute might be that he never gets hurt. Well, almost never. These were the first games he has missed since joining the Bucs in 2002.

"I was sweating on the couch watching games," he said. "It's a feeling I did not like and I don't want to get used to."

That day back in Indianapolis was depressing.

Initial reports were dire - perhaps a broken ankle. It wasn't until he had an MRI the following day in Tampa that his mood began to lighten.

Doctors told him to prepare for the worst, but he knew better.

"Once the cast came off, I went full throttle," he said. "I just wanted to get back and help my teammates win. I remember what it was like in 2002 when we won the Super Bowl and we can get back to the playoffs again. That's really all I'm thinking about.

"If we just take care of business, we don't have to worry about needing Atlanta to lose or Carolina to win or anything like that. We control our own destiny."

More Weapons

He figures to split time with Graham, which should make both players more effective. And with newcomer Michael Bennett in the mix, the Bucs have more versatility than they've had in a while.

"It gives us a lot of options. Especially with the type of speed of Michael Bennett, the versatility of Michael Pittman, the way I am running the football right now," Graham said. "I think it is going to be hard for teams to really prepare for that."

Despite Gruden's public coyness, Pittman said Gruden promised to "throw me in the fire."

Those are words Pittman couldn't have even hoped to hear on that day back in Indianapolis, so bring it on. Certainly no one thought he'd be back this soon.

No one but himself.

"I just proved myself right," he said. "And I proved a lot of people wrong that I wouldn't be back."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT