Blount Rolls On

(searchingforakilismith.com)

There is a saying, "Your first impression is the last impression."

Not so for LeGarrette Blount.

Unless you are a fan of the Oregon Ducks, your first impression of the 6'0", 200-lb running back was probably not so great. He had a fantastic season for the Ducks in 2008-- setting the school record for rushing touchdowns (17) and surpassing 1000 yards in his first year with the team. But it was the 2009 season with Oregon-- opening day, to be specific-- that landed LeGarrette Blount in the national spotlight.

And man, was it a disaster!

Oregon, ranked 16 in the nation, opened the season on the road against Boise State, ranked 14. The Broncos had upset the ranked Ducks at home the previous year in a game that featured plenty of late and excessive hits-- at least according to LeGarrette Blount.

"We owed them an ass-whoopin'," said Blount in the offseason. They would have their chance on opening day, the nationally-televised Thursday night showdown.

When the game came, however, it was Boise that had the beat-down for Oregon, and again the defeated the Ducks with a final score of 19-8. Blount finished the game with negative yardage (8 rushes, -5 yards) and first-year coach Chip Kelley and his high-flying offense was held to 152 total yards.

After the game Boise's Byron Hout politely inquired about the whoopin' Blount was to have prepared.

Blount punched him square in the jaw and knocked him out cold.

Nation, meet LeGarrett Blount.

It's a hell of a first impression, if you ask me.

Blount would be suspended by Coach Kelley for the remainder of the 2009 season, his last as a Duck. After completing apologetic phone calls and letters, however, he would be reinstated with three games to go in the season. He did not record a run until the last game of the year, but managed 51 yards and a touchdown over interstate rival Oregon State.

Oregon would earn a Rose Bowl berth-- a loss to Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes-- and then Blount was off to the draft.

2009 Regular Season statistics: 2 games played, 46 rushing yards, 8 games missed with suspension.

(joebucsfan.com)

Blount went undrafted in the 2010 but signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans. He was later cut and picked up by Tampa Bay, where he spent three seasons and rushed for 13 touchdowns. He was traded to the Patriots* for a 7th round draft pick (read: nothing) and would be one of the rotating cast of running back's featured in Belichick's offense in 2013.

His most important contribution to the season in New England* came in the playoffs against the Colts, where he rushed for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Blount then signed a 2-year deal with Pittsburgh, but was arrested in the offseason with fellow running back Le'Veon Bell for possession of marijuana. Neither player was suspended, but that was not the end of Blount's troubles in Pittsburgh.

He averaged 6 carries a game through 11 games as a Steeler and was so frustrated that he left the game against the Titans early. Pittsburgh released him the next day.

Eventually he was claimed off the waivers by New England* and played out the final 5 games of the season with the Patriots*, and again managed to trounce the Colts in the playoffs, finishing the AFC Championship game with 148 yards and 3 touchdowns.

For Blount it has been a strange route to the Super Bowl. His public image and reputation was as bad as it could be, and his short career has featured plenty of questionable behavior. Somehow he managed to overcome (much to the chagrin of the Indianapolis Colts) and on Sunday he will have a chance to win football's greatest prize.