In the shadow of Peyton Manning retiring, lets not forget Logan Mankins, and what he has done for the game.
It would be easy to write a profile on Peyton Manning stepping away from the game today. Everybody knows him even if you don't watch the NFL, you know of him. Instead I want to talk about another NFL great that retired today, former NFL guard and 7 time Pro Bowler Logan Mankins. But, before I even go into that I want to let you know what a 'guard' is.
A guard lines up between the center (who snaps the ball) and a tackle (who does not in fact tackle but blocks.) Their job may seam repetitive and sometimes, to the untrained eye, inconsequential to the quarterback throwing the 70 yard pass or the running back out maneuvering a defensive player for a big gain. But, in actuality a good offense line can make or break even the best quarterback, receiver or running back. Play in and play out a guard blocks some of the biggest guys in the game on the defensive line. Sometimes they have to account for and block defensive players that aren't even in their line of sight at the snap of the ball. It is demanding position, it is a intelligent position and most of all it is a thankless position. Offensive linemen know this at a very young age; as I was told in middle school "the only time they [crowd/media] notice you are there is when you do something bad." 'Fighting in the trenches' on the line is one of the only spots left in the game that hasn't changed since the conception of football. It is for the mentally tough and strong willed. And Logan Mankins did this at a unbelievably high level through high school, college and 11 years at the professional level.
Mankins started his playing days at Mariposa High School in Catheys Valley California. There, he was recruited by Fresno State, where he eventually signed to play during his senior year of high school. After red shirting (sitting out) his freshman year as a Bulldog he went on to start his entire sophomore and senior year. Mankins unfortunately missed his entire junior season due to a torn ACL. At Fresno State he blocked for the 2002 first overall NFL draft pick, quarterback David Carr. And during his senior year he was the first ever offensive lineman in school history to win the team's MVP Award.
Then in April 2005 he was drafted 32nd overall by the then recently crowned Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. During his time in New England he started 130 games and blocked for a lot of NFL greats such as Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor. He truly was a corner stone on a offensive line that helped Tom Brady throw for 35,00yds and 262TD during his tenure with the Pats. Also, during the 2006 campaign he netted a touchdown in the AFC Championship game against the Colts when he recovered a Laurence Maroney fumble in the end zone. The only downside to his career in New England was that he was one year late (2004) and one year shy (2014) of winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots.
In 2014 due to contract disputes he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for tight end Eric Wright and a 4th round draft pick. Former head coach Lovie Smith knew Mankins would instantly help improve a spotty Buccaneer line by with his ability to play and lead. Though, there were no playoffs or Super Bowls for Logan in Tampa he did help lead the way for the most productive offensive year in Buccaneer history this past season. Running back Doug Martin finished second in the NFL in rushing yards only behind Adrian Peterson and rookie quarterback Jameis Winston threw for over 4,000yds, making him only the third rookie ever to reach that mark.
So, after 9 years with the Patriots, 2 years with the Buccaneers, 161 career starts, 7 Pro Bowl bids, 1 All-Pro team nod, 2 AFC Championships, Logan Makins will step away from the game that has been apart of his life for over 20 years. Though for many football fans it won't be any different not seeing #70 out on the line. But, for me, and for others he will be missed. A true gladiator of the game.
"Logan Mankins is everything we would ever want in a football player. It is hard to imagine a better player at his position, a tougher competitor or a person to represent our [Patriots] program. He is one of the all-time great Patriots and the best guard I ever coached," Bill Belichick, New England Patriots head coach
First reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Stats, facts and figures: ESPN.com, NFL.com, Buccaneers.com, Patriots.com, GoBullDogs.com
A guard lines up between the center (who snaps the ball) and a tackle (who does not in fact tackle but blocks.) Their job may seam repetitive and sometimes, to the untrained eye, inconsequential to the quarterback throwing the 70 yard pass or the running back out maneuvering a defensive player for a big gain. But, in actuality a good offense line can make or break even the best quarterback, receiver or running back. Play in and play out a guard blocks some of the biggest guys in the game on the defensive line. Sometimes they have to account for and block defensive players that aren't even in their line of sight at the snap of the ball. It is demanding position, it is a intelligent position and most of all it is a thankless position. Offensive linemen know this at a very young age; as I was told in middle school "the only time they [crowd/media] notice you are there is when you do something bad." 'Fighting in the trenches' on the line is one of the only spots left in the game that hasn't changed since the conception of football. It is for the mentally tough and strong willed. And Logan Mankins did this at a unbelievably high level through high school, college and 11 years at the professional level.
Mankins started his playing days at Mariposa High School in Catheys Valley California. There, he was recruited by Fresno State, where he eventually signed to play during his senior year of high school. After red shirting (sitting out) his freshman year as a Bulldog he went on to start his entire sophomore and senior year. Mankins unfortunately missed his entire junior season due to a torn ACL. At Fresno State he blocked for the 2002 first overall NFL draft pick, quarterback David Carr. And during his senior year he was the first ever offensive lineman in school history to win the team's MVP Award.
Then in April 2005 he was drafted 32nd overall by the then recently crowned Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. During his time in New England he started 130 games and blocked for a lot of NFL greats such as Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor. He truly was a corner stone on a offensive line that helped Tom Brady throw for 35,00yds and 262TD during his tenure with the Pats. Also, during the 2006 campaign he netted a touchdown in the AFC Championship game against the Colts when he recovered a Laurence Maroney fumble in the end zone. The only downside to his career in New England was that he was one year late (2004) and one year shy (2014) of winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots.
In 2014 due to contract disputes he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for tight end Eric Wright and a 4th round draft pick. Former head coach Lovie Smith knew Mankins would instantly help improve a spotty Buccaneer line by with his ability to play and lead. Though, there were no playoffs or Super Bowls for Logan in Tampa he did help lead the way for the most productive offensive year in Buccaneer history this past season. Running back Doug Martin finished second in the NFL in rushing yards only behind Adrian Peterson and rookie quarterback Jameis Winston threw for over 4,000yds, making him only the third rookie ever to reach that mark.
So, after 9 years with the Patriots, 2 years with the Buccaneers, 161 career starts, 7 Pro Bowl bids, 1 All-Pro team nod, 2 AFC Championships, Logan Makins will step away from the game that has been apart of his life for over 20 years. Though for many football fans it won't be any different not seeing #70 out on the line. But, for me, and for others he will be missed. A true gladiator of the game.
"Logan Mankins is everything we would ever want in a football player. It is hard to imagine a better player at his position, a tougher competitor or a person to represent our [Patriots] program. He is one of the all-time great Patriots and the best guard I ever coached," Bill Belichick, New England Patriots head coach
First reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Stats, facts and figures: ESPN.com, NFL.com, Buccaneers.com, Patriots.com, GoBullDogs.com
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