This is part of the story following the Bengals/Steelers playoff game this past weekend. Andrew Whitworth is a Pro-Bowl Tackle for the Bengals who just lost a very hard fought, nasty game…. And is an important lesson for everyone involved in sports at all levels.

 

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When the game ended Whitworth was one of just four Bengals – the others were kicker Mike Nugent, receiver Marvin Jones and halfback Rex Burkhead – who sought out Steelers players on the field to congratulate them.

 

Then the massive Whitworth lowered his 330 pounds onto his knees near the 50-yard line to say a postgame prayer. He soon was joined by Burkhead, fellow Bengals Cedric Peerman and Vinny Rey and Steelers cornerback Ross Cockrell.

 

As he stood at his locker later, Whitworth was asked why he had bothered to shake hands when so many teammates had headed straight to the dressing room.

 

“I shook hands with them because at the end of the day integrity and character and who you are as a man is more important than who you are as a football player,” he said. “And in the face of a loss you have to man up and walk out there.”

 

He was asked if it was hard to play under control in a game like Saturday’s where there is a long history of bad blood, there was continued tit-for-tat nastiness after many plays and even some ugliness rained down from the stands as a few fans threw bottles and cans at the motorized cart that was taking the injured Roethlisberger from the field to the dressing room after his injury.

 

“No, if you have discipline it’s not that hard,” Whitworth said. “You’ve got to understand that’s the ultimate goal. Guys on the team have to understand the discipline of winning a football game is more important than anything else.

 

“When it becomes just about you and what you’re gonna do, that’s when you have trouble.”

Good stuff!

Class act. I love the Bengals "Bad Boys" mentality on defense but Whit makes the perfect balance. Now if we could focus on winning a little more...

Class act. I love the Bengals "Bad Boys" mentality on defense but Whit makes the perfect balance. Now if we could focus on winning a little more...

and false starting a little less (as well as holding).

 

Great message by Whit. Agree with him completely but also know you need some crazy guys to win games in the league.