Winning: From Walk-On to Captain, in Football and Life

Gary Brackett

Jan 2012 · Clerisy Press

About this ebook

Framed within the frenzy leading up to a Super Bowl, Gary Brackett flashes back to the defining moments and lessons in his journey leading to the threshold of a championship season. With his heart metaphorically on his jersey sleeve, Gary invites the reader inside the world of NFL football and the drama leading up to the biggest game day of the year. Along the way, Gary provides glimpses of real-life heroes, on and off the field, as he recounts the stories in this touching testament to the memory of his mom, dad and brother.

About the author

Gary Lawrence Brackett was born and raised in New Jersey. Gary attended Glassboro High School in Glassboro, N.J. where he was a two-time All-South Jersey selection, a two-time All-Group I choice, and a two-time All-Tri-County Conference choice. In college, he was a walk-on to the Rutgers University football team. By his senior year, he was defensive captain and won the team's defensive MVP honors. In 2003, Gary Brackett was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent. Brackett was a backup his first two years until he became a starter in 2005. That year he had 127 tackles, three interceptions and a sack. In 2006 he was named defensive captain of the Colts and had 120 tackles. He started for the Colts in their Super Bowl XLI win over the Chicago Bears. In 2007 Brackett recorded 116 tackles and four interceptions. He recorded 99 tackles in both 2008 and 2009. He started for the Colts in their Super Bowl XLIV loss to the New Orleans Saints. In 2009 Brackett was the 11th annual recipient of the Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award, presented to an NFL player ldquo;whose contributions to the community and charitable organizations are especially outstanding.rdquo; He won the award for his work with the IMPACT Foundation, a charity he founded in the spring of 2007. Gary was married in 2010 to his wife, Ragan. They live in Indianapolis with their two beautiful children. Former professional football player and National Football League coach Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy was born in Jackson, Michigan on October 6, 1955. While a high school basketball and football player, he was featured in the Faces in the Crowd section of a 1970 Sports Illustrated issue. Dungy worked for a number of NFL teams before being hired as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996. Following his successes there, he held the head coach position for the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008, becoming in 2007 the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl. Dungy was also the youngest assistant coach and coordinator for the NFL and the first head coach to defeat every team. He is one of the few individuals to have won a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach. Dungy has written several bestselling books, including the memoir Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life, the picture book You Can Do It, and Uncommon Marriage: Learning about Lasting Love and Overcoming Life's Obstacles Together. He has been involved in a number of charities, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Athletes in Action, Mentors for Life, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs, the Prison Crusade Ministry, and All Pro Dad. He also assists Basket of Hope, the Black Coaches Association National Convention, Indiana Black Expo, the United Way of Central Indiana, and the American Diabetes Association. In 2007, Dungy was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, and in 2009 President Barack Obama asked him to join the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.