TJB Hall of Fame: Dennis Byrd
The TJB Hall of Fame Inductees roll on with today’s entrant … it’s my distinct honor to introduce today’s entrant: Dennis Byrd.
Football is a beautiful, but brutal game in which 22 of the strongest, fastest and most finely tuned athletes on the planet grind each other to dust for 60 minutes, 16 times a year. In the NFL, strength is a precious commodity to acquire and something that every team strives to gain leaving little time for reflection or “what if” scenarios about pain, injuries and mortality.
During a rough 1992 season in which Jets fans already said a tearful goodbye to Al Toon, Dennis Byrd began a journey that would show some of the toughest men in the world what real strength was and for that reason is why Dennis Byrd is being inducted into the TJB Hall of Fame.
On November 29, in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Meadowlands, Byrd rushed in an attempt to sack Chiefs QB Dave Krieg, but Krieg stepped up to avoid the tackle, and Byrd collided with fellow Jets teammate Scott Mersereau who was coming for the sack on the opposite side. Byrd ducked his head at the last moment before he collided with Mersereau’s chest. The head-first collision resulted in a broken vertebra and left Byrd paralyzed.
“The hit was deafaning,” remembered Byrd. “I remember the feeling of slowly falling to the ground … I tried to take my helmet off, to unsnap the snaps with my hand, and it … it just wouldn’t work right … At that point, I began to realize that there wasn’t any feeling.”
Even though there was no feeling, after some experimental drugs to reduce swelling, an exhaustive seven hour surgery and intensive physical therapy, Byrd walked just ten weeks later to announce that he was going home during a press conference at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York — it was a modern day miracle.
But Byrd’s strength during the worst times came from somewhere else, somewhere beyond his large 270 pound frame. As he lay in his hospital bed at Lenox Hill waiting for a surgery to remove pieces of broken bone from his spine, Byrd and his wife Angela sent word via Jet kicker and friend Cary Blanchard to the press contingent. “Tell [the press] Dennis says he’s glad God chose him for this, because he has the strength to handle it, and tell them I’m glad God chose me as Dennis’s partner.” In the face of enormous doubt Blanchard dutifully relayed the Byrds’ hopeful message to the waiting press through his own tears.
But it wasn’t the injury that formed this amazing character in Dennis, he had it long before November 29, 1992. Dennis Byrd was one of the busiest players in the NFL in terms of volunteering his time and donating to charities, often lending help to any worthy cause that would ask. There are countless stories of Dennis outbidding himself to raise money for charities, spending time with the children of fallen police officers, even being 45 minutes late to training camp meetings because he was determined to sign autographs for every kid who wanted one. In other words, while with the Jets and even today, Dennis Byrd gives all he has for those around him and especially to those less fortunate than himself.
Where does courage, compassion and care for others like that come from? Those are rare gifts indeed. For Dennis, it’s clear it comes from his faith. It’s this source of strength that Dennis has which puts to shame how many times an athlete can lift a 225 pound bar or how many times he tackles a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
I was at the game — my first Jets game ever — with my father and godfather and I remember sitting there, wondering what was happening. No one knew anything, and the longer we waited the more the audience got nervous. There were players on the field praying … there were even people in the stands started doing the same. Those moments were teachable for me. Although I was just a teenager, I saw how precious life is and following his recovery, I learned more about Dennis’ inner strength and knew that was something I admired and wanted. If Dennis was to know that, I’m guessing that he’d say that if his story was inspiration to me, then it made all his trials worth it.
And that’s why Dennis Byrd is in the TJB Hall of Fame.
16 Responses to TJB Hall of Fame: Dennis Byrd
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Bent says: I doubt any Jet will ever perform as courageously and inspirationally as Byrd.
I saw him on the sidelines being interviewed at a recent college football game and it gave me chills just to see him standing and talking.
And he was on his way to being a decent player too.
Richly deserved and a fitting tribute.
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Dan C says:
Very touching Bassett – you have a knack with words.
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Mehl56 says:
Very emotional time- even got chocked up reading this post.
Bent I also saw that interview. I also saw a special on Dennis where he has a Hunting Ranch where he takes kids who are handicapped on hunting trips.
He truely is an inspiration!
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Doug from Long Valley says:
A great guy, a great story. Buy the book “Rise and Walk” the Dennis Byrd story to really appreciate who Dennis was as a person. Mr. Hess was really there for him, like he was for so many players, behind the scenes, a great lesson on caring and giving.
btw, thanks for the rookie update today.
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sec108 says:
It got a little dusty in my office reading this too, every time I think about him and what he went through and the way in which he handled it I am amazed. Stricken down in the prime of life and he never once uttered the phrase “why me”, he was truly an inspiration.
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Jonathan says:
when i was a ballboy in 1990, d. byrd was my favorite guy and, even as a 16 year-old, i was impressed that he took an interest in the lackeys who did the laundry and cleaned the lockers. he was sincere and down-to-earth in a way that is uncommon for an athlete as talented as he was.
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SackDance99 says:
I was there, too. The worst moment in my 17 or so years as a season ticket owner. Forget the “fake spike” or any game during the Kotite years. Seeing players praying and Dennis strapped to a body board, desperately hoping to see him give a “thumbs up” to the crowd, which never came, was awful. Dennis’ amazing comeback was further proof, to me, that there is a higher power. Bassett’s right, Byrd was a good and promising player, but his story and courage transcends football and, to me, is what Jets’ “core values” are all about.
Also, the inspirational win over the Kelly Bills the next week was one of the great Jets victories of all times, who cares that the team was a dismal 4-12; who could ever forget Brian Washington’s awesome pick 6 in the 4th quarter? It really did seem like destiny because he looked like Barry Sanders running through the out-stretched arms of like a half dozen Bills for the 23 yard score. Oh, and who was awarded the game ball. Of course, it was Dennis, who the Jets called up from the locker room. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
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Liam says:
great post bassett and great comments all around.
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The Ed(itor) says:
Look, I like and admire Dennis Byrd. But the 3rd JET voted into your Hall of Fame??? Doesn’t rate that high on my HOF board. Must mean there are at least 50 members of your HOF. I can’t wait to see the remaining 47.
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Bent says:
Remember, Ed, that this isn’t THE Jets hall of fame for the best Jets players of all time, it’s the TJB hall of fame, which we have created to honor guys who may be underrated nationally, are fan favorites, or – as is the case with Byrd – have inspired us or made us proud to be Jets fans.
I think the tribute and comments bear that out 100%.
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sjfalcon2001 says:
Dennis Byrd’s injury and not only his response to it, but football’s response to it, prove to be one of the great stories of the NFL. I remember not only the Chiefs game, but the Bills game the week after it. Bitter division rivals, yet most of the players on both sides met at mid-field to pray for Byrd after the game. Until that point, there wasn’t a lot of that going on. He also got a made for TV movie made out of his autobiography and while the acting wasn’t great, it did let you in on his character. He may have had a short playing career and never lived up to his potential due to his injury, every Jets fan can look to him as an example and it is only fitting that we choose him for the TJB Hall.
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david i says:
Forget Byrd as an inspirational football player, his courage transended sports and inspired millions of people. The strength of his faith is unmatched and it taught us all a very important lesson in life, as well as prepared me for how to deal with a very tough time of my own years later. His book is a must read and his induction to the HoF for couragous human beings is appropriate, let alone the TJB.
Being there in the end zone seats closest to where he smashed into Mersereu’s chest was chilling in a tragic way. But being there in the end zone seats closest to where he walked out onto the field was chilling in an amazing and inspirational way. I will never forget either chill.
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jeremy says:
this story made me want to cry…. both the original one and basset’s take.
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scapp says:
That was the first Jets game I ever went to too. I set up the VCR to tape the game so I could see if I could see myself in the crowd. I still have the tape collecting dust on my shelf, never could watch it. Very sad day. Seing him later on walk in that press conference was amazing. Anyone remember the team kicking the crap out of the bills the next week in Byrd’s honor? That was very cool.
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alau53 says:
lets put favre in the hof..cmon byrd..why not pat leahy..make bruce coslet coach of this hof..what a joke
It’s players like him that makes football what it truly is. People cant understand that and that’s why they dont get football. It’s all about heart and that’s why Byrd belongs!