Kevin Everett will walk again because of Marc Buoniconti

In October of 1985, Marc Buoniconti, playing linebacker for Citadel, made a tackle and fell to the ground, and hasn't walked since because of signficant spinal cord injury. In September of 2007, Buffalo Bills Tight End Kevin Everett made a tackle and fell to the ground with a similar injury. He's expected to walk out of the hospital within the next few months.

In a fantastic piece in this morning's Boston Globe by Stan Grossfeld, we learn that those two events are connected. When Marc Buoniconti was hurt, his father, former NFL lineback Nick Buoniconti, dedicated his life to helping Marc walk again, and founded the Miami project for Spinal Cord Injuries. Over the years, they have raised over $200 million dollars, and, because of the work they've done, Kevin Everett is going to walk again.

It is a great story, it is a great piece. Read the whole thing...

Fantastic news

According to a new report from SI.com, Buffalo TE Kevin Everett has demonstrated "unexpected" movement in his extremities.

Kevin Everett voluntarily moved his arms and legs on Tuesday when partially awakened, prompting a neurosurgeon to say the Buffalo Bills' tight end would walk again -- contrary to the grim prognosis given a day before.

"Based on our experience, the fact that he's moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again," said Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami school of medicine.

"It's totally spectacular, totally unexpected," Green told The Associated Press by telephone from Miami.

Really, that would be the best news in the NFL this week. Hope and prayers continue...

Top NFL story of the day

I'll have some NFL and Patriots thoughts tomorrow, but today, I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers (and hopefully those of all NFL fans) are with Buffalo tight-end Kevin Everett. I don't expect that he'll ever play again, but I hope that he'll recover to walk and live a normal life.