Tampa Bay Kicker Matt Bryant Is Playing Today Despite His Son's Death This Week

No one would blame Matt Bryant for not playing today against the Green Bay Packers. After all, his son passed away this week. However, Bryant is apparently the strongest emotional human being on the entire planet, because he is playing today.

Bryant is officially listed as questionable, but the St. Petersburg Times reported on its website on Saturday that the 33-year-old veteran is expected to play.

This has been confirmed as well by the fact that Bryant is already warming up in Tampa, preparing to kick today.

I have no kids nor have I ever had any kids, so I can't speak to what it would be like to lose one. However, I do understand what it means to have lost someone close to you and how it affects you over the next few days/weeks/months/however long.

So, for Matt Bryant to be kicking on a Sunday after he lost his son on a Wednesday makes him a man amongst boys in my opinion. And talk about the lack of athleticism needed to be a kicker all you want, but stepping foot on the gridiron that soon after the passing of a child makes him the toughest guy on the field by far.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

9-28-2008 @ 12:51PM

Sam said...

"I have no kids nor have I ever had any kids,"
Isn't that a redundant thing to say?
If you have never had any kids, then you don't have any kids. Right?

9-28-2008 @ 1:23PM

Glendale said...

No, it is not redundant. You could have had children at one time, they died, so you don't currently have children.

10-02-2008 @ 10:56PM

David said...

WRONG. I have no kids. That is the present. You might have had a kid in the past. To add "nor have I ever had any kids" explains that you did not have a kid in the past.

9-29-2008 @ 10:04AM

brian said...

He is just stating the fact that he does not have any kids at this time nor did he have kids in the pas ie..death

9-28-2008 @ 3:11PM

Tobeyt said...

It is redundant...He is using the words NOR HAVE I EVER...EVER is the word that makes it redundant.

10-12-2008 @ 11:28AM

albuQ said...

I think that Glendale has it right. I have three children now, but I have had four in the past. If I had no children now, it is conceivable that I did have children in the past, so it really is necessary to be specific if one has not EVER had children. It is not redundant at all, it is a clarification.

9-28-2008 @ 4:18PM

Squiggy said...

I guess the grammar/logic of the post is kind of a dumb thing to comment on but at this point the Bucs have won and on top of that I've never been accused of genius.

It would only be redundant if you switched the two phrases around:
"[I] have I [n]ever had any kids, nor [do I] have [any] kids"

If you use short-cut truth table logic, the first phrase "I have no kids" ("currently" is implied) does not immediately invalidate the second phrase "nor have I ever had any kids". That is, the second phrase is a qualification of the first.

If you switch them around then the first phrase that he has never had kids invalidates the second phrase that he currently has no kids and would be redundant.

Currently Matt Bryan has no kids that that makes me sad.

9-28-2008 @ 8:18PM

Michael Trenn said...

I have lost a child, so I understand what this man is feeling. You don't, and you can't possibly understand. I don't know how he has the strength to go out there today, but I will root for him, and I hope he does well. I could not do what he is doing, and I will pray for him.

9-28-2008 @ 3:39PM

Rob said...

Why are you talking about redundant or not??? Did you read the article about the child you idiot? It is about the child, not your stupid comments! SHUT-UP!!!! Thats whats wrong in the world today, sarcasm, and stupid idiots who have the right to speak!

9-28-2008 @ 4:17PM

Theresa Escobar said...

Could someone tell me what the boy died from? Was it an accident or an illness. I felt so sad to hear about it.

9-29-2008 @ 11:11AM

Kathy said...

I imagine it was from SIDS. So sad.

9-28-2008 @ 4:39PM

John said...

Nice article Will Brinson, it was courageous and I'm happy he had a good day. A parent never fully heals from the emotional wound of losing a child, and getting out on that field amongst those men closest to him, is the best thing he could have done. Don't sweat the grammar criticism from the peanut gallery.

9-28-2008 @ 4:26PM

denson said...

Matt,
my heart goes out to you and your family,you are one great person to play g bay today stay tough and strong my prayers are with you and your family.

9-28-2008 @ 4:34PM

Imapatsfan said...

My daughter was killed by a speeding car while she was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk 4 years ago. This dude is in shock. I was in a fog for a year before I realized what happened and the real pain began.

9-28-2008 @ 4:54PM

keya said...

Good God People....grammar errors? This man just lost his child!! For a parent to outlive their child is the worse pain a mother/father can feel. Get a life people-this is what's wrong w/America-too self-centered-no empathy for others-me, me, me syndrome

9-28-2008 @ 4:56PM

cheryl said...

It was reported that his son was 3 months old and was found in his crib tuesday night wednesday morning. They buried him on Saturday.

9-28-2008 @ 5:04PM

hank you Cheryl for answering me. I felt such loss for Matt. I know because I am in his boat.

9-28-2008 @ 7:49PM

Marty Thomson said...

Tough man there... God bless.. We lost our 11mth old last year on oct 2nd- it is hard and many hard times to come for him and his family- but his son is playing with my daughter in heaven and will always be watching over them! ...

9-28-2008 @ 7:56PM

Nunya Bizness said...

> So, for Matt Bryant to be kicking on a Sunday after he
> lost his son on a Wednesday makes him a man amongst
> boys in my opinion

I'm glad you stated "in your opinion"...because in mine he was a complete weakling. A real man would have acknowledged that in fact men are allowed to hurt, feel pain, grieve, cry and be with his wife and family just one day after his son's funeral...not avoiding the pain by spending more time with his football family than his biological one. Unfortunately, it is our society that has also conditioned men to not only feel that they shouldn't express emotion, but gives them the opportunity to avoid it.