Fuente: © Buffalo Bills
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NFL: BILLS: Gibson Glad to Have Second Chance

/noticias.info/ Chris Brown, Lead Journalist – buffalobills.com

"He's the top tackle on a lot of teams' boards. He's got 36 inch arms, the largest arms of anyone coming out of the draft and that's something everyone looks at when assessing tackles. He'll be able to get movement on defensive linemen. Your one worry is that this guy might play his entire career pushing 400 pounds, and a lot of people think that will shorten his career. But if you can get him playing at around 370, he's a fine tackle with Jonathan Ogden potential."

Those were the words of NFL.com analyst and former NFL personnel man Pat Kirwan as he gave his take on Aaron Gibson a week before the 1999 NFL Draft.

Gibson was considered one of the most promising offensive linemen after a solid career at Wisconsin that spring. He wound up going to the Detroit Lions with the 27th pick. But unfortunately the weight concerns that followed him cropped up as did injuries.

His first two NFL seasons ended prematurely as he had surgery on his left and right shoulder in consecutive seasons.

He worked hard to get his weight under control and got down to 370 pounds, but citing poor conditioning and a failure to improve the Lions released him six games into the 2001 season.

Gibson landed with the Dallas Cowboys, but knee and shoulder injuries continued to hamper his availability and progress and prompted his release there as well.

He latched on with the Chicago Bears whose head coach, Dick Jauron, made him his right tackle in 2003. By most accounts he played well, but after four games under Bears new head coach Lovie Smith he was released.

After that no one called. He spent the 2005 season out of football.

Then a phone call from the Bills and a second chance at a career with that held so much promise.

"I'm just glad to have the opportunity," said Gibson. "When I got the call I was really excited. It's something I was looking forward to the whole time I was off."

Gibson who spent most of his down time with his young daughter also made a point to stay in shape and keep his techniques sharp. Currently listed at 370 pounds, Gibson looks relatively fit.

"I'm pretty close to my top shape and now that I'm here I've got the whole summer to get in the best shape I've ever been in," said Gibson. "I'm ready to grasp that."

With new strength and conditioning coordinator John Allaire on the staff he's got as good a chance in Buffalo as anywhere to keep his weight under control.

Spending a year out of football has him motivated to rebuild his reputation as a talented tackle. The Bills have used him exclusively at right tackle with his 36-inch arms a major asset in keeping opposing pass rushers at bay.

Gibson is a bit of a physical rarity. He wears an 8 ¾" extended helmet, and gave assistant equipment manager Woody Ribbeck more work than he anticipated. First he couldn't fit into his assigned jersey number 60 so he was given a larger jersey with number 74. Ribbeck also had to shave down the padding in his assigned helmet so it would fit on his head.

"I give them all they can handle," said Gibson of the challenges his physical features give equipment managers. "I'm usually the problem child when I come in with my helmet, jersey and shoes."

But Gibson has no intentions of letting his weight get away from him this time. He's learned the value of being able to play in the league after not having a job in 2005.

"It's something you miss," said Gibson of the opportunity to play. "A lot of people take it for granted and really don't understand what you can lose. Sitting out a year can really help you see that."

At the same time Gibson is inspired by how his former Chicago teammate Daimon Shelton made the most of a second opportunity in Buffalo.

I talked to him and he told me about his situation here," said Gibson. "Mine is fairly similar."

Gibson is also hoping his situation has a similar ending. notas_de_prensa_archivo