WHITE HEARS DIVINE CALL TO RETURN
(AP) - Reggie White said Wednesday that God told him to come out
of his brief retirement and keep a promise to play football one
more year. Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren announced
White's retirement Sunday, and as recently as Monday the
36-year-old defensive end was standing by his decision to leave
football because of a bad back. But that day, after repeating to
Holmgren he wouldn't return next season, White said he had a
revelation while having back therapy. "God spoke to me and said
'you made a promise,'" White, an ordained Baptist minister, said
at a news conference. "'You promised him you would play two years
and I want you to fulfill your commitment.'"
White added: "A lot of times people think people are crazy when
they say God spoke to them. I didn't hear an audible voice.
Nobody came and knocked on the door and told me, 'Reggie, you
should do this.' I just heard something in my mind that gave me
extreme peace." Holmgren, sitting next to White at the news
conference, said the two had been talking about whether White
would return ever since the Packers lost the Super Bowl to
Denver. Holmgren said he felt White's decision to retire was
final. "My mindset was, OK, I no longer have Reggie White on the
football team," Holmgren said. The NFL's career sacks leader said
his back still hurts, but he promised to embark on a rigorous
rehabilitation program so that he could help the Packers return
to the Super Bowl. |
