Faith Family Football

Chapter Eight

Dedicated to @Maddie2015

I was escorted through the locker room by coach O'Brien, the guys all sitting by their lockers with their heads hung low. The atmosphere of the locker room said it all, it was crushing and in a matter of minutes they were going to have to face the media.

"Babe..." My shoulders slumped and a pout appeared on my face as I saw my husband sitting on the exam table clutching an ice pack to the groin area. As a wife the worst thing in the world is to see your husband in pain and know there isn't anything you could do to make it better.

His eyes met mine but he didn't say a word. He didn't have to, I didn't expect him to. I know that he's taking this all in but I hated that he was beating himself up over it.

I set my purse on the chair nearby and crossed the room to him. All I wanted was to hold him right now, it was as if our roles had reversed and all I wanted to do was protect him the way he always protected me and the kids. My hand rested over top of his hand, the chill his skin held from the ice meeting my warm touch. I placed a kissed on his lips and another on the corner of his mouth before resting my forehead on his. If he didn't want to talk I wasn't going to make him, I just wanted him to know I was here for him.

"I'm sorry." He finally uttered out and the disappoint clung to his voice, my heart wrenching at the way it sounded, "I put you guys through this all season just for this..."

"Stop." My hand came up to rest on his cheek, "Don't go there. Don't do that to yourself. We love you and we are all so proud of you."

I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I turned to see JJ's trainer standing there, "I'm sorry to interrupt you Mrs Watt.."

"No no, it's okay." I moved to JJ's side allowing the medical personnel the ability to speak face to face with my husband.

"So what's the deal?" JJ asked sounding rather abrupt and I knew it wasn't the staff he was frustrated with and I'm sure they were used to these situations. I'm almost sure they're never greeted with a smile, it comes with the territory.

"It appears that you've torn muscles in your groin..." The trainer spoke and JJ clenched his jaw, "I need you to meet with a specialist on Monday morning. It's possible this injury could result in surgery but we won't know for sure."

I could feel the tension in the room and I was at a loss of words. I never expected surgery to even be considered an option, I didn't know how bad it was. JJ punched his fist into the examination table and I exchanged a look with the trainer before he backed out of the room, I knew he was trying to give us a moment and I couldn't blame him for not wanting to stand witness to Watt sized anger.

"I'll give you a minute." My voice was quiet and I kissed his cheek then his shoulder, "I love you."

Again, he said nothing but I didn't take it personal. I understood entirely. I walked out of the room closing the door behind myself and swiftly making my way through the locker room, I needed a chance to process all of this news myself. I didn't want any of the guys stopping me to ask me about JJ, I didn't want the news to come from me.

Surgery? When? Where? What does this mean for the off season? What does this mean for his career?

A million thoughts raced through my head and while everyone knows their beloved players get hurt, they never really know what they go through. Or what we go through as their families.They don't know what it's like to watch them go down recovery road, it's not easy.

I was quickly approached my Megan and Bianca, Wilfork's wife, as I walked into the family lounge and it was a matter of seconds before they had engulfed me in a group hug. The comfort of their embrace only causing the tears to fall from my eyes; they got it, they understood what I was going through the way others couldn't and I was thankful for that.

"They think he's going to need surgery..." I carefully patted under my eyes with the tissues Bianca had handed me and I knew I was bound to look like a raccoon, these tears were no joke, "this is not how I wanted the off season to start."

"It's gonna be okay." Megan rubbed my arm but the look she shared with Bianca said it all, they weren't exactly sure it was going to be okay. When surgery is involved, no one really knows.

"I know surgery is scary. It doesn't matter what it's for or how minor it is." Bianca offered up, hoping to ease the worries she knew I had, "But he's determined girl, don't worry. I'm sure he'll be back at it in no time. Your man is stubborn, he's not gonna let this get him down but you gotta stay strong for him."

I nodded my head, she was right. About everything. Sure surgery was scary and sure the outcome of the healing process was unpredictable but if anyone was going to bounce back quickly, it was JJ. I'd never seen him let an injury stop him before and I was sure that wasn't going to change now. A super bowl is close for these guys and I know JJ can feel it. I also know he won't be ready to go out of this game without playing in one. What other determination does he need?

The guys started to file out of the locker room one and two at a time, some headed towards the media platform and others snuck out the back not wanting to face the cameras. I had never seen so many grown men with such low spirits and the room was heavy with defeat.

JJ emerged with a limp, his blond hair damp and spiked and the white thermal I had picked him up last week hugged every curve of his muscles. He was the go to guy for the media, they loved to talk to him and I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to subject himself to their questions today. I expected him to make his way over to me but instead he headed to the podium. I blew him a kiss as he looked in my direction, I knew he was looking to me for support before facing the reporters.

He stood behind the podium, his large hands resting on the sides as if he was using it to hold himself up. His strong shoulders were slumped and didn't show the confidence he normally carried and his head was hung low. He did not want to be up there, that was obvious to us all.

"JJ has this loss put a damper on everything you guys did accomplish this year?"

The first reporter spoke and I watched as my husbands muscles tensed beneath the fabric of his shirt. He wasn't doing this press conference for himself, he was doing his for the fans and his teammates. He took on the responsibility as one of the team captains to address the media and the questions they undoubtedly had.

"Yeah." He slowly nodded before continuing on with his thoughts, "You can say moral victory, you can say we came back from a two in five start... You can say whatever you want but at the end of the day this league is about winning championships and we didn't win a championship. So it's a disappointment and quite frankly I don't care what anyone else says about that. And yeah, we accomplished some great things but that doesn't matter to me. In this league it's about winning championships and we didn't do that."

"JJ is this any more painful that it happened at home in front of a home crowd?" The second reporter spoke and I knew that question would really impact him the most, he hated to disappoint his fans. He hated feeling like he let them down but he didn't care where he was playing, a loss was a loss for him regardless of who's turf he was on.

"Doesn't matter where it happens. When your season ends in the first round it's extremely painful and it's disappointing." His voice was growing in frustration and he excused himself as he walked away.

The media had learned over the years that when JJ was done talking, he was done talking. He limped off the platform as quickly as his injury would allow him and I followed. I was ready to get out of here. I was ready to get my husband home and get him resting, the last thing I needed was for him to continue to beat himself up over this loss. What he needed was to be around those that love him, to see our families and our kids and know that while he may not have won a championship he was still the winner in our house.