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Corey Dillon: Ready To Play Patriots Game

Corey Dillon: Ready To Play Patriots Game

To say the 2003 season was a personal and professional debacle for Corey Dillon, is putting it mildly. Dillon's demise began when he strained his groin in a week 3 loss to Pittsburgh, and culminated with a locker room tirade weeks later after the media had begun to question his durability.

That's it! I've had it. Trade me to Dallas!... Dude, plug me into a Denver, plug me into a Dallas, I'd have the rushing title hands down, period. Put me in a different situation and you hear my name every Sunday. These are things I know." - Corey Dillon: Dallas Morning News

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis did his best to stick-handle around Dillon's bruised ego and riotous remarks all season long. But it was clear the Bengals organization and Corey Dillon had reached the point of no return. The divorce was made official with an off-season trade sending Dillon to New England. But nothing breeds comraderie and team chemistry like winning, and now Corey Dillon finds himself on a team that has achieved near dynasty status without one 'me-first' star athlete on their roster. Until now. Will Dillon accept winning if he isn't the primary protagonist that makes it happen?

Seven years of not winning is a long time," Dillon said. "(The Patriots) got to know me. They figured out that I'm legit and a good guy ... I just wanted to be part of an organization that thrives on winning, and winning is everything. And I'm here, and I'm in a good situation and I like it...We're going to mix things up ... we've got a lot of weapons. I'm just an extra ingredient in this big pie, and it's sweet. I'm just enjoying it." - Sun Chronicle

Those comments showcase the contradiction that is Corey Dillon. Dillon claims it was the losing in Cincinnati that got to him most, and now seems more than willing to accept being a role player for the Patriots if need be, all in the name of winning games. And yet, he tormented and chastised the Bengals just as they were genuinely ascending towards becoming a winning team, and a bonafide playoff contender. Evidently it was Dillon's ego that couldn't stomach watching the losing franchise he had single-handedly carried on his shoulders for so many years begin to evolve and win while using him less and less. But the most paramount question remains to be answered; is Dillon's ego writing checks his body can't cash? At age 30, having averaged 315 carries per season over the last 7 years and coming off of an injury-riddled 2003 campaign, both the historical and empirical evidence suggest Dillon's best days are behind him. And it is that truth which figures to ultimately make Dillon the long-term loser here. Like it or not, Dillon will one day have to reconcile the reality that his career and legacy in the NFL will be most memorialized and attached to a team and city whose bridge with, Dillon seemed so willing to torch.

Dillon an instant winner [Sun Chronicle] Bengal's Dillon: Trade me to Dallas [Dallas Morning News] Photo: [AP]

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