Knee Injuries Can’t Stop Arizona Kicker Witczak
Brian Knapp
Tuesday December 14, 2004
Witczak is currently rehabbing his second ACL tear which he suffered in his only appearance with the Rattlers last season. He was called up for week seven’s match-up with New Orleans to replace Nelson Garner, who had been inconsistent through the first six weeks.
While the injury was unexpected and unfortunate for both him and the Rattlers, Witczak had been through this before and knew what lay ahead. During his senior season in college, Witczak tore the ACL in his planting (left) knee. The second injury happened on his kicking leg (right).
“I tore my left ACL back in 2000, I overcame it and played three years of professional football,” Witczak said. “I know that if I tear it again it’ll probably be over, but I don’t see that happening because I’ve worked hard and I will continue to keep working to prevent it from happening again.”
Following months of rehabilitation following his first knee injury, Witczak was able to begin his professional career with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe in 2002. Witczak played two years in Rhein after being signed by the Buffalo Bills.
Prior to the 2004 AFL season, Witczak moved to Arizona where he was asked by former Rattler head coach Danny White if he would be available to kick if the team needed him.
“Ironically, my agent called me to come to Arizona for an open tryout during the same week my wife and I were going to come out and get an apartment,” Witczak said. “I was skeptical about what was going to happen during the kick workouts because there were 25 guys trying out, but Danny really liked me and asked me if I would be available in the area if he needed me.”
The call came six weeks into the season, and Witczak was ready. He put on his number eight jersey (a number he never wants to wear again), hit three extra points, and even received sarcastic cheers from Rattler fans every time he hit a field goal during warm ups.
“I wanted to get back and start playing, and the AFL was something new to me and I thought I could excel in the league,” Witczak said.
Unfortunately, Witczak went down with the torn right ACL, and Garner returned to the Rattlers and finished out the season.
With Garner moving to Georgia this off-season to play with the Force, and Witczak moving right along schedule with rehab, the Rattlers were able to bring Witczak into mini-camp as the only kicker listed on the 37-man roster. For Witczak, he doesn’t view this as a second chance, but rather his first opportunity to truly show the Rattlers and the rest of the AFL what he can do.
“To be honest, it feels like I haven’t had my first chance because it was stripped away last year with the injury,” Witczak said. “We’ll have to see what happens this year, but I feel I’m an accurate enough kicker, my leg is strong enough for kickoffs, and I’ve got a lot of specialty kicks.”
Despite the two knee injuries, Witczak is nothing short of positive that he can succeed in Arizona because of what he’s learned and the strength he’s gained through the rehabilitation process.
“I’ve never worked as hard as I have the last eight months,” Witczak said. “I’m stronger than I have been and I think now I’m mentally prepared for anything. I have some pretty high expectations at any level that I play and for me to have what happened to me last year was a bad break in one sense but it was a good break because it made me get my work ethic where it needs to be.”
Brian Knapp was a writer for ArenaFan Online from 2003 to 2005.
