Dwight Freeney reflects on old team after Peyton's Indy homecoming

"Oh, God!" he said Monday by phone. "You could see after he hit him how emotional he was, how excited he was. You don't get hits like that too often, and

Jim Trotter|

"Oh, God!" he said Monday by phone. "You could see after he hit him how emotional he was, how excited he was. You don't get hits like that too often, and seeing him like that, he was fired up. That was his first real opportunity to hit Peyton. It's something when you want to hit a guy so much and you can't in practice. When he got that first opportunity, that was a great experience. I felt it."

As to speculation about whether he plans to retire—he has a year remaining on his contract and currently ranks 21st all-time with 108 sacks—Freeney said: "I have no thoughts of calling it quits. To be honest with you, I'm taking this thing day by day. It really is day by day. I have to see how rehab goes. But in my mind, I feel like I want to be back next year. I have to think that way. By March or April when I'm running around again, decisions have to be made. But I'm sure I'll be back. I still have a hunger in me and goals I want to achieve."

Published Oct 21, 2013

JIM TROTTER

Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Followers of the NFL have long relied on Jim Trotter for his dogged reporting and astute insights. Trotter joined Sports Illustrated as a senior writer in September 2007. Before that he spent nearly 18 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he climbed the ladder from preps reporter to lead NFL writer. He spent nine years covering the San Diego Chargers, who did not have a winning record or reach the playoffs in his first eight years on the beat. The team finally ended the drought in 2004, after which Trotter began covering the league at large. Trotter cites three stories as the most memorable of his SI career: a 2007 piece on the death of Sean Taylor because, "It allowed us to examine his life beyond the stereotypes that had been attached to him"; a 2011 feature on Tim Tebow and the Broncos, whose run to the playoffs was nearly as indescribable as it was improbable; and a 2012 piece on the remaking of the Raiders following the death of longtime patriarch Al Davis. Born in San Francisco, Trotter graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a degree in communications and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee. In addition to his SI duties, Trotter has made appearances on numerous national media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, ESPN, NFL Network, and The Jim Rome Show. He also has been a guest on radio shows across the country. Trotter resides in San Diego.

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