So, jump ahead. There I am with a broken foot, sitting in my hotel room a few days before the Super Bowl and I get another call from the White House. They invite me to a black-tie dinner on Valentine's Day. It turned out it was Laura Bush's valentine's gift to the president. She invited four athletes to the dinner — Willie Mays, Roger Staubach, Lynn Swann and ME!!!

We get to the White House and Laura Bush was so dignified, with beautiful blue penetrating eyes, never in a hurry. Michelle and I kept looking at each other — what are we doing here? Afterward, the Swanns, Staubachs and us didn't want to leave. We were looking around the White House. Finally the guards said they wanted to go home.

Something else happened during Super Bowl week — Commissioner Tagliabue asked me to go to China. I speak Chinese because I served a mission there. We talked to the minister of foreign affairs, mayors. We had dinner with the president of China. I won't be surprised if China has its own football team someday.

I was so impressed with the commissioner. He is passionate and knowledgeable about the game. He knows the players and understands the problems. We discussed drugs and agents and the T.O. situation. We would start at 8each day and he would hold court telling great football stories.

I could end up playing again. Last year, after my foot recovered, I was signed by the Eagles for the last eight games. By then, T.O. was gone and the Eagles were not the same team because of that as well as injuries. I feel like I could have helped the situation if I had been there. I would have spoken to both T.O. and Donovan. It did not need to happen. When I'm ready to talk about that, I will, but I'm not ready.

Being a professional athlete definitely gives you a platform. I still can't believe how much people care about football. You have countless opportunities to visit schools and youth groups and sick children and do good because of the power of the jersey. Kids' faces light up when they see you in that jersey. It's a chance to do great things. There were definitely challenges on my time, but you can't be so busy you don't give time to kids. I've tried to make the most of it.

Looking back, I will miss football, but I know I'll always have my family. I remember being at the Super Bowl in 2005 and how disappointed I was that I couldn't play because of the broken foot. I had dreamed of playing in the Super Bowl my whole life. As a kid, I had caught thousands of passes in my yard imagining I was in the Super Bowl, and now to get there and not be able to play. I was crushed.

And then it hit me. I realized my Super Bowl was my family sitting behind me cheering my name. They were going to be with me long after the Super Bowl lights went out. I realized it as I was sitting there. I'm grateful to have gone through football and still know that.

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E-mail: drob@desnews.com