LeGrand played for Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers. In a game Oct. 16, 2010, against Army, LeGrand suffered fractures of two vertebrae and a spinal cord injury.
Schiano called LeGrand's mother in New Jersey to let her know of his intention the night before breaking the news to his former player.
"I said, 'Are you serious? You want to do this?' He said: 'It's the least we could do,' " LeGrand said Wednesday during a conference call. "I said, 'I don't even know what to say to you right now, Coach. This is amazing.'
"It's something I always dreamed about, go to the NFL and retire and become a sportscaster," LeGrand added. "Dreams do come true if you really believe. You do the right things in life, good things happen to you. He really just did this out of the kindness of his heart. It's really what he wanted to do. I had no idea this was going to happen."
LeGrand initially was told he would be a quadriplegic and would have to remain on a ventilator.
Five weeks later, LeGrand began breathing on his own. Later, he became able to stand upright with the aid of a metal frame.
LeGrand resumed his studies in spring 2011. He led the Scarlet Knights onto the field for an Oct. 29, 2011, game and has remained close with Schiano.






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