Whenever USC running back Stafon Johnson ran into any kind of trouble, he usually had his older cousin, and fellow teammate, Chauncey Washington by his side.
Johnson was the young freshman in need of a little guidance, and often turned to Washington, a few years older, who not only shared the same bloodlines, but had once experienced the same struggles.
Just last month, however, Johnson found himself facing an even tougher obstacle-fighting for his life.
This time, Washington wasn't there to lean on. He's been in Dallas, trying to bolster his stock with the Cowboys, who signed him to the practice squad and later the active roster as well.
Johnson, a senior tailback for the Trojans who scored the game-winning touchdown in a huge road win at Ohio State just two weeks earlier, suffered a scary weightlifting incident in which a bench-press bar crushed his larynx and throat. Johnson needed seven hours of reconstructive surgery.
Initially, there were fears for his life, and that he may never talk again, much less play football. However, Johnson has been released from the hospital, and while his football career is expected to continue, it may not occur during this 2009 season. Johnson surprised his USC teammates on Wednesday by returning to the team meeting, giving them an inspiring lift before Saturday's showdown with Notre Dame.
Still, the injury was frightening for all of the USC family, especially an actual family member.
"When I heard about it, I called his family right away," said Washington, who joined the Cowboys on Oct. 3. "I know a lot of his family and I still talk to some of my former teammates on the team. I've just been talking to them every day getting updates. It's really a scary situation. I felt bad that I wasn't able to be there for him."
But Washington has been there several times in the past. Obviously, Johnson never had a battle like this, but he was fortunate to have his older cousin by his side during previous missteps.
"He just had some issues with the coaching staff and the coaches didn't think he was working hard enough," Washington said of Johnson. "He didn't get a chance to play that much. His first year, he had to grow up a little bit. Most guys are immature when they go to college. You don't have anyone getting you up to go to class."
And if there's one person who learned that lesson the hard way, it was Washington. The main reason he stayed on his younger cousin's case was the fear of seeing him trek down a similar path.
Washington first enrolled back at USC in 2003 as one of the top running back recruits in the nation. If anything, he was certainly one of the fastest, running in the 4.3 range in the 40-yard dash even back in high school.
Playing running back and living the college life at Southern Cal was all pretty fascinating for Washington. Going to class on a regular basis was not.
After his freshman season, when Washington saw mostly spot duty on offense and special teams, the running back was ruled academically ineligible as a sophomore, a year in which the Trojans won the national championship. If that wasn't bad enough, Washington couldn't get things turned around in time for the next football season either and missed the 2005 campaign, where USC went undefeated before losing to Texas in the Rose Bowl-just 35 seconds from claiming a second straight national title.
But Washington was on the sidelines both seasons. He finally got his grades straightened out enough to return and led USC in rushing the next two years, earning 744 yards in 2006 and 969 yards in 2007, along with 20 touchdowns total.
Not only did Washington anchor the USC running backs in his last two years, but he also served as a teammate of Johnson, who struggled to learn the ropes as a collegiate underclassman, both on and off the field.
"For me, seeing him that way was tough on me because I didn't want him to go down the same path I did," Washington said. "So I tried to help him as much as I could and stay on him. I'm still trying to recover from some of the mistakes I made.
"It's like in the NFL. You have to know the business side and the football side. When I was in school, (going to class) was the business side, and we had football, too. Not to knock the old guys in the '80s or anything, but from what I've heard, those guys were more "athletes" and not really "student-athletes." But when those guys got out of the league, they really couldn't find any jobs or anything."
Washington, who is just a few more credits away from graduating with a Sociology degree, said he plans to return to school after the NFL season.
"If I could go back and do it over, I would've taken school more seriously like I did the last two years when I remained eligible," Washington said. "That's the thing that really hurt me. If I would've stayed eligible for the first two years who knows where I would be right now."
Where he is right now is trying to stick around on his second NFL team. Washington was drafted in the seventh round by the Jaguars in 2008, where he spent all season on the 53-man roster, despite playing just six games. It was in those six contests, however, where Washington learned the art of special teams.
"Before I got to the league, all I really did on special teams was return kickoffs," Washington said. "But getting there and playing for Coach (Joe) DeCamillis, I learned a lot about how (special) teams work."
And it's also how you can get and keep a job. While the Cowboys have Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, arguably the most talented trio of tailbacks on any NFL roster, they made an attempt to claim Washington off waivers from the Jaguars, who cut him just before the start of the 2009 season.
The Cowboys opted to sign a safety instead, but kept their eyes on Washington, who remained without a team for "three long weeks" before the Cowboys signed him. He immediately came in and played special teams against Denver in his Dallas debut. Although the Cowboys cut him afterwards and re-signed him to the practice squad, Washington was again added to the roster and played special teams the following week in Kansas City.
Washington has yet to play any running back in the first two games, he says he will remain ready for anything that comes his way.
"I know they brought me here because of special teams," Washington said. "But at running back, I feel like I'm picking it up pretty quick. (Against Denver) I was ready if they called my number. I was ready to go in, but they had a good rhythm with (Choice). I spend every day in the playbook. I wasn't here for OTAs or training camp. I'm behind everybody on the offense, so I have to do a little more to catch up. But I think I can do it quickly."
Of course Washington can do it quickly; that's pretty much his game-speed. Washington was once clocked at 4.29 during his Pro Day at USC.
But when he arrived in Jacksonville as a rookie, Washington said he figured out quick that playing running back was much more than just speed.
"In this league, you can't really bounce to the outside," he said. "In high school and college, you can use your speed. But it's not really that way in the NFL. You have to learn how to play the position."
Washington learned the most from a veteran group of backs in Jacksonville, including Fred Taylor and Greg Jones, and budding star Maurice Jones-Drew.
"I learned a lot when I was in Jacksonville from guys like Fred Taylor, he's been in the league for a long time," Washington said. "I learned from him how he's been able to stay in the league. It's easy to get in the league, but it's harder to stay. I've taken that and I've worked hard to get to the league, and now I'm trying to stay in it. That's where I put all of my focus right now."
Except to keep tabs on his younger cousin, who not only strives to return from a scary injury, but maybe one day join Washington in the NFL, too.
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Nick Eatman - 
