Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Eric LeGrand will be an honorary captain when the Bucs take on the Miami Dolphins Friday night at Raymond James Stadium.
LeGrand signed with the Buccaneers to a no-pay contract in May following the 2012 NFL at the urging of new head coach Greg Schiano, who was LeGrand's head coach in college at Rutgers. LeGrand retired from the NFL in July when the Bucs began training camp.
LeGrand was paralyzed while playing with Rutgers in 2010 after a collision during a kickoff. Doctors told LeGrand that he would remain a quadriplegic for the rest of his life and unable to breathe without the use of a ventilator, but his rehabilitation has been nothing short of a miracle so far.
Five weeks after his injury, LeGrand began breathing on his own, and he can now stand up with the assistance of a metal frame and can sit up by himself for up to 15 minutes at a time.
The Buccaneers have a number 52 Eric LeGrand jersey available to purchase on their team website with the proceeds going to the Eric LeGrand foundation, which is dedicated to helping those with spinal cord injuries.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation. Head over to the SB Nation NFL Hub Page for all the latest from around the NFL during training camp, the preseason and beyond.