Considine Makes Super Bowl Personal 2/1/13
By: Scott Leber
Updated: January 31, 2013
Byron, Illinois-For many Stateliners the Super Bowl has become more personal this year because Byron's Sean Considine will be playing in the game.
Considine plays for the Baltimore Ravens. He's played in the NFL for eight years, but even he finds it hard to believe he's getting this Super Bowl shot.
"I have a little letter I wrote when I was seven that I wanted to play for the Packers and win the Super Bowl," says Considine to WTVO. "I never got to play for the Packers, but here's my chance to win the Super Bowl. When I stop to think about it it is pretty overwhelming. I just want to pinchy myself."
Considine has played in the NFL for eight seasons. That alone makes him a rare athlete from the Stateline. And now he'll be one of only three local men to have played in the Super Bowl. But Considine remains as down-to-earth and humble as can be.
"I've been very fortunate to have a lot of people who were willing to work with me that helped me. I don't think I'd be here without them," he says.
Considine was a great athlete at Byron in several sports. He led the football team to its only State Championship in 1999. And he was a starting safety at Iowa. But on an NFL scale he's far from being one of the biggest, strongest or fastest guys around. So how has he managed to sustain such a long career?
"He's a student of the game," says his father Rick Considine to WTVO. "He understands the game inside and out. He's very disciplined. Coaches love having him a part of the team because he provides leadership in his own way."
"My thing has always been to stay persistent," says Sean. "As long as I keep working hard and striving for my goals they'll eventually happen."
Considine says that since he's had to wait eight years for this Super Bowl shot that he appreciates it so much more than if this had happened early in his career.
"No doubt about it. I had the opportunity to play in the NFC Championship game with Philly. I think back to that time period. I didn't realize how lucky and rare that opportunity was. Then here with the season we've had, and signing with the Ravens and thinking and hoping for a Super Bowl run, and it's actually happening, no question I feel very fortunate. I understand I might not get this opportunity again."
Considine plays for the Baltimore Ravens. He's played in the NFL for eight years, but even he finds it hard to believe he's getting this Super Bowl shot.
"I have a little letter I wrote when I was seven that I wanted to play for the Packers and win the Super Bowl," says Considine to WTVO. "I never got to play for the Packers, but here's my chance to win the Super Bowl. When I stop to think about it it is pretty overwhelming. I just want to pinchy myself."
Considine has played in the NFL for eight seasons. That alone makes him a rare athlete from the Stateline. And now he'll be one of only three local men to have played in the Super Bowl. But Considine remains as down-to-earth and humble as can be.
"I've been very fortunate to have a lot of people who were willing to work with me that helped me. I don't think I'd be here without them," he says.
Considine was a great athlete at Byron in several sports. He led the football team to its only State Championship in 1999. And he was a starting safety at Iowa. But on an NFL scale he's far from being one of the biggest, strongest or fastest guys around. So how has he managed to sustain such a long career?
"He's a student of the game," says his father Rick Considine to WTVO. "He understands the game inside and out. He's very disciplined. Coaches love having him a part of the team because he provides leadership in his own way."
"My thing has always been to stay persistent," says Sean. "As long as I keep working hard and striving for my goals they'll eventually happen."
Considine says that since he's had to wait eight years for this Super Bowl shot that he appreciates it so much more than if this had happened early in his career.
"No doubt about it. I had the opportunity to play in the NFC Championship game with Philly. I think back to that time period. I didn't realize how lucky and rare that opportunity was. Then here with the season we've had, and signing with the Ravens and thinking and hoping for a Super Bowl run, and it's actually happening, no question I feel very fortunate. I understand I might not get this opportunity again."
