sago1
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Came across this article and thought you'd be interested in finding out whatever happened to former Cowboy OG Stephen Peterman. You just won't believe it. Didn't we draft him in 2004 but cut him in 05 or was it 06? Sure sounds like we might have been a bit rash.
Peterman embodies changes in Lions lineup
Friday, May 18, 2007 By Tom Kowalski
ALLEN PARK -- In concluding their three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, one thing has become apparent about the Detroit Lions: They've got a lot of new faces in new places.
Nobody embodies that more than Stephen Peterman, who joined the team last year as an unknown practice-squad player but is now the starting right guard. Peterman, who is replacing Damien Woody, is just one of many changes in Detroit's lineup, which could have as many as 10 different starters this season.
"The biggest thing I talk about is our team chemistry,'' said Lions head coach Rod Marinelli. "The chemistry of a unit changes and the cement that brings that chemistry together is belief, fundamentals and working together.''
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While the Lions have been planning several of the moves for quite a while, Peterman's quick rise up the depth chart came as a surprise.
A third-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys three years ago, Peterman never got settled in Texas and was released by them last season.
He was signed to Detroit's practice squad and played in the final three games, starting two. Peterman was so impressive that the Lions told him from the first day of off-season workouts this year that he would be practicing with the starters.
Peterman was in the mix for a starting job in Dallas during his rookie season but tore a ligament in his right knee in the final preseason game. He was never in the plans of head coach Bill Parcells after that.
"I don't know, man, it was weird. It was a weird deal,'' Peterman said. "I went through a lot of frustrations there and they kind of turned their back on me. I think he felt that once I got hurt, I wasn't ever going to come back so his plans went to other places. Coach Marinelli gave me a shot here and everything's been great since I left there.''
Peterman believes a minor injury at the start of camp in Dallas might have put him on the wrong path with Parcells.
"I broke a finger on the first day of camp and Parcells said I wouldn't miss practice and I casted it up,'' Peterman said. "Then I tore my knee up and I think he thought I was injury prone or something and I just had some bad luck there. Things have changed here and I'll never forget that game, going back there and winning.''
Peterman had an outstanding game as the Lions stunned the Cowboys 38-31 in last season's final game. It also turned out to be the final regular-season game for Parcells in Dallas, as he left the team after they were eliminated in the playoffs.
"I remember after the game him saying it was his lowest low of being Dallas Cowboys head coach,'' Peterman said. "For guys like (former Cowboys) Dan (Campbell) and Aveion (Cason), guys they kicked out of there and said `We don't want you anymore' -- to finish his last regular-season game like that, it was pretty good.''
Not that Peterman has bad memories of everybody in Dallas. It was strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek who helped Peterman bounce back after his knee injury.
"I still talk to him once a day because he told me that if I trusted him, he'd get me back on the field. He said `Just listen to me. It's going to take a while, but I'll get you back on the field,' '' Peterman said. "For about two years, I lived in the weight room doing rehab and he brought me back as a better player than I was coming out of college.''
To this day, Peterman still wears a brace on his right knee, even though he doesn't need it.
"It's just a mental thing,'' he said. "It was a pretty bad injury and it happened on a field goal of all plays. I said I'll always wear a brace on it `just because,' but it feels fine.''
Peterman embodies changes in Lions lineup
Friday, May 18, 2007 By Tom Kowalski
ALLEN PARK -- In concluding their three-day mandatory minicamp on Thursday, one thing has become apparent about the Detroit Lions: They've got a lot of new faces in new places.
Nobody embodies that more than Stephen Peterman, who joined the team last year as an unknown practice-squad player but is now the starting right guard. Peterman, who is replacing Damien Woody, is just one of many changes in Detroit's lineup, which could have as many as 10 different starters this season.
"The biggest thing I talk about is our team chemistry,'' said Lions head coach Rod Marinelli. "The chemistry of a unit changes and the cement that brings that chemistry together is belief, fundamentals and working together.''
Advertisement
While the Lions have been planning several of the moves for quite a while, Peterman's quick rise up the depth chart came as a surprise.
A third-round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys three years ago, Peterman never got settled in Texas and was released by them last season.
He was signed to Detroit's practice squad and played in the final three games, starting two. Peterman was so impressive that the Lions told him from the first day of off-season workouts this year that he would be practicing with the starters.
Peterman was in the mix for a starting job in Dallas during his rookie season but tore a ligament in his right knee in the final preseason game. He was never in the plans of head coach Bill Parcells after that.
"I don't know, man, it was weird. It was a weird deal,'' Peterman said. "I went through a lot of frustrations there and they kind of turned their back on me. I think he felt that once I got hurt, I wasn't ever going to come back so his plans went to other places. Coach Marinelli gave me a shot here and everything's been great since I left there.''
Peterman believes a minor injury at the start of camp in Dallas might have put him on the wrong path with Parcells.
"I broke a finger on the first day of camp and Parcells said I wouldn't miss practice and I casted it up,'' Peterman said. "Then I tore my knee up and I think he thought I was injury prone or something and I just had some bad luck there. Things have changed here and I'll never forget that game, going back there and winning.''
Peterman had an outstanding game as the Lions stunned the Cowboys 38-31 in last season's final game. It also turned out to be the final regular-season game for Parcells in Dallas, as he left the team after they were eliminated in the playoffs.
"I remember after the game him saying it was his lowest low of being Dallas Cowboys head coach,'' Peterman said. "For guys like (former Cowboys) Dan (Campbell) and Aveion (Cason), guys they kicked out of there and said `We don't want you anymore' -- to finish his last regular-season game like that, it was pretty good.''
Not that Peterman has bad memories of everybody in Dallas. It was strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek who helped Peterman bounce back after his knee injury.
"I still talk to him once a day because he told me that if I trusted him, he'd get me back on the field. He said `Just listen to me. It's going to take a while, but I'll get you back on the field,' '' Peterman said. "For about two years, I lived in the weight room doing rehab and he brought me back as a better player than I was coming out of college.''
To this day, Peterman still wears a brace on his right knee, even though he doesn't need it.
"It's just a mental thing,'' he said. "It was a pretty bad injury and it happened on a field goal of all plays. I said I'll always wear a brace on it `just because,' but it feels fine.''
