LeSean “Shady” McCoy is one of the best running backs in the league. He’s fast, agile and shifty but where did he learn how to do this?
via the Philadelphia Inquirer:
His name was Zeus.
He was big, mean (to a 6-year-old), and he scared LeSean McCoy into running for his life.
LeSean’s brother LeRon traces his brother’s abilities back to the big dog they had as kids.
“When we were kids we had this Rottweiler. Big dog. His name was Zeus,” LeRon McCoy said recently. “LeSean is about six years younger than me and we used to go to this football field across the street from my house and take our dog for a walk. And I would tell LeSean, ‘Bring your pads, your helmet, and a ball.’ ”
When they got to the field, LeRon handed his brother the ball and told him to run as fast as he could.
“And I’d just let the dog go,” LeRon said. “I’m like, ‘Get him, Zeus.’ ”
Zeus was harmless, but he saw LeSean as a 50-pound moving target.
“He would be growling, biting on me – not hard because he was playing,” LeSean said. “But I never knew if it was me or he thought it was play time. So I’d be running from him, shaking him.”
LeSean would throw the ball away as far as possible, but Zeus kept after him.
“He would try to stop and start so the dog wouldn’t get him,” LeRon said. “But he stood no chance.”
