Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley played inspired football during his rookie season, but a pregame ritual gave the lively first-round draft pick that much more motivation.
Whenever the players retreated to the locker room prior to kickoff, McKinley pulled out his cell phone and stared at a photo of his late grandmother, Myrtle Collins, who died in 2011 following heart complications. Football fans across the nation became familiar with the unbreakable bond McKinley had with his grandmother during the first night of the NFL draft. While toting a framed picture of Collins, he had an emotional outburst when he vowed to fulfill a promise to her to get out of the rugged Oakland area and make an impact in the NFL.