IRVING, Texas -- The NFL once banned Leon Lett for a year from the game he loved.
It’s one of the best things that ever happened to the Dallas Cowboys defensive tackles coach.
The suspension, which caused him to miss 16 games, including the first 13 of the 1997 season, proved to Lett that he had the mental toughness to survive the worst of mistakes while showing him that he didn't have to keep being his own worst enemy.
It forced him confront his insecurities and learn to embrace success. There was no need, he discovered, to fear success and sabotage himself, because he was worthy of the attention and adulation his prowess on the football field fueled.