Veteran linebacker Gerald Hodges recently had a taste of life without football.
Hodges, whom the Buffalo Bills released on Sept. 3, spent five weeks as a free agent before signing a deal Wednesday with the New Orleans Saints.
The hiatus caused anxious moments for Hodges, who realized he didn't like being absent from a sport he cares deeply about.
"If you love football, you don't want to be away from football and I was away from it for five weeks," Hodges said. "I got a chance to reflect and just actually realize the opportunity that was at hand, and know the importance of what football means to me.