There is a scene in the movie "Concussion"—which I saw Wednesday at a sneak preview in Manhattan—where former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Andre Waters get into a heated exchange outside the NFL's offices in Manhattan. The scene, quite frankly, brought tears to my eyes. I knew both men.
They were players who thrived on physicality, especially Waters. He was the hardest hitting player I ever saw and, yes, the dirtiest.
Early in my reporting career Waters once threatened to drag me out of the Eagles locker room and beat me senseless over an innocuous question I asked him.