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Bailey clings to NFL dream 2 years after shooting: ‘I don’t think God makes mistakes’

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — He’s 27 years old, 28 months removed from a near-fatal drive-by shooting, sports a titanium plate in his head, and remains convinced he can play receiver in the NFL again. So Stedman Bailey’s appearance at West Virginia’s pro day transcended 40 times and route-running.

He was a third-year pro playing for the St. Louis Rams when football took a backseat to merely surviving. Now Bailey has been medically cleared to resume football activities, though he has yet to participate in a workout for any NFL team. With an emphasis on player safety, and particularly CTE, it’s hard to imagine the liability risk a club would take by signing Bailey.