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Looking Back: Alstott’s Road To Recovery (2004)

TAMPA - Bruce Allen announced that Mike Alstott has suffered an injury “severe enough” that he will be placed on injured reserve.

Alstott, whose career took a major hit during the second game of 2003 when he suffered a neck injury against Carolina and was placed on IR, confirmed he has suffered another injury to his neck.

Alstott vowed he would be around the team to help them out this year, but broke down in tears when he talked about how much he will miss playing.

‘‘As a professional football player, you just can’t grasp the situation of not being able to put the helmet on and the jersey on,’’ he said.

Alstott made the decision after talking to Bucs team doctors, the doctor who performed his neck surgery and his family.

The announcement comes after Alstott missed a third consecutive day of workouts Thursday as the team prepared for its exhibition opener Friday against New England.

Alstott would not speculate whether he would be able to return after this season.

‘‘That will be determined later,’’ he said.

Alstott had two vertebrae fused together in 2003, but said his recent neck problems are related to a ‘‘new spot’’ and not the area that was previously injured.

‘‘One thing you don’t mess with is the neck,’’ he said.

Alstott will undergo further tests to determine whether this new neck injury is career ending. He isn’t sure at which point in training camp his neck was injured.

‘‘I was ready to go play this year,’’ he said. ‘‘I was ready to play football.’‘

Earlier today, Alstott was said to be missing workouts because of general soreness, and was seen dining Wednesday night at a Celebration restaurant.

Alstott, 33, has seen his role greatly diminished in recent seasons, a departure from his early career when he emerged as a perennial Pro Bowl player. In last season’s finale against Seattle at Raymond James Stadium, it was widely speculated that Alstott had played his last game. But in the offseason, Alstott agreed to a one-year contract and another shot.

Alstott has the franchise record (71) for total touchdowns and rushed for 5,088 career yards – second only to James Wilder’s 5,957. Alstott also had 305 career receptions and finished as the franchise’s third all-time pass-catcher.

What’s your favorite Alstott moment?

There are several possibilities.

In a 1997 regular-season game at Minnesota, Alstott had a 1-yard touchdown run that still shows up on NFL highlight tapes. He collided at the goal line with Vikings linebacker Peter Bercich, was knocked 3 yards backward, hopped away from another tackler, then pivoted, whirled and churned his legs while backing yet another defender helplessly into the end zone.

Former Bucs coach John McKay would later call it the best run he had ever seen in football.

Later that season, in Tampa Bay’s first playoff game in 15 seasons, Alstott’s thunderous 31-yard touchdown run put away a 20-10 victory against Detroit.

In the 1999 playoffs, Alstott’s 2-yard touchdown run was Tampa Bay’s first score in what ultimately became a 14-13 win against the Washington Redskins. But it was no ordinary 2-yard run as the official play-by-play account stated.

M. Alstott left end for 2 and touchdown, runs right, finds no hole, tries middle, bounce outside left for TD.

Alstott’s last major hurrah occurred during the 2005 season. With 58 seconds to play, the Bucs had pulled within one point of the Redskins. Go for the tie? After a procedure penalty pushed the ball one yard closer, Coach Jon Gruden opted for the victory. Alstott was sent over the top and got the clinching 2-point conversion for Tampa Bay’s 36-35 victory.

It was reminiscent of Alstott’s happier days, such as the 1998 season, when he rushed for 846 yards, and 1999, when he galloped for a career-high 949. ESPN’s Chris Berman took to saying, “You’re in good hands with Alstott,” as the crew often added their own sound effects during Alstott’s highlight runs.

Alstott has never gained 1,000 yards – the hallmark for a running back’s greatest accomplishment – but he never was a one-man show, either. He shared the workload with Errict Rhett, Warrick Dunn, Michael Pittman and Cadillac Williams.

“I work hard,” said Alstott, who listed John Riggins as his football role model, earlier in his career. “I’ve had a lot of criticism. You can’t do this, you can’t do that – but I still do it. I love working hard, being out there and trying to make things happen. I’m not a rah-rah guy, just someone who tries to inspire through my play.”

Alstott had the last of his seven career 100-yard games in 2002 – Gruden’s first season in Tampa Bay – and scored the team’s first touchdown during Super Bowl XXXVII.

Tribune staff writers Katherine Smith, Roy Cummings and Joey Johnston contributed to this report.