Former Bengals DE Ross Browner feels great nearly two years after foot amputation

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Ross Browner, a former first-round pick from the 1978 NFL draft, is currently ranked third on the team with 59 quarterback sacks. Browner, who held the record for most tackles by a defensive lineman in the Super Bowl, is one of those players that receive some recognition by the Bengals -- they've retired one number (Bob Johnson), have no Hall of Fame or even Ring of Honor. Where are the halftime ceremonies that say, "you were a legend of this team and now we're like to honor you for life"? It's an uphill battle that ends with a sigh.

The last thing we had heard about Browner was relatively tough luck. He had been diagnosed with diabetes in '94 and underwent 22 operations after he had been bitten by a brown recluse spider. He had his foot amputated nearly two years ago.

"After my last infection in March, my doctor gave me two choices," said Browner via ESPN last year. "You can keep your foot, be sick all the time and possibly die, or we can do an amputation and you can have a better quality of life. I wanted a better quality life and the chance to be around my wife and my sons. I feel better than I have in a very long time. I was tired of being in and out of the hospital."

Now... now, he's feeling so much better.

"Everything is going exceptionally, great healing, health is very much coming around, just really blessed," Browner said via The Observer. "I always keep God in my life. Keep God first and then work on it from there."

Give the story a read to catch up with one of the team's better players.