Rob Ninkovich pens a special tribute to Bill Parcells. Parcells was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in Saturday, September 20.

Rob Ninkovich

Life is all about opportunity. Windows of opportunity that open and close. In an instant, those opportunities can alter the trajectory of your life!

They are given by believers, those who can see your potential and ability. I have been blessed with a life full of believers and Bill Parcells was one of those special people.

This past weekend, at the Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony, I walked up to Bill, shook his hand and said, "Bill, the last time we shook hands, you offered me a contract only honored by a handshake."

He laughed and responded, "I should have never let you out that door!"

In 2008, Bill had been hired as president of the Miami Dolphins after the franchise had an abysmal 1-15 season in 2007 a year I spent with the team after being claimed on waivers in early September. I was 23 years old and coming off a catastrophic knee injury, hanging on to my dream by the skin of my teeth.

I can clearly remember the very first kickoff in 2007 after a full year recovery, crying in my helmet as I rolled off with the kicker sprinting into the unknown. But no matter how hard I worked in 2007, the Dolphins coaches had no vision for me. After playing early, I couldn't even get activated on a team that couldn't win a game!!

At the end of the year, everyone got fired. And I mean EVERYONE!!

So here comes 2008, a fresh start, with Parcells' arrival. I'll never forget the day that I was working out in the gym and Parcells showed up. He seemed to have a knack of popping up and observing how people work. I wasn't expecting it, but after my workout, he walked up to me and said, "Hey, you're that Ninkovich kid from Purdue?"

I nodded my head.

Then Parcells said: "I drafted a guy in New England, he played defensive end in college and we moved him to inside linebacker. Tedy Bruschi." Parcells then put his hand on my shoulder and said, "You remind me a lot of him. You are an inside linebacker."

I quickly thought to myself, I have never played inside linebacker, this can't be good. But fast-forward into preseason and I lead the team in sacks and have a great camp. I make the team!

But that joy was short-lived. I would be cut after practice and told Bill wanted to see me. I walk into Bill's office and he sits me down and says, "Kid, you're a heck of a football player. How old are you?

"24," I respond.

He then proceeded to make a deal with me. "You are a young man with a bright future and I want to make you an offer. I pay your full active salary, but you go on the practice squad and fully commit to playing inside linebacker. You can't leave for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, if we don't bring you up, you're free to go play for another team. Shake my hand right now and that's the deal. No paper. Just man to man. But walk out that door, no deal!"

He could barely finish his sentence. I shook his hand. My thought was, "I can play in this league, I just need the opportunity!!"

The 2008 season in Miami, as Patriots fans might remember, was one in which the Dolphins were a tough team to play. 'Wildcat' was the new offensive craze and before Week 1,I was wearing a Mike Vrabel No. 50 scout-team jersey. I fully committed to learning linebacker. It's much harder than just D-line.

After 12 weeks, I was activated, just like Bill said. I was put on kickoff, in the same 'R3' spot that derailed my rookie season when I sustained a knee injury. I ran down on two special teams plays in my first game with the Dolphins.

Then after the game, general manager Jeff Ireland brought me into his office and said, "Rob, we were expecting more of a Larry Izzo type when we activated you."

I politely replied, "I'm not Larry Izzo!"

In that moment, I knew the Dolphins weren't committed to keeping me and I thought whoever wants me, I'm leaving to join them. So that night, I left to go back to New Orleans, the team that initially drafted me, and I didn't talk to a single person.

Now, the New Orleans situation was another crazy deal, and that's a story for a different day. I ended up getting cut as a long snapper and that landed me in New England with another Bill, and that's where my career took off.

The moral of the story: I didn't play long for Miami, but Bill Parcells saw something in me, he knew I had potential. If I wasn't given that contract/hand shake, I probably don't walk into training camp with the Patriots in 2009.

Life works in strange ways. I'm so grateful Bill Parcells saw something in me and gave me that opportunity. My career had so many uncertainties, but it molded my character, molded me as a man.

If not for Bill Parcells I don't have the same career. More than that, I don't have the same life!! Thank you Bill Parcells!