"Burton!"
A sharp call snapped Burton Burns back to reality. He looked up abruptly and locked eyes with Nick Saban, instantly realizing he'd been caught daydreaming.
Burns awkwardly adjusted his posture and cleared his throat.
"Sorry, Coach. It's just…"
He hesitated for a mont, then swallowed the rest of his words.
The University of Alabama's 2017 season had been another dominant one. Following in the footsteps of Derrick Henry in 2015 and Lance in 2016, Jacobs had stepped up this year, carrying the team to yet another successful campaign.
The Crimson Tide finished the regular season with an 11-1 record, their only loss coming in the final week against Auburn in the "Iron Bowl," a heartbreaking defeat. However, they rebounded quickly, reclaid the SEC Championship, and secured their spot in the College Football Playoff.
That loss in the Iron Bowl knocked Alabama from the No. 1 seed to No. 4, setting up a semifinal clash against the top-ranked Clemson Tigers—once again, their old rival.
"24-6."
The Crimson Tide delivered a dominant performance, defeating Clemson for the third consecutive year in the College Football Playoff, marching into the national championship ga once more.
Now, on January 8th, Alabama was set to face the University of Georgia in Atlanta, seeking a third straight national title.
At this very mont, the coaching staff was in their final strategy eting before the championship ga—yet Burns was completely distracted.
The reason was simple.
Today was January 6th, the opening round of the NFL Playoffs.
Earlier in the day, the NFC Wild Card matchup had concluded. Last season's Super Bowl runner-up, the Atlanta Falcons, seeking redemption after their infamous collapse, took on the upstart Los Angeles Rams, led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aaron Donald.
Atlanta's passing ga delivered its best performance of the season, overwhelming the young Rams.
"26-13."
The sixth-seeded Falcons upset the third-seeded Rams, advancing to the Divisional Round.
The tension of the playoffs was now palpable.
Next up, at 5:15 PM Pacific Ti, 8:15 PM Eastern, was the AFC's first Wild Card ga:
"Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans."
The NFL had scheduled this ga as the priti slot, a clear indication of the league's faith in Lance's marketability. The league was fully committed to promoting him, even in a playoff setting. Otherwise, based on market size and storylines, the Atlanta-Los Angeles showdown would have been the logical choice for the night ga.
Yet, Commissioner Goodell stuck to the plan.
Burns was restless—his mind was completely fixated on this ga.
Henry was his forr player. Lance was even more than that—soone he had personally introduced to football and guided every step of the way. Though the two had never t, Burns had spoken to each of them about the other countless tis. Despite being strangers, there was an undeniable connection between them.
He had imagined this matchup before, playing out various scenarios in his mind. But he never expected their first eting to co on such a grand stage—a win-or-go-ho playoff battle.
Both were his players.
For the past few days, Burns had been caught in an emotional whirlwind—excitent mixed with anxiety, pride mixed with unease. He tried to focus on Alabama's championship preparations, but now, all those emotions surged back.
He didn't want to miss this ga. Regardless of the outco, he needed to witness it.
But…
He bit his tongue. He couldn't afford to disrupt the team's preparation. As an assistant coach, setting an example was crucial.
"No, it's nothing. Let's continue," Burns said, taking a deep breath to regain focus.
Saban smirked. "Oh, really? That's too bad. I was just about to call it for the night so we could watch the ga together. But since you say it's nothing…"
"Coach!" Burns shot up from his seat, eyes gleaming with excitent.
Saban couldn't hold back his laughter. "Co on, Burton. The entire room knows you've been ntally checked out. You might as well have a sign on your forehead saying you're already in Kansas City."
It wasn't just Burns—Saban himself was also intrigued.
Henry was in his second NFL season, but due to the Titans' offensive system, he hadn't yet lived up to his full potential. The dominant force he had been at Alabama had yet to fully erge in the pros.
Lance, on the other hand, was a different story. Andy Reid had put his faith in him, and he had seized the opportunity, breaking records in his rookie year.
Now, their paths would cross.
Could this be Henry's breakout mont?
Could Lance help the Chiefs shake their history of playoff disappointnts?
Saban leaned forward. "Burton, what's your take?"
"I think Kansas City has the edge. The chemistry between Smith and Lance is strong, and Hunt has had a fantastic rookie season as well."
"I'm still worried about Derrick. He dominated in college but hasn't been able to make his mark in the NFL."
"Yeah, that's just how the NFL works. I don't understand what Mularkey is doing with him."
"Honestly, I think it's more of a front-office issue. If you already have a powerhouse running back, why draft another one? It doesn't make sense. Now, Mularkey has to manage not only the ga plan but also the locker room dynamics and salaries."
The coaches exited the eting room, only to find the hotel hallway packed with Alabama players.
The mont they spotted their coaches, the players erupted in cheers.
Burns was caught off guard. "You guys! What are you all doing here?"
"Coach Burns, it's a Crimson Tide showdown! How could we miss this?"
"That's right! No matter who wins, the Crimson Tide wins!"
"Roll Tide! Roll Tide!"
One after another, they joined in unison, chanting with excitent. Though they weren't in Arrowhead Stadium, the energy here was just as electric.
Even Burns couldn't keep a straight face anymore. Raising both arms, he joined the chant. "Roll Tide!"
The other coaches could only shake their heads, helpless against the enthusiasm.
"Josh, Josh! Who do you think will win?"
All eyes turned to Jacobs, Alabama's current star running back.
Jacobs hesitated.
For them, Henry was a legend—an untouchable figure of the past. But Lance? He was a teammate, a brother-in-arms who had helped create history together.
Most of the players from Henry's era had already graduated. Jacobs truly didn't know how to answer.
Instinctively, he turned to the player beside him.
"Rookie," Ronnie Clark said without hesitation.
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Powerstones?
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