Yes, David Dixon is staying in Minnesota and it has little to do with the Vikings. To be honest, it probably doesn't matter whether or not the Vikings resign the 11-year NFL veteran. I talked to David during his appearance on the local sports/comedy show named The Show To Be Named Later which airs Saturday Nights on the Twin Cities NBC station KARE-11 (for info, see www.TheShowToBe.com). I asked him about possibly leaving Minnesota, his answer was completely unselfish. David talked about his family.
David is a free agent, a man currently without a team. But this isn't the first time he is unsigned by Minnesota. Dixon originally joined the Vikings in 1992 but in 1993, he was available, unsigned, and signed with the Dallas Cowboys to join their practice squad. After being on the Super Bowl Champions team, Dixon returned to Minnesota to stay. That was in 1994 and to be honest, it's quite interesting that this lifetime Viking (what else can you call 11 years with one NFL club?) was actually not drafted by Minnesota.
But that was so long ago. Now, there is a question of loyalty. Is there room for an ex-Viking who started 16 games in the last year? Maybe they are waiting to see what's left after what has already been a busy off-season.
For Dixon, there really isn't much of a question of loyalty. But oddly it has nothing to do with the team whom he played for last year. Living in Minnesota, Dixon has established his life and family here. When I asked David the 'What if' about another team offering him a contract, David responded with loyalty. He said his family is established and his kids are important and it would be hard to move. How refreshing is that?
How many professional athletes use the family to cash in? Have you heard them say they have a family to feed when they are far from minimum wage? But with David, we have a guy who wants to play but wants to play here. This man still has serious drive and said on the show that he won't give up his job that easily. How can you not love that?
For now, David is a free agent who is fighting the knocks of 11 years of NFL contact. He's older and in sports, experience is good but has an expiration date. Despite living with uncertainty, David remains loyal to his family and even if the Vikings don't resign him, you'll see him in Minnesota.
Bleed on,
Don
