Jets' Brian Winters has always been tougher than you. Record Article.

[T0mShane]

Jets guard Brian Winters can take the heat

Saturday, October 26, 2013

BY JEFF ROBERTS

STAFF WRITER

The Record

ASSOCIATED PRESS

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/229353951_Jets_guard_Brian_Winters_can_take_the_heat.html?page=all&mobile=1&ic=1&iphone=1

FLORHAM PARK — The molten steel burned hot, glowing a fluorescent shade of orange.

Steam rose off it in thick sheets as it was poured, filling the air with the acrid smell of metal.

Brian Winters would be summoned into the hellish cauldron that is a steel mill at any hour by his dad, whenever the brick lining of a ladle — the equipment that pours molten metal — needed to be replaced.

It meant trekking to mills throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. It meant climbing into a two-story ladle or a furnace, with temperatures hovering near 400 degrees. And it meant having the Jets’ 6-foot-4, 320-pound left guard lay 12- or 15-inch refractory bricks manufactured by the company employing his father, Bill.

"It was wild, wild to experience," said Winters, sitting at his locker after Friday’s practice. "It was kind of breathtaking.

"It sort of looks like a war zone in there."

Having worked in the mills, the rookie lineman remains undaunted by the prospect of blocking Bengals All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins on Sunday in Cincinnati.

The third-round pick will make his fourth start, having supplanted Vlad Ducasse in Week 5. And Winters — a Kent State product — will do it in a return to his home state, playing about four hours from his hometown of Hudson, Ohio.

After all those long days in the mills, he has no fear of a challenge. He has been shaped by the ethos of the Rust Belt. And he carries its blue collar work ethic with him.

"My family’s been in the steel mills forever," Winters said. "My grandfather was in there for his whole life. My dad’s been in the business for 40-plus years. It’s something I’ve been raised on."

The calls sometime would come from Bill Winters at 3 a.m. when his son was on summer break.

"Steel mills are not clean, pretty places," said Bill in a phone interview. "It can be a very dangerous environment."

It was a glimpse into the life Brian might be living if it weren’t for football. But the most difficult part of getting him into the family business was finding size 4XL flame-retardant safety clothing.

Brian has always been "self motivated," according to his father

"Just about every day he would actually wake me up at 5 o’clock so I could drive him to the school weight room," Bill Winters said. "Most 15-, 16-year-old kids, you have to light a fire under them to get them out of bed. He was getting me out of bed."

Brian enjoyed working in the mills, no matter how hot it got. No matter if he was "always sweating." No matter if the bottom of his shoes would melt when he worked in a furnace.

Winters, 22, faces heat of a different kind on Sundays.

He has endured the predictable trials of a rookie. He played well against Atlanta in his first start, but yielded two sacks last week against New England. And he’s still transitioning from left tackle — his college position — to guard.

This weekend, Winters faces maybe his toughest test in Atkins and the Bengals (5-2).

"It’s about as big a challenge as it gets," Rex Ryan said.

But Winters has been "learning, growing and playing hard" for the Jets, right guard Willie Colon said. Lessons learned in the steel mill.

"It carries over to football big-time," said Winters, an avid fisherman and hunter. "It taught me a lot about having a good work ethic could take you far."

BRIEFS: WR Santonio Holmes (hamstring) will miss his fourth straight game. But Ryan joked Holmes will be back next week against New Orleans because "we’re playing my brother," Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. ... C Nick Mangold (ribs) is questionable, but Ryan said "he’s fine." ... RB Chris Ivory was named FedEx Ground Player of the Week after his 34-carry, 104-yard performance against New England.

[DRJETS]

This thread belong in the toilet. Tired of reading too many feel good stories before the game.

[BroadwayJoe12]

I worked in a steel mill the summer before my freshman year of undergrad and there wasn't a single thing in my life up to that point that made me want to get an education and have a career.  Don't get me wrong, it's good work and a lot of those guys are intelligent, extremely hard working and can get paid quite well, it's just extremely tough work. Doing it in your 20's or even 30's might not be so bad, but that job will beat you down to the point where you look in your 60s when you hit your 40s. Every day I was in there all the guys would tell me to stay in school and do well.  A very humbling experience and it's not at all surprising to hear how Winters was motivated to make something of himself and get out. Good for him.  

[GREENBEAN]

This thread belong in the toilet. Tired of reading too many feel good stories before the game.

LMAO!!!  I was thinking the same thing.  

 

Thanks for that. 

[The Crusher]

This thread belong in the toilet. Tired of reading too many feel good stories before the game.

 

 

Agreed. Tomshane sucks.

[peebag]

Yep...I always hated that guy, Manual Labour.

[FloridaJetsFan]

Agreed. Tomshane sucks.

 

Overstating the obvious?

[SickJetFan]

Sounds like flashdance

[Gastineau Lives]

I was a coal miner from the age of six. Brian Winters is a pussy.

[nycdan]

I was a coal miner from the age of six. Brian Winters is a pussy.

 

Were you the canary?

[sirlancemehlot]

I worked in a steel mill the summer before my freshman year of undergrad and there wasn't a single thing in my life up to that point that made me want to get an education and have a career.  Don't get me wrong, it's good work and a lot of those guys are intelligent, extremely hard working and can get paid quite well, it's just extremely tough work. Doing it in your 20's or even 30's might not be so bad, but that job will beat you down to the point where you look in your 60s when you hit your 40s. Every day I was in there all the guys would tell me to stay in school and do well.  A very humbling experience and it's not at all surprising to hear how Winters was motivated to make something of himself and get out. Good for him.  

Big deal.  I worked in a steel mill uphill!  Both ways!  And I was grateful for the burns and momentary blindness!

[Gastineau Lives]

Were you the canary?

Nope. Big John.

[Irish Jet]

But can he hunt boar?

[TechJet]

Tom Shane you in here? is that you?

[El Gato Negro]

Jets guard Brian Winters can take the heat

 

But can he stay in the kitchen?