Vikings safety Antone Exum made a frightening admission that wasn’t mere hyperbole.
"I was feeling a pain in my chest with every breath and motion," Exum wrote in an email to the St. Paul Pioneer Press referring to an injury suffered Dec. 6 against the Seahawks. "It was scary because I didn't know what it was. Thoughts went through my head: 'I could die out there,' just for the simple fact that I didn't know what the problem was. But I knew we didn't have anyone else (to play) safety.
MORE: Star Wars NFL Mock Draft | Tom Brady needs to take a stand on Donald Trump
"I knew that the way I compete sticks to a code of never giving up. I knew that it means a lot to the guys next to me. Therefore, I couldn't come out.”
Exum, 6-1, 220 pounds, was injured trying to tackle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson, who’s listed at 6-5, 252 pounds.
The Pioneer Press reported Exum suffered a fractured rib and damaged AC joint in his shoulder. He was placed on injured reserve the following week.
The rookie from Virginia Tech said he wondered if his "life could have possibly been on the line.” More astonishing is the fact he finished the game.
Exum, who said he’s still sore but getting better, labeled himself a “warrior” and said all that mattered to him was helping his teammates.