GLENDALE, Ariz. — Just days from returning kicks in the Super Bowl, Domenik Hixon has come to grips with a near-tragic start to the season and the difficult time that followed.
For the first time since Sept. 9, when he was hit by the Buffalo Bills’ Kevin Everett, Hixon admitted the play haunted him until he was waived by the Broncos four weeks later.
“I was hesitant after it happened,” said Hixon, now with the New York Giants and preparing for Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“I thought about it a lot. It might have stayed in my head and hurt me enough to get cut. Everything happens for a reason.”
Now, in happier times, Hixon believes that reason was to make a new friend. Hixon and Everett were forever connected after Everett was temporarily paralyzed when he hit Hixon on the opening kickoff of the second half in the teams’ season opener. After several weeks, Everett regained his ability to walk and continues to make steady improvement.
Hixon got a chance to meet Everett at Buffalo’s stadium when the Giants played the Bills in December. They met in a suite after the game, instantly hit it off and continue to communicate.
“He’s a really good guy and I consider him a friend,” Hixon said. “I’m here for him, but he’s really doing great.”
That means Hixon is doing great as well. Hixon said he barely slept the night of the play and purposely kept himself away from the television because he didn’t want to see replays of the collision. He said he leaned on former Broncos teammates Rod Smith, Curome Cox and Brian Clark to help him get out of his funk. After the play, Hixon was not an effective returner for Denver and the fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft was cut after the fourth game of the season. Denver hoped to put Hixon on its practice squad, but he was claimed by the Giants.
Hixon, who returned a kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown against New England in the Dec. 29 regular-season finale, now is flourishing.
“I just prayed through the whole thing, and it got better,” Hixon said. “Kevin is doing great and I’m in the Super Bowl. It couldn’t be better.”
