Bloodied And Broken Noses, Zach Line Relishes Being Vikings Fullback
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Ask Adrian Peterson about the fullback who lead-blocked the way to his rushing title last season, and you get quite the scouting report.
"Zach Line?" Peterson said. "He's like the ultimate warrior. For the past (four) years, I've seen him come to camp, and (he's had) blood coming down his face from banging into guys."
Peterson's never seen anybody bleed like Line.
"He bleeds a lot," Peterson said with a smirk.
Line has needed stitches so many times he's lost count – he says four or five times just for the bridge of his nose alone.
He broke his nose once, wrestling in high school, and broken so many bones he says he's not even sure how many.
"Sometimes you don't know until later," Line said. "Until they heal crooked."
And wouldn't you know it, he was bleeding again when we did this interview.
"Well," Line said, "I told 'em Day One just to grab a blade and cut it open, because it was gonna happen, you know?"
In a league that coach Mike Zimmer laments is becoming more and more about finesse, Line is a classic tough guy – a bruiser who believes good blocking and bleeding go hand in hand.
That cut won't heal all season.
"I mean, it'll heal to the point where it's almost done," Line said. "And then my helmet will come down on it again."
In a way, it really kind of typifies how Line cut out a career for himself in the NFL. An unheralded, undrafted rookie free agent who unexpectedly made the team as a backup fullback four years ago, has now become an established starter as the invaluable lead blocker for the best rushing attack in the NFL.
"Hard work," Line said. "Hard work, you know? Buying in… There's never security in this job, so I just go out there and constantly compete, even if it's against myself, to get better.
"I just wasn't going to give them a reason to cut me. That was my story then, it's still my story now."
After all, he cuts himself enough already.