ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Drew Bledsoe was a 21-year-old rookie when he made his professional debut with the New England Patriots
As he warmed up at what was then known as Rich Stadium, Bledsoe, the NFL's No. 1 overall draft pick four months earlier, glanced at the tunnel leading to both teams' locker rooms. Walking into the cloudy, 70-degree day was a 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive end with destruction of the opposing quarterback on his mind.
Bruce Smith was the baddest man on the planet, and Bledsoe knew it.
"I almost peed my pants a little bit," Bledsoe told ESPN by phone last week.