A Son's Offer, A Father's Decision

"It's a very tough game for me," Ron Springs said. "It's very important to both sides; whoever loses will probably be out of the playoff picture and whatnot, and all I can do as a person is sit here and hope for the best, for Shawn to do well, and let the chips fall where they may, because I love both teams and I try to not get too emotional about it. But I probably will."

Without Ron Springs's influence, Shawn might never have switched from running back to cornerback, and he might not be a Redskin, either. Ron developed an affinity for Gibbs over the years, and urged his son to sign with Washington when he hit the free agent market in March 2004. "I'm very proud of Shawn, and very proud of the fact that he went to the Redskins, because I always thought that Coach Gibbs is a good Christian man, and I knew Coach Gibbs would work him hard and make sure he got the most out of him," Ron said.

Gibbs helped sway Shawn as well, and Ron accompanied his son on his initial visit here. They dined at Morton's and reminisced about being on opposite sidelines.

"We had a great time going back and forth about the old days and all that kind of stuff," said Gibbs, who also has diabetes. "Shawn's dad is really competitive, and you can tell where Shawn gets that. The sad thing is his dad has some real health issues, and we're trying to support Shawn with that, but you can see lots of times those bloodlines are pretty good and you can kind of see where Shawn gets it from. His dad will joke with you and kid with you and he's always on your butt."

The Redskins signed Springs to a six-year, $30 million deal, including a $10 million signing bonus. Much of the deal is not guaranteed, and Springs also would likely have to repay a portion of his signing bonus if he donated a kidney and retired, but he says none of that would deter him from leaving football if necessary. "Wouldn't you do the same thing for your father?" he asked.

While kidney transplants have become fairly common, Cathy Paykin, a social worker with the National Kidney Foundation, said there are potentially serious risks involved, as in any major surgery, both mentally and physically. In some jurisdictions, police and fire departments do not accept employees with one kidney because of health concerns, and someone who donates a kidney must take every precaution to protect his or her remaining organ.

"If you only have one kidney you really have to watch out for it, particularly in an accident," Paykin said. "Some people who are living donors have chronic pain for life that never went away. Some people have gone into a deep depression and had some very disturbing experiences with pain or disfigurement. It's a minority, but it happens."

Former Georgetown basketball star Alonzo Mourning resumed his NBA career after getting a kidney donation, but would not have been able to play with only one kidney. People with one kidney are not prevented from playing all recreational sports, Paykin said, but must refrain from absorbing severe contact to that area, ruling out football.

Shawn has two sisters, Ayra, a junior at Ohio State and, Ashley, a high school junior in the Dallas area, but Ron Springs says he won't let them be tested because they are too young. Shawn and Ron attended Ohio State as well, both leaving a lasting impression. Ron played under Woody Hayes and replaced two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin in the Buckeyes' backfield. He went on to play for Tom Landry in Dallas.

Shawn was born when Ron was 18, and was raised by his grandmother in Silver Spring, where he was a standout at Springbrook High School. Seattle drafted Springs third overall in 1997; he quickly became a Pro Bowl player and is a linchpin in Washington's defense. Without his coverage skills, the Redskins would not be able to blitz as aggressively as they do. After being the only player in the NFL to lead his team in sacks and interceptions last season, teams have braced for his blitzes in 2005 and largely shied from his side of the field in the passing game.

"Shawn, because he played so well last year, has had far, far fewer attempts at him," said Gregg Williams, assistant head coach-defense. "With a rookie corner opposite of him [Carlos Rogers], Springs doesn't get the attempts, because it's going at the rookie and it's going at [nickel back] Walt [Harris]. So his presence has been good."

Springs wishes he had produced more big plays through the first 13 games, but knows that the most significant stretch of the season is still ahead of him, with three straight games upcoming against NFC East opponents. As usual, he will hear from his father after each of them.

"We talk all the time," Shawn Springs said. "He keeps on me, but I'm pretty hard on myself. I go back and watch film and grade myself on my breaks, hand placement, hustle -- all that stuff. That's what my dad always talked about, especially my first few years in the league. He was pretty hard on me back then."

Ron Springs will try not to get overly excited as he watches today from his couch, but that may not be easy. After all, the Redskins won the first meeting, 14-13, on two late Santana Moss touchdowns. More importantly, he is relishing Dallas's visit to Washington next year, when he plans to be cheering at FedEx Field with renewed health.

"I know I'm going to get excited watching," he said. "I'm going to get excited whether it be the Redskins or the Cowboys; I just flip hats, so I don't feel too bad about anything when it comes to them. One will win and one will lose and 50 percent of me is happy all the time. So you tell all the people in the D.C. area that I'm still a Cowboys fan, but I've got to love the Redskins, too, and I will see all of them next year back in D.C. I'm already looking forward to it."