Glauber: Jets' Felix making comeback after stroke

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

To see Robby Felix in practice or talk to him in the locker room, you'd have no idea how close he came to dying less than two years ago.

In fact, there are only a handful of people in the Jets' organization who know what happened to the center during his senior year at the University of Texas-El Paso. No story on HBO's "Hard Knocks." Even coach Rex Ryan didn't know until he was told about him earlier this week.

On Nov. 16, 2008, after a game against SMU, Felix suffered a stroke while he was taking a shower. Unable to speak to his wife, Kelly, Felix's facial expression made it clear that he needed to go to the hospital.

He remained there for five days, where he began to gradually recover from the symptoms. He couldn't have imagined at the time he'd ever be able to play football again.

"It was a very scary time," Felix said. "You know something's wrong, but you don't know what it is."

Incredibly, the 6-3, 295-pound Felix did make it back to the sport he loved, and got a shot last year as a free agent with the Ravens. He didn't make the team, but just making it through a training camp was a testament to his resolve. He later signed with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League, playing a backup role on the team that won the championship under former Giants coach Jim Fassel.

Felix got another shot with the Jets this season, and while he didn't make the active roster, he's on the team's practice squad, still optimistic he'll get a shot, if not with the Jets, then somewhere else. If Felix does play in an NFL game, he'll become only the second player to do so after recovering from a stroke. Former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a stroke in February 2005 and returned eight months later.

"What's good about it is that my name's out there," Felix said. "It's now been two training camps since my stroke, and other teams that wrote me off are like, 'Hey, this guy is healthy. He didn't die on the football field. He's still able to play some good football.' I'd love to get called up to the Jets if that happens, but I definitely want to make someone's 53."

Barring an injury to All-Pro center Nick Mangold, chances are Felix won't be getting that shot with the Jets. But he has used the opportunity to learn from Mangold, who recently signed a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid center in the NFL.

Ryan believes Felix can be a solid NFL center if given the opportunity.

"He's a natural center, and he's got a chance," Ryan said. "I think he'll be a good [NFL] center."

Ryan didn't know about Felix's stroke.

"I had no idea," the coach said. "I knew he was a wrestler, but . . . a stroke . . . wow. Obviously, our guys cleared him medically, but that's really something. I know he's a tough kid."

Felix, 23, has no physical limitations, and only takes an aspirin a day to thin his blood. The only other precaution is to make sure he's adequately hydrated. "I noticed a big difference between this camp and last year in terms of my quickness and strength, my alertness and ability to focus on each play," Felix said. "It's been a year longer since I had my stroke, so that's good. My speech is better, too. When I was training [in 2009], I really had to focus on what I was saying, and my speech was poor."

During our conversation, Felix looked around the locker room, which was quite noisy with players talking and music blaring, and noted how much more comfortable he is in this kind of environment. "With all this noise going on, I wouldn't have been able to focus, but it's much better now."

Felix won't be in uniform when the Jets open the season Monday night, but he's that much closer to living his dream of making it to the NFL.

"I really hope it'll happen, and I'm going to give it my best shot," he said.

Here's to hoping it happens. Great kid. Great story. Deserves a happy ending.