When Dils Gets Call From Rams, He Can’t Resist Their Offer
Steve Dils couldn’t help but savor the moment. The Rams called two days ago and wanted him . The same Dils they had cut loose like a kite in the wind last season.
This Dils is older, 33, grayer and hadn’t thrown a ball to anyone but the neighborhood kids in months. This Dils was several months removed from football and was selling commercial real estate in Atlanta. And the Rams called him.
“I had to retire to finally get some leverage,” Dils said moments after his arrival at Rams Park Thursday.
The Rams, fearing that backup quarterback Mark Herrmann’s rib injury would still be tender by season opener, picked up the phone and called temporary services.
Dils answered and signed a contract for a guaranteed lump sum to fill in until Herrmann gets well. After that, Dils goes home.
“This wasn’t just a grand gesture on my part,” he said. “ ‘Oh, the Rams need somebody.’ I’m making some money out of it.”
Dils was the logical choice, having been the Rams’ backup from 1984 through 1987. He was the only available quarterback out there who could step in and run Ernie Zampese’s offensive system.
Dils spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons and then retired. He stayed in Atlanta, hooked on with P.C. Associates, a commercial real estate company, and planned to live happily ever after.
He had only been at the firm for two months and didn’t know how the Ram proposition would go over with his new boss: “Uh, sir, I’d like to go play for the Rams for a few weeks.”
His boss, though, gave him a leave of absence.
“He said ‘I don’t see how you can turn it down,’ ” Dils said.
So Dils shuffled his business schedule and took off.
It has been a long time since he enjoyed this kind of leverage. In their annual waiver-wire games, the Rams released Dils last September with the intention of re-signing him the next day. The move was done to get an injured player on the final 45-man roster so the team could put him on four-week injured reserve instead of losing him for six.
But Atlanta claimed both Dils and backup quarterback Hugh Millen, which prompted the Rams’ signing of Herrmann.
The Rams weren’t through with Dils, though. He was the Falcons’ starting quarterback when the Rams rolled into Fulton County Stadium on Oct. 9. His former teammates showed no mercy, sacking him six times en route to a 33-0 victory. Dils no doubt will relive the memories in the coming weeks.
How long will Dils be here? At least through the opener against Atlanta, Robinson said. And that’s even if Herrmann is ready.
“The scenario that I thought we couldn’t allow to happen would be us (being) in somewhat control of the game, or doing OK, and then find ourselves losing the quarterback, and then losing the game because we were inefficient,” Robinson said. “That, I think, would be a grave error.”
The move wasn’t exactly a vote of confidence for rookie Jeff Carlson, who threw two interceptions and the game-winning touchdown passin his half of work against Phoenix last Monday night.
“Could Jeff get us through a game?” Robinson asked. “Perhaps. Also you put a player in that position of his first game, first time in NFL. So I think this is the alternative.”
Carlson could be headed for the new developmental squad for rookies and first-year players. Robinson wasn’t saying.
“They’re all wondering about their status,” he said. “They have a right to hear from me.”
Dils played in 57 games with the Rams, starting nine. In 1986, he replaced injured Steve Bartkowski and led the Rams to three victories, which included a 20-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. He completed 119 of 250 passes for 1,383 yards in his Ram career, with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Cartilage once held linebacker Mark Jerue’s knees together. Now, it seems they’re bound by adhesive tape. And ice packs have become their constant companions.
Some say the temperature drops when Jerue approaches.
“The iceman cometh,” defensive line coach Larry Brooks quipped recently as Jerue drew near.
Jerue is attempting another comeback after another knee operation. He started 12 games at inside linebacker last season before his knees wore down because of a chronic arthritic condition.
He is still weeks away from putting on a uniform, but refuses to accept that, at 29, his career may be over.
“I’m not thinking that way now,” he said. “It’s not like it’s not getting better. Every week is better than the week before.”
There are even days when the comeback feels complete, he said.
“But I can’t get days back to back,” he added.
You would consider the comeback attempt futile were it not for Jerue’s determination, which has become legendary in Ram circles.
“If anything, you have to slow Mark down, not speed him up,” team strength trainer Garrett Giemont said. “He’s had some unfortunate things happen. But even before his knee problems, he was a hard worker.”
Jerue has led the team in off-season workout attendance four consecutive years. He would rather be the leader in tackles, but that won’t be any time soon.
Giemont thinks Jerue is three weeks away from the practice field, and it’s a long way back from there.
