Joe Theismann grew up two blocks from his high school in South River, New Jersey. He went on to become a legend at Notre Dame, played three years in the Canadian Football League, won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins, earned NFL MVP honors, and spent 23 years in the broadcast booth. By any measure, his was a life fully lived at the highest level of American sport.

And then on November 18th, 1985, in front of a Monday Night Football audience of millions, New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor sacked Joe from behind and broke his leg in two places. In ESPN polling it was voted the most shocking moment in NFL history. His career was over in an instant.

Four years after the injury, Lawrence invited Joe to his bar in New Jersey. They sat together. The injury played on a screen behind them. Neither one looked at it. Joe turned to Lawrence and asked the question that had been sitting between them for four years — we know how it affected my life. How did it affect yours?

Lawrence said he learned that no matter how great you are, it can be over in an instant. That every day you have to get the most out of what you have because none of us have a guarantee of a tomorrow.

That answer came from the man who ended Joe's career. And Joe carried it forward as a gift.

Joe spent the first half of his life asking what life could give him. The injury forced a different question — what can I give? He told me he believes we are put on this earth not to be served but to serve others. It took him a long time to figure that out. But once he did, it became everything.

Take advantage of the life you have. Take advantage of the relationships. Take advantage of what you're doing today.

None of us know how long the game lasts. We only get to decide how we'll play today.