Burfict Returns To Arizona As One Of NFL's Best

Vontaze Burfict left Arizona State in a cloud of controversy after a junior season that included too many personal fouls, a benching in his final college game, and a disastrous showing at the NFL Combine that contributed to him going undrafted.
He returns to Phoenix this weekend as one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
"Going back to Arizona is exciting, but that's not on my mind," Burfict told me.  "This will be the game where the 'ones' and 'twos' will play a little bit more, so I'm going in locked-in like it's a regular week.  I'm not worried about a homecoming or anything like that – it's a business trip for me."
And business is good for the NFL's leading tackler last season.
Despite being the Bengals youngest starter on defense, the 23-year-old Burfict has emerged as the team's emotional leader on that side of the ball.
"He's intense and everybody feeds off of his energy," said defensive end Robert Geathers.  "He's a football-smart guy and when you're prepared like that and have his energy, it doesn't matter how old you are."
"If you don't want to play with a guy like that next to you, I don't know what to tell you," said safety Reggie Nelson.  "I love playing next to him."
"He's as confident as any player I've ever seen at any level, and that's what really impresses me," said linebacker Jayson DiManche.  "You'll never know if and when he makes a mistake out there because he's always going so fast and playing so hard.  His attitude and effort level are off the charts.  That's something as a young linebacker that you try to emulate.  It's crazy because Vontaze is actually younger than me."  
Burfict's intensity level extends to the practice field where he could often be seen jawing with offensive players during training camp as it were the Super Bowl instead of a routine drill.
"You have to have fun," said Burfict.  "In training camp you're with the guys almost 40 days straight and it gets old around day five.  So you want to make it competitive and have fun with it and talk crap.  When I talk to Andy, Gio, BenJarvus – it spices things up.  You don't think about the reps, you just think about competing and trying to win that rep.  I feel like bringing a bit of an edge and talking a little trash makes us play better and faster."
"All of the great ones pretty much have that personality," said cornerback Darqueze Dennard.  "Lawrence Taylor…Ray Lewis…you see the passion in all of that barking and hollering and you see that in Vontaze.  I love it and I think the rest of the guys appreciate that.  He motivates guys and gets them going.  When you see a player who is running around having fun and screaming and hollering after he makes plays, it makes you want to go out there and have fun with him."
Burfict played in his first Pro Bowl last year and intercepted an Andrew Luck pass in his team's win.  His guests in Hawaii included fellow linebacker Rey Maualuga and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.  
"I wouldn't be able to make plays without Rey," said Burfict.  "He helped me learn the playbook and now it's my turn to try to pass it on to other guys."
"When I heard that he made the Pro Bowl, I almost broke down crying," said Guenther.  "The first time that he walked into my meeting room I said, 'Just do everything that I ask you to do and be where you need to be.'  He did everything to the utmost.  To make the Pro Bowl in his second year after everything that kid's gone through and to be out there in Hawaii to celebrate with him was such an honor.  It's something that I will always remember."    
Vontaze is entering the final year of his rookie contract and while the Bengals will control his rights next season as a restricted free agent, the team would undoubtedly prefer to sign Burfict to an extension before reaching that point.
Now that the Andy Dalton megadeal is done, does Burfict think he's next?
"I don't know," said Burfict.  "It's not on my mind.  If it does come it's God-blessed.  If I just work hard it will possibly come."
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