Mark Herzlich knows what it takes to overcome obstacles.
An Ewing's sarcoma diagnosis in the spring of 2009 left Herzlich's senior season at Boston College and future NFL prospects in doubt, but a rock-solid resolve combined with an iron will allowed Herzlich to beat the odds in more ways than one - cancer-free, Herzlich, a linebacker, ultimately signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants in 2011 and has remained a member of the franchise since.
So a down 2014 season by the high standards of the Giants doesn't faze him - he knows that it just means bearing down, keeping expectations high and attacking offseason work with the mentality of a champion.
"We're honestly expecting to win a Super Bowl," Herzlich told HNGN while walking the red carpet at the 2015 Sports Business Awards. "It sounds kind of cliché, but really every team should go into the season expecting that and really this year, in particular, when we have the threats we do on the offensive side of the ball at the wideout position and a quarterback that if you give him some time, he's money, so I think that our offense is going to be explosive and powerful."
Recent news suggests the Giants offense, already awaiting the return to health of one key piece in wide receiver Victor Cruz, may be operating without another main cog up front as left tackle Will Beatty underwent surgery on Wednesday evening to repair a torn pectoral muscle.
It will be difficult for the thin-up-front Giants to replace Beatty, even with the addition of Ereck Flowers in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Herzlich, though, said that after speaking to Beatty prior to attending the event, he expects him to be back and ready for the beginning of the season.
With two-time Super Bowl-winner, quarterback Eli Manning set for a second season in offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system - a system which saw him post career highs in numerous categories in Year One, including completions and completion percentage, after a bit of stumbling at the outset - alongside a plethora of offensive weapons like last year's first-rounder, electrifying young wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. - "he's a ridiculous freak athlete and I'm just glad he's on my team," Herzlich said - and a hopefully healthy Cruz, the Giants offense seems up to the Super Bowl task.
But what about a defensive unit that finished last season ranked 29th in total defense, surrendering an average of 375.8 yards and 25 points per game?
"Honestly for us, on defense, the biggest thing we've got to do is stop them on third down," the linebacker said. "We had difficulties last year doing that, and if we're able to get them off the field on third down and get our offense the ball back, then we'll be successful."
Herzlich finished 2014 with 52 tackles and one sack - a step above his 2013 total of 42 sacks, which were just beyond his 2012 effort of 30 tackles. Much like his unexpected cancer diagnosis and entry into the NFL, Herzlich's slow, steady climb up the New York depth chart has not been easy, but he sounds very much like a guy ready to grab his lunch pail and get to work in 2015.
Herzlich said that next season's personal expectations match exactly what he's shown thus far in his career - consistent progression.
"I talk about it all the time, I want to do whatever the coaches ask me to do, plus," he said. "If they say, 'Alright you're going to go out there and you're going to be a starter,' then OK, great, I'm going to be a starter, but now I want to be the leader in tackles. If you go out there and you're going to be a special teams guy only, OK, well that's fine, then I'm going to lead in tackles and then I'm going to be starting some games too.
"It's always, whatever the expectations are for me, I want to exceed them."
