As youngsters we all have our heroes and back when I was growing up they were almost always professional athletes.

During those days our free time was wrapped around sports – baseball, football, basketball and then press replay. The three-sport cycle would begin again.

That’s just the way it was.

I can remember on rainy summer days when forced indoors playing with my imaginary teammates Brooks, Boog, Frank and Blair. I pictured myself in that line-up as a switch-hitting shortstop with some pop. I even had my own number – No. 1, and could hear the PA guy announcing me as the lead-off hitter.

Then on cold wintery nights I might run my mind through a sequence of plays – Unitas to Orr, Unitas to Richardson and Unitas to Mackey. Mackey’s heroics left this seven-year-old kid completely starry-eyed. His legendary ability to turn a short pass into a 65 yard touchdown was nothing short of heroic.

Would-be tacklers bounced off him as if he was a raging bull and the tacklers merely lightweight cowboys. In 1966, six of his nine touchdowns were longer than 50 yards and in 1963 he even averaged 30.1 yards on kickoff returns.

John Madden would have had a field day broadcasting a Colts’ game featuring a few John Mackey receptions.

With his ability to make catches in traffic and rare combination of size, strength, speed and fearlessness, Mackey was a physical freak and revolutionized the position of tight end.

Mackey’s fearlessness didn’t end on the field. Off the field he was equally as assertive attacking player labor issues for the benefit of his peers. As NFLPA President, John Mackey fought with ferocity for his constituents, once again exhibiting pioneering qualities with his new position in the NFL.

John Mackey will be remembered for his Hall of Fame excellence on the field, his accountability off the field and unfortunately the dementia he would ultimately suffer from and fall to stemming from his playing days.

Yet in each of those remembrances there is a lesson to be learned from the great “88.”

Rest in peace big man.

You will be missed but never forgotten.