Carroll Angeles

Saturday has deep ties to the players' union. He was the Colts' longtime player rep before moving up to the
executive committee. He was certain he wanted to commit himself and his offseason to helping the NFL
attain labor peace but also knew the decision wasn't his alone.
His wife, Karen, would have to be on board. At home, there were the couple's three children to consider:
Jeffrey, 10; Savannah, 8; and Joshua, 4.
"They can be rambunctious," Saturday said. "My wife and I talked about it before this process began. She's
been more than gracious, believe me. She really sacrificed and allowed me to be gone, sometimes two and
three days a week.
"She believed in what we were doing and honestly supported me wholeheartedly. . . . This was really a
sacrifice for her."
Always in the lead
Saturday, who turned 36 last month as the labor talks began to pick up steam, always has displayed
leadership qualities. He was vice president of his class in high school and captain of North Carolina's
football team.
It has been more of the same since 1999, when he signed with the Colts as a free agent. Saturday is a
presence in the locker room and meeting rooms, and works in unison with quarterback Peyton Manning in
making the proper pre-snap adjustments during games.
"You lead by example," Saturday said, insisting that trait has been enhanced by playing under Jim Mora,
Tony Dungy and current coach Jim Caldwell.
It hasn't gone unnoticed.
Owner Jim Irsay wasn't surprised that Saturday played such an integral role in the labor talks.
"Jeff is as fine a person and player as I've met in 40 years," Irsay said. "He's a special guy, as special as it
gets."
Added Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers: "Everything you could desire as a leader, Jeff has it. Since the
first day I stepped into the Colts facility, he's been one of those guys to stick his hand out and let the
younger guys know if there was anything we need or he could do to help the transition, he was there."
So, might Saturday's post-NFL career include politics?
"I don't know, man," he said, laughing. "I really hadn't considered it."
Well, consider it, Lilja said.
Leadership, he said, "is in his DNA. That's his nature. He's a born leader.
"Anything Jeff touches, he's going to do his best at it and he's going to leave a mark on it. To represent the
players, you couldn't ask for a better guy."