BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
Featured in Varsity Magazine
Dan Buenning and Peter Konz will be in the discussion. Rest assured, it will happen at some point in the future for the former Wisconsin offensive linemen and first-team All-Americans.
They may not be locks for the UW Athletic Hall of Fame, the focus of this week's Varsity. But their names will come up for consideration and their credentials will be discussed.
Until then, they will continue to adjust to a life without football; a "normal" life without excess bulk and weight. From a high of 320 pounds, Buenning is 260. From a high of 325, Konz is 275.
Both are on a "high" after slimming down.
"I feel pretty good," said Buenning, 34. "I've had two post-career surgeries and I probably could have had more. I try to keep it together by staying fit and going to the chiropractor."
"I feel so much better," said Konz, 27. "I was told by the doctors that every pound you take off your body, it's like eight pounds off the knees and ankles, and that's where I needed to take it off."
Buenning, a fourth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005, hung around the NFL for four seasons (36 games, 23 starts), including a year with the Chicago Bears. Before retiring, he also played for the UFL's Florida Tuskers, whose play-caller was former UW quarterback Brooks Bollinger.
"It was a numbers game (in Chicago)," said Buenning, a Green Bay native. "They wanted someone younger and I couldn't catch on anywhere else.
"At the time, my shoulders were aching, I couldn't lift a lot and my knees were in bad shape. That made the decision easy to move on."
But he admitted that it was hard to leave the game and adjust without it.
"I worked, it seemed, my whole life to get into football, which is what it takes," Buenning said. "I didn't have a huge plan afterwards. But I had some ideas on what I was going to do."
For the last couple of years, Buenning has been selling cars at Neuville Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Waupaca. He has three young boys, ages 8, 6, and 3. Will he allow them to play football?
"I understand how I was at that age," he said. "If they have the want-to, if they want to do something, I say, 'Go do it.' It's hard enough to get people to do things. I'm not going to stop them."
Konz, who has a 2-year old son, was asked the same question. Will you let him play?
"I think it would be hypocritical of me to say no," Konz said. "It's easy to say that you don't want your children to get hurt. But it's hard to say that they can't provide a life for themselves.
"Football has provided me with so many great opportunities. I've played with great players and great businessmen. I couldn't tell my son 'No' because I know how it has benefited me."
Konz walked away from the sport while he still could. He didn't have expectations on how long he'd play in the NFL; he didn't have a number, not after a blood clot issue in his lungs at Wisconsin.
But he knew when it was time to move on (39 games/28 starts; comparable to Buenning's totals.)
"You come to the realization that you're thankful for every year that you do get (in the NFL)," said Konz, a second-round selection (55th overall) of the Atlanta Falcons in 2012.
"When I got to four years and started to have more injury problems, I thought it would be a good time to hang it up. You're vested, so you're good on the money side. And you just wanted to get out before the health problems got more serious, especially with the concussion stuff coming out.
"The players aren't getting any smaller or slower, and that kind of ramps up the injuries."
Buenning was part of a 2012 concussion lawsuit filed against the NFL. Last September, Konz reached an injury settlement with the Falcons after tearing his ACL in Week 7 of the 2014 season.
"For most people, maybe they don't understand it, but I had my dream job," said Konz, a product of Neenah. "I had the job that I had been preparing for my whole life and now that has ended.
"I have other priorities (his wife is a second grade teacher in Waunakee). My health and my family have taken over and I'm trying to balance and juggle that in finding a job that fits."
Konz found some needed reassurance and positive energy just by being around former UW football players and boosters earlier this summer at the annual Legends of Wisconsin Classic golf outing at University Ridge.
"Being a part of these events is really helpful," he said. "It's a way to be involved without being a player or in the spotlight. But you're still with donors, still with the program, still in the community.
"That has helped a lot -- just being back with Wisconsinites. Good people."
Just being around O-linemen put a smile on his face, too.
"It's forever," he said of the bond with that position group. "And I've noticed it not just for the years that you were here. It's with everybody. It's with the Dan Buennings and Joe Thomases..."
Obviously, Thomas will be no-brainer for the UW Athletic Hall of Fame. Three offensive linemen from the Barry Alvarez era have already been inducted: Joe Panos, Cory Raymer and Chris McIntosh.
Besides Buenning and Konz, the list of O-line All-Americans (since 1990) include Aaron Gibson, Kraig Urbik, Gabe Carimi, John Moffitt, Kevin Zeitler, Travis Frederick, Kyle Costigan and Rob Havenstein.
Upon further review of his pro career, Konz won't miss "taking brutal beatings on Sundays."
To survive, he added, "You have to do more than the other guy. You have to make that a priority; pretty much 365 days. The guys who do it the best make it the No. 1 thing in their life."
What does Konz miss the most about putting on the pads and playing?
"I'd be a fool if I didn't say winning," he emphasized.
There was a pause to collect his thoughts.
"That feel of winning at Camp Randall," he went on. "There is nothing like it."
What else will he miss? Especially from the NFL?
"The checks," said Konz, unleashing his Hall of Fame cackle. "The checks."
