Former Redskins offensive lineman Ron Saul spent more than half of his 12-year NFL career as a member of the Washington Redskins, a team that underwent immense change while he was there as they began their ascent towards dominance in the 1980s.*
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Saul finished his career after the Redskins won their first Super Bowl, ushering in what would soon be known as "The Hogs" throughout the league.
At this point, Saul had played 11 years in the NFL and had undergone six knee operations. Head coach Joe Gibbs called him the "salty dog" of the team and knew it would be important to keep a veteran such as him around to guide the younger linemen.
Offensive line coach Joe Bugel made sure Saul would do just that, asking him to set an example to lay the foundation for the kind of physical presence the offensive line would have.
"Buges just said, 'Ron, I want you to work these kids hard. I want them to see you work,'" Saul recalled. "Here I am, six knee operations, I'm running in the huddle, running down the field. We'd run wind sprints after practice, and I'd be thinking 'What the hell?'"
Since he turned 50 years old, Saul has also been winning a daily fight with Type-2 Diabetes, a disease that afflicts 35 million people, which includes his sister, Joan, as well as his uncle, who passed away.
He maintains an active lifestyle (though not exactly on par with his playing days) – "You've got to exercise, diet," he cautions -- and frequently monitors his sugar levels, things that have helped tremendously in his ability to stay healthy.
