Stedman Bailey faces long odds of returning to the NFL after being shot in the head in 2015. The former Rams receiver, however, isn't giving up hope his comeback story will have a happy ending.
Speaking recently with Bleacher Report's Tyler Dunn, the 27-year-old Bailey said he wants to be an inspiration to others and prove any obstacle can be overcome.
"I'm ready to show the world that I can't be stopped," he said.
Bailey, who has a titanium plate in his head, participated in Marshall's pro day last month, and continues to train among NFL players, including Rams running back Todd Gurley.
Bailey has his goal set high: to land on an NFL roster and win Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2018.
"You've seen dudes come back from ACLs, Achilles, broken bones," Bailey said. "I want to be the one to show people that no matter what you go through, you don't have to let other people define who you are as a person, what you can do as a person -- and I can show the world anything is possible.
"I know when I step on the field, there's a 100 percent chance I win Comeback Player of the Year. And then I'll get up on the stage and just blow you away with all that I've been through."
The former Rams receiver, who was officially released during the summer of 2016, already knows what his first touchdown celebration would be if he gets a second chance.
"I'm taking my helmet off so everybody can see," Bailey said of the scar that runs across his skull. "Helmet. Off."
Bailey played three years for the Rams, compiling 59 receptions, 843 yards and two TDs. He was on suspension for violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy when he was shot twice in Miami in 2015.
Bailey told Dunn he's been medically cleared by his personal doctor to return to football. Even so, he faces tough odds of being cleared by an NFL team to play again.
