Christian Ponder knows his role as a starting NFL quarterback comes with a few embedded perks.
Cash. Wheels. Women folk. But maybe not in that order -- and maybe not at all.
"I'm a lone wolf right now," Ponder told The Star Tribune. "Football is my girlfriend. Painful girlfriend."
At this stage in the Q&A, a Vikings PR man seamlessley entered the picture to say: "Both can break your heart; only one can make you broke."
"One can break my leg," Ponder said. "I guess technically both can break my leg."
Lost in this wayward comedy act is the growth we've seen from Ponder this season. An under-the-radar figure compared with other second-year starters around the NFL, Ponder has developed into a team leader in the Vikings locker room. His intense focus has been noted; and he's looked more composed in game play.
The wins haven't piled up -- and it won't get any easier Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers -- but football, after all, is a cruel mistress.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
