ASHBURN, Va. -- They called for the first-team defense, and Darrell Green didn't budge. For years, Green wondered what this would feel like. For years, he didn't have to worry. But age might have done something no one else could: catch up to him.

So he stood on the sideline as 11 players, including two different cornerbacks, hustled onto the field. As he watched, Green reached a conclusion: This isn't so bad.

Besides, he was prepared, having braced himself for the inevitable long ago. He accepted his situation in the offseason, when rumors about Deion Sanders joining the team spread rapidly.

	Darrell Green, 40, is still the fastest player on the Redskins.

Then Green realized a fact that's easily overlooked: He's 40 years old -- 40! Corners his age don't start. Corners his age are retired -- and have been for a while.

Of course, most 40-year-olds can't run the 40-yard dash in a team-best 4.23 seconds. Green still can, and did, in June.

"When you talk about my career, I'm not just two years beyond normal," said Green, the oldest corner ever to play in the NFL. "Once I hit 31 or 32, I went beyond normal. For years, I prayed to have the kind of peace in my heart and soul because I've seen so many players that left bucking and kicking. I wanted to be here long enough to see my heart change where I had a peace. I didn't know what it would be like or how it would look.

"But this looks a lot better than I could ever imagine. I'm 40, let's be real."

Green's role with the Redskins will be much different than it's been for the past 17 years, since the team drafted him in the first round out of Division II Texas A&I.

For the first time, Green will no longer be the Redskins' top cornerback. Nor will he be the No. 2 corner. Sanders and Champ Bailey will assume those roles.

But Green will still play a lot. He'll enter in the nickel packages, with Bailey sliding inside to cover the slot receiver. Because the Redskins expect to face many three-WR sets, Green won't rust on the sidelines.

"It will be kind of boring watching the first two plays of the game," Green said. "That will be an adjustment. But I'm not an egomaniac. I'm more concerned about the team."

Also, just to make sure no one forgets what he means to the defense, Green will be introduced along with the other defensive starters before games. In essence, the Redskins say they have 12 starters (which they could have used in past seasons). Not to mention three of the fastest corners in the NFL.

"He's very valuable to this defense," Redskins defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes said of Green.

But in many ways, Green's role has expanded. He tutors the young defensive backs, constantly working with them during drills, especially when he's given the day off from practicing.

Last season Green worked with Bailey, showing the rookie how to watch film, among other things. Green taught Bailey how to read a receiver's stance and to watch how he comes off the line of scrimmage. If the receiver plans on going deep, he'll often come off a bit slow, hoping to lull the corner to sleep before racing past. If the receiver bursts off the line, it's likely a comeback route will follow.

"I've learned how to play the game from him," Bailey said. "Darrell is always 'the Man.' Don't ever doubt that."

Said Redskins DB coach Ron Meeks: "It's a blessing. Think about the experience Darrell has and the crazy number of games he's played (250). It's unheard of. The young guys have picked up a lot from him."

Green is the Redskins' ambassador of good will, reminding the community of past glory and providing a bridge to his teammates for future success. He relishes teaching young players not only how to play, but how to act.

He wants another Super Bowl trophy. But finishing his career strong does not necessarily mean making Pro Bowls. Or even starting. "It's the principles I've lived," he said. "I've got to finish right."

That's why owner Daniel Snyder, a huge fan of Green, gave him a five-year, $10 million contract this spring with a $2 million bonus. A few days later, Snyder and Green wooed Sanders at a Washington restaurant. Green gave Sanders his blessing to sign with the Redskins, an offering Sanders said was necessary for him to come.

Green attended Sanders' initial press conference in Washington. Sanders, seven years Green's junior, joked about the situation, introducing Green as his father.

Other Redskins noticed Green's sacrifice.

"I can't say enough about how he handles it," Redskins S Mark Carrier said. "He's made things work even better, and he made it comfortable for Deion and for everyone around us to accept the change and embrace it. Without him doing that, who knows what would have happened."

Green is only three years removed from his seventh Pro Bowl appearance. But he has entered foreign territory, leading to some confusion over how to handle his new role.

"I can't go talk to someone about it and say, 'How did your legs feel when you turned 40?' " Green said. "I'm the pioneer. Sometimes I stop and think, 'This is wild. I'm the only guy in the history of cornerbacks doing what I'm doing.' It's fun, but it's sobering."

He also knows his role will save some mental and physical strain, perhaps allowing him to play beyond this season. So don't be shocked if Green plays another year.

There's something else that could bring him back: his youth foundation. History shows that once players leave the game - and the spotlight - donations to their causes dwindle. Another year would leave his foundation in better shape.

Eventually, Green will ease into another role, one that doesn't involve playing football. He'll be ready for that, just as he found himself more prepared for his final days in the NFL.

"I'm more at peace and just as excited as I was when I was a young guy," Green said. "It's a different ballgame, but it's a new excitement."

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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