EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Chad Greenway played an inspired game on Sunday while helping lead the Minnesota Vikings to a win against the San Francisco 49ers, and he revealed Monday that he had a little extra motivation.
Greenway's father Alan, who has been dealing with leukemia, was in attendance for Sunday's big 24-13 win against San Francisco, in which Chad led Minnesota with 13 tackles and two sacks and another tackle for loss.
Greenway usually doesn't need any added incentive on game days, but having his dad at the Metrodome added something more for the Vikings' linebacker.
"I knew I wasn't going to leave anything left in the tank, that's for sure," Greenway said. "Not that I really ever do, but I want it to be special. I'm so glad. Nobody in this building knew that he was even going to be there besides me, but I'm just happy that it turned out and we played that kind of football and for me it was important."
Greenway, who had left during the team's minicamp this summer when complications with the leukemia had struck his father, said it was the first time since the Pro Bowl last season when his dad was present for one of his games. The Greenways still own a farm in South Dakota, and his dad has been able to see him play in the past.
Dealing with his father's health issues this summer seemed to make Sunday's game even more special for Greenway and his family.
"It was certainly fun," Greenway said. "For me it had a bunch of added greatness, my dad was able to make the game, so that was huge for me. Just to, A, get the win, but just to be able to have a lot of fun playing the game I love, and the game we grew up, that I grew up around him loving. So, that was huge. That was a big part of it."
Greenway came up with two big sacks of San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith and was a big reason Minnesota was able to hold 49ers running back Frank Gore to 63 yards rushing.
Greenway said this summer his father's disease had gone into remission and Greenway said Monday that his father has been doing well. After the game in Minneapolis on Sunday, Alan Greenway went to the hospital in Rochester for a check-up.
"He's doing as well as can be expected right now, but there's a long, tough road to hoe," Chad Greenway said. "But right now he's doing well."
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