At four o'clock in the afternoon, Lawrence Taylor staggered out of a bar, sunglasses on, keys in hand. He was halfway to his car when two white-uniformed officers stepped into his path.
"I'm Lawrence Taylor," he said, annoyance dripping from his voice. "What do you want?"
The cops exchanged a knowing glance before one of them replied coolly,
"Mr. Taylor, we have reason to suspect you're involved in… Tibetan separatism."
"Nonsense!" Taylor barked, his voice rising.
He took a step forward, shoving past the officer in front of him, intent on getting into his car. That's when the other officer's hand went to his holster. The metallic click of a pistol being drawn froze Taylor mid-step.
"Don't move, Mr. Taylor," the officer said with a grin. "This is for your own good."
The cop he'd shoved smirked. "You just assaulted a police officer."
Taylor's blood ran cold. His limbs felt heavy, numb. He knew this was going bad—fast.
---
Within the hour, New York was buzzing:
Lawrence Taylor—retired NFL legend, Hall of Famer, and former New York Giants superstar—arrested on the street for Tibetan separatism and assaulting police.
The real bombshell came later.
"Zhao Dong," his lead attorney said over the phone, "we found more than 50 grams of marijuana and 20 grams of harder substances in his car. Blood test came back—he was high. Along with the assault charge, we can make this stick. Once he's in prison, getting him out won't be easy."
Zhao Dong leaned back, satisfied. "Good. I'm not looking to destroy the man—just put him away for a few years. After that, leave him be."
---
Taylor's arrest barely made a ripple in New York. It wasn't his first drug bust—far from it. Fans had seen his mugshot enough times that this one barely raised an eyebrow.
Over the next month, Zhao Dong's 100-yard return was still the hot topic across the NFL.
A play like that might happen once in an entire season—if that. Three defenders had been seriously injured on that run, two ending their careers.
The NFL replayed it on their official site for weeks. Views and downloads climbed into the hundreds of millions.
For the first time, Zhao Dong's fame in the NFL wasn't riding on his basketball legacy or global stardom—it was built on what he'd done on the field.
---
Peyton Manning, Colts quarterback and future Hall of Famer, addressed it in an interview.
"I'll be honest," Manning said, eyebrows raised. "I underestimated him. I didn't think he'd make it in the NFL. I take that back."
He leaned forward, emphasizing each word.
"He's 6'9", 255 pounds. And he's that fast? I watched his NBA games—yeah, he was quick, but a basketball court is too small to really see it. On a football field? Whole different story."
Manning shook his head. "That return… it was top wide receiver speed in a body bigger than a linebacker. And the impact? Man, that's what stuck with me. When 255 pounds hits you at that velocity, it's like getting run over by a truck. Those three guys didn't just miss tackles—they got wrecked."
A grin spread across Manning's face. "If he can stay healthy—he's, what, 26?—yeah, he's got a real shot in this league."
---
One afternoon, Zhao Dong arrived at the Jets' training facility. Before he could step inside, a reporter stepped into his path.
"Zhao Dong, a lot of people say your old nickname doesn't really fit the NFL anymore. You thinking about changing it?"
He chuckled. "We'll see. My NFL career's just starting—let's talk about nicknames later."
Inside the facility, General Manager Maureen Philip stood by the office window, watching Zhao Dong take reps in a practice scrimmage.
Turning to head coach Herman Edwards, he asked with a thoughtful grin,
"Herman, you think Zhao Dong's got the tools to be a quarterback?"
Edwards walked over to Philip, his eyes fixed on Zhao Dong practicing down on the field.
"No matter where you line him up, he's got the height advantage," Edwards said thoughtfully. "If he played quarterback, he'd have elite field vision. Peyton Manning's 6'5" and that height gives him a great view over the line. Zhao Dong? He's 6'9"—four inches taller than Manning."
He gestured toward Zhao Dong's frame. "Long, powerful arms. Big hands. Physically, those are gifts you can't coach, and they're all tools that could make him an excellent quarterback. Add in his high football IQ—his ability to read a defense is already solid for a newcomer."
Edwards paused, his tone shifting. "But there are weaknesses. His passing isn't there yet—especially on the intermediate and deep throws. Long balls are a real problem right now."
He turned to Philip. "Molin, quarterback is the soul of the team. We can't afford to gamble there. Zhao's not ready for that role yet."
Philip nodded. "Then what's your plan for him? Play him part-time?"
"Pretty much," Edwards said. "We won the division last year, but Vinis got wrecked by Zhao and we lost two key starters in the offseason. The draft didn't go our way either—we're not as strong as last year. I've already told ownership this season will be tougher."
Philip frowned. "Sure, but we still need to push for wins."
"Of course," Edwards replied. "That's why I want to keep testing Zhao. He's not polished yet, but his versatility is rare. Physically, he can handle multiple roles. I'll give him snaps at different positions—he wants to help the team wherever he can."
---
The Media Storm
Zhao might not have wanted a new nickname, but the media didn't care—and neither did the fans.
The New York Sports Daily started calling him The Brutal Zhao Dong.
The New York Times went with Tyrannosaurus.
The "brutal" label came from his infamous 100-yard return that left three defenders seriously injured. The final safety he bulldozed had broken ribs that punctured his lung—losing 60% of its function. His career was over on the spot.
Other nicknames popped up: The Harvester, Armored Rhino—all born from that one devastating play.
---
Over the next three weeks, the Jets played three more preseason games. Zhao Dong lined up at multiple positions in each.
After his explosive debut, opponents came in prepared. No one wanted to repeat the Lions' disaster, so most teams threw their starters at him. With limited experience and raw technique, Zhao struggled at times. His elite athleticism could only cover so much, and he took his lumps.
But there were bright spots.
In three games at linebacker, he recorded eight tackles and even sacked the quarterback once—flashing legitimate defensive potential.
---
By the end of camp, Edwards had made his decision:
Primary Role: Starting linebacker (opening snaps only—subject to performance)
Secondary Role: Backup running back in the offensive rotation
It was a rare part-time plan, but his versatility made it possible.
Bingle Nester, senior NFL editor for the New York Sports Daily and a respected league commentator, summed it up in his column:
"Zhao Dong hasn't yet proven himself in the regular season, but that 100-yard return showed us his raw ability. His preseason work, while inconsistent, still revealed tremendous potential.
At 26, with elite conditioning and no injuries, he's positioned to get even better over the next two seasons—if he stays healthy.
He's taken the right first step in the NFL. He has the tools to stick."
Most media outlets and fans agreed. Only a small minority—mostly those with racial bias—refused to acknowledge his talent, insisting he'd fail in the NFL.
Zhao took Nester's words as fair. He knew he was still adjusting, still refining his skills. The entire rookie season, in his mind, was about growth.
Of course, with the system backing him, he figured he only needed this one season to level up fast.
September rolled in. Sunday, the 5th, marked the official start of the NFL regular season.
The Jets' opener was set for Monday night, September 6th—a nationally televised game under the lights against their bitter AFC East rivals, the Miami Dolphins.
The division also included the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots—but this first matchup would be a statement game.
In the NFL, division games are always the fiercest battles. The teams in the same division aren't just rivals—they're sworn enemies.
Each NFL team plays 16 regular-season games across 17 weeks, with one bye week.
For the New York Jets, six of those games are home-and-away matchups against their three AFC East rivals: the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots.
Beyond that, the schedule works in cycles:
Four games against all the teams from another AFC division (rotates every three years—two home, two away).
Four games against all the teams from an NFC division (rotates every four years—two home, two away).
Two games against AFC teams that finished in the same place in their divisions last season, outside of their current rotational opponents (one home, one away).
The playoff format adds even more tension. Each conference gets six playoff spots. The four division champions automatically qualify, leaving just two wild-card spots per conference. That one rule alone makes every division game a do-or-die situation—nobody takes their foot off the gas.
---
On the night of September 4th, after dinner, Zhao Dong was relaxing in the garden with his wife and kids when the familiar system interface suddenly popped up in his mind—three new missions.
He hadn't seen one in three years. His pulse quickened as he opened the first.
NFL Season Mission: Help the team win the AFC East championship as a starting player.
Rewards:
One talent & skill lottery ticket
Five skill points
Bonus random reward for exceeding expectations
Zhao Dong frowned slightly. "Last season we took the division, but the roster's weaker this year. Still… it's not impossible."
He knew the NFL wasn't like the NBA. One star couldn't carry a team. Football was the ultimate team sport—every position had to hold its ground. Winning the division would take a complete, balanced roster.
---
Mission Two: Target the Rival
Sniper Mission – Miami Dolphins:
Record the first tackle
Get the first sack
Deliver the first big collision stop
Make the first run stop
Intercept the first pass
Make the first reception
Score the first touchdown
Complete the first return (20+ yards; triple reward for a return touchdown)
Help the team beat the Dolphins
Reward: One skill point for each objective completed.
"Nine requirements?" Zhao muttered, eyebrows rising.
Still, he smiled. "No need to get them all… that's actually fair."
---
Mission Three: The Sack Race
Sack Leaderboard Mission: Finish in the top ten in the NFL for sacks this season.
Rewards:
10th place – 3 skill points
9th place – 4 skill points
And so on, up to 1st place – 1 talent & skill lottery ticket
Break the single-season sack record – 2 talent & skill lottery tickets (non-stackable with 1st place prize)
---
Zhao Dong leaned back, thinking. "Top ten sacks, huh?"
He remembered the record—22.5 sacks in a single season—set by legendary New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. Zhao had a personal memory of him… mostly because Strahan was infamous for his domestic violence issues. Sadly, that kind of behavior wasn't rare among NFL players, where a violent sport often bled into personal lives.
Mathematically, averaging at least one sack per game would land him in the top ten. Easy to say, brutally hard to do.
A sack wasn't just any tackle—it meant taking down the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he released the ball. To get there, you had to punch through the offensive line—five massive blockers—while your own three or four defensive linemen fought for position. One hesitation and the QB would get the throw off.
Go too late? You'd draw a flag for roughing the passer.
Do it consistently for 16 games? You wouldn't just be a starter—you'd be a star.
And sometimes, a sack wasn't even yours alone. If two defenders hit the QB together, it was split as half a sack each.
Zhao Dong grinned to himself. "Alright… challenge accepted."
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