NEW ORLEANS - The last time Bryant McKinnie left the Vikings practice field in Mankato, he literally had to waddle.
Considerably overweight and out of shape at the end of a long NFL lockout in August of 2011, he barely had the breath to speak as reporters walked with him for what would be his final moments in a Vikings uniform. Within 24 hours, he was released because of his physical condition and, he claims, for rejecting the team's request for him to take a pay cut.
"When I was leaving Mankato that day, I didn't know where I was going," McKinnie said. "I knew I was going to play again. But I didn't know where or what would happen."
McKinnie spoke those words from the floor of the Super- dome during Super Bowl XLVII media day Tuesday. He's still big -- listed at 6-8, 360 pounds -- but he's considerably lighter and obviously in better shape than he was in Mankato 18 months ago.
Oh yeah, he'll also start at left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens when they play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. He was a backup for all 16 regular-season games, but has been an unsung savior since stepping into the starting lineup in the playoffs.
Left guard Jah Reid went down because of a season-ending dislocated toe. So the Ravens moved right tackle Kelechi Osemele to left guard, left tackle Michael Oher to right tackle and brought McKinnie in off the bench.
"Bryant's been a great player in this league for a long time," said Ravens center Matt Birk, who also played with McKinnie for 11 seasons with the Vikings. "The left tackle position, obviously you know how to block guys one-on-one in the pass. Everyone knows [49ers linebacker] Aldon Smith had a great year [19 1/2 sacks], so it'll be two great players going at it over there."
McKinnie has started 147 regular-season games and six in the postseason. A first-round draft pick of the Vikings in 2002, he started all but four games from 2003 until 2010.