John Frank's two lifelong loves have been football and singing.
He's been a professional at both.
Tragically, a practice-field hit in the throat at Philadelphia revealed a vocal-chord tumor—which eventually prompted a surgery that went wrong, ruining a nerve — cost him a job with the NFL New York Jets last fall and probably forever ended his singing career.
"Singing is the love of my life. I can't hum a tune, can't sing in the shower," said Frank, a 2000 sixth-round NFL Draft choice from the University of Utah, in a hoarse speaking voice that may never improve.
Ironically, surgeons might be able to move his vocal chords closer together and restore some of his voice, but that would make it tough to breathe when running — hardly satisfactory for an athlete. Now, he can breathe to run just fine.
The 1999 Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year left the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp his first summer there, went back the next year, wound up at New York last season and then finished out 2002 with the CFL Ottawa after he failed a Jets physical because of the throat.
Monday, Frank was at the U. practice bubble, running 40s and agility drills for NFL scouts with the Utes' current draft prospects at the first of the school's two pro days, hoping to rekindle his big-league career. Ottawa gave the Salt Lake-native defensive end permission to try.
He was a 10th or two slower in the 40-yard dash than he wanted because he ran crooked, but he has another chance March 28. Other drills went well
Three years ago, before being drafted, Frank, 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, ran a mid-4.6-second 40-yard dash, had a 37-inch vertical jump and benched 225 pounds 32 times.
Besides the pro-day workouts, Frank has possibilities to visit some teams.
"All it takes is for one team to fall in love with me, and I'll be OK," said the Skyline High product.
If not, Frank has come to grips. He has finally accepted reality, understanding he can't dwell on it with a wife, Melissa, and two sons, Jackson and Johnny, to care for.
"I can't feel sorry for myself," he said, adding he might start working part-time in his father's ad agency but hopes, if football doesn't work out, to stay in sports. "I'm going to overcome. I've got a wonderful family," he said.
He might return to school and take law.
"It wouldn't be bad to be a sports agent," he said, his own agent nearby. Or he'd like to find a way to impart all he's learned about football to young people. "I'm willing to share what got me here," he said.
But the recent past still hurts. "I've been angry and bitter for a long time. A part of me died," he said.
Maybe the worst part is the "20-20 hindsight" that the fateful surgery wasn't needed because the tumor was benign. He had it after consulting a number of doctors, and he says it was botched.
"I could sue and probably win and retire. But it's not going to make me better," said Frank, who played at many local clubs in the popular Frank family band, the Beverly Brothers, named for his singing mother.
Frank used to take his turns singing as the group entertained. Now, "You wouldn't want to hear me. It would make all the cows and dogs howl.
"I was as serious about singing as I was about football. My aspirations were to make it as far in that as in football," he said wistfully.
"But I've still got my horn. I can still play the saxophone."
As for mysteriously leaving Philadelphia during his first training camp, he isn't proud of it but, "I needed to do what I needed to do. I'm not looking back," he said. But, "Obviously, things would have been different. I'd probably be still in the league."
At least, he still has a chance at that.
E-mail: lham@desnews.com