CHARGERS: Goff the grappler: For veteran guard, toughness was born on a wrestling mat

By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Thursday, July 31, 2008 1:20 PM PDT ∞

Chargers guard Mike Goff leans on wrestling techniques learned in high school when he tees off against defensive linemen in the trenches. (Photo by Hayne Palmour IV - Staff Photographer)

SAN DIEGO ---- Hours and hours of grueling practices helped mold Chargers guard Mike Goff into a relentless, physically tough football player. And the experiences fueled the warrior-like reputation now firmly attached to the 11-year NFL veteran.

But this didn't happen on the football field. It occurred on the wrestling mat.

Growing up in Peru, Ill., Goff was a high school wrestler in addition to being a standout lineman in the town of approximately 9,500. He immediately noticed that many things about the two sports went hand-in-hand, particularly when your football existence depended on physical combat in the trenches.

"When it comes to one-on-one battles, when it's just you and somebody else going one-on-one, it just kind of all kicks in," Goff said earlier this week. "I wrestled for three years in high school. It helped me be able to battle someone around my weight and learn about balance and leverage and if you get off-balance, how to try to recover quicker to keep your feet underneath you."

Goff's wrestling abilities helped pique the interest of then-Iowa assistant coach Bob Elliott, who was recruiting Goff for the Hawkeyes. Elliott was already excited by Goff's size and football skills. Throw in the wrestling component, and Goff's stock rose even higher.

"He was a great heavyweight wrestler, and we love wrestlers in Iowa," said Elliott, now San Diego State's defensive coordinator. "I think there is great correlation between line play and wrestling with the leverage and the use of hands.

"Goff was a really good heavyweight wrestler, so I thought he had real potential."

Goff developed into an All-Big Ten guard for Iowa and has never missed a start since joining the Chargers before the 2004 season. That aura of dependability all started with those demanding wrestling practices.

"It (instilled) a healthy work ethic," Goff said. "Wrestling practices are not easy. Even though I was a heavyweight, there's still discipline with your weight. I think that's one of the things that has helped me be a success in high school and college and now here in the NFL.

"Nobody has a perfect day every day, but it's more evident in wrestling. You can't blame anybody else for failing. It's just you. When you're out there on the wrestling mat, it's just you and somebody else and everybody is going to be looking at you."

Goff spent his first six NFL seasons in Cincinnati after being the Bengals' third-round draft pick in 1998. When Goff became a free agent after the 2003 season, leaving Cincinnati to join the Chargers was not a decision he spent much time wrestling with.

The Bengals hadn't enjoyed a winning season since 1990 and were 27-69 in his six seasons. They won four or fewer games in four of his six seasons.

"Losing, unfortunately, can break your will," the 6-foot-5, 311-pound Goff said. "It's a struggle to get up in the morning when you know people just don't like you.

"You know you've hit rock bottom when you're in the opening monologue of Jay Leno's 'Tonight Show' about how bad you are. You're almost embarrassed. You're supposed to be a professional athlete and you're on a team that hasn't had a winning season in a long time.

"Coming out here was the best thing that could've happened."

In San Diego, Goff has experienced winning ---- the Chargers are 46-18 in the regular season during his tenure ---- while becoming part of one of the NFL's top offensive lines.

Nothing makes him smile bigger than reminiscing about playing in the AFC Championship Game last January. He'd like nothing better than taking it one step farther and playing in this season's Super Bowl.

But win or lose, Goff has become a fixture at right guard. He's one of those reliable players who always know their assignments. He consistently performs at a high level without receiving much fanfare.

"I like what Mike has done because he's had great consistency and he continues to be a physical player," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "Those two things ---- you couldn't ask for more than that.

"He's a veteran player. I think he knows his strengths and I think he plays to his strengths. He does a great job of evaluating during the week who he's playing against and what he has to do to be successful against that guy."

Said Elliott: "He may not be the fanciest, best-looking guy; he's just the toughest guy. Always the toughest guy, and he is very smart. That's why he's been a successful pro. He shows up for work every day and he's smart.''

Goff, 32, said he has never put a timetable on how long he'll play. He's in the final year of his contract and would like to remain in San Diego.

"All I can do is go out there and play the best that I can," Goff said. "Obviously, I don't want to go anywhere. I love this team, I love this town and I love the fans.

"I'm just going to go out there and do my job to the best of my ability, and whatever happens is going to happen. I'm just going to go out there and do my best."

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.