It looked like recent North Dakota State football standout Craig Dahl's dream had come true. Growing up in Mankato, Minnesota, the training camp home of the NFL's Vikings, Dahl had long since pictured himself suiting up on Sundays. "It's something I've thought about for a long time. I was that kid at training camp just trying to get a glimpse, picture, autograph, sweatband, anything from one of the guys passing by," explained Dahl of his days spent at Vikings training camp while growing up.

After helping lead the Bison to a 10-1 season and Great West Football Conference championship in 2006, Dahl was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants. In 2007, his rookie season, not only was Dahl making noise at training camp, he surprised even the most seasoned New York sports observers by making the Giants 53-man active roster. Dahl wasn't content just to make the roster. By December he cracked the starting lineup after several injuries in the New York secondary. "There were some injuries and I had an opportunity. You never want anyone to get injured, but when you have an opportunity in this league you have to take advantage of it," said Dahl.

All the more remarkable was the fact that Dahl had done this as an undrafted free agent who fought through a serious knee injury and nagging hamstring injuries in training camp. On December 29, 2007, Dahl's Giants were on the sports world's center stage. Tom Brady's 15 - 0 New England Patriots were in town shooting for the first undefeated regular season in the NFL since the Miami Dolphins did it in 1972. The game was the first sporting event ever simulcast on the major television networks. It would be the last time Dahl suited up for the Giants.

On a kickoff early in the game's first quarter Dahl went down with another major knee injury. "I think it was definitely one of the most frustrating events of my life," said Dahl of the injury that sidelined him for the Giants playoff run and the 2008 season. Dahl stayed with the team through their post season run that culminated in a memorable Super Bowl victory against those same Patriots. After his first season Dahl had what some players spend a career chasing and never winning - a big, gaudy NFL Super Bowl champions ring.

Today, that injury couldn't be further from his mind as Dahl is back in the saddle with the St. Louis Rams and making major contributions. Dahl was in the starting lineup last weekend facing the team he grew up cheering for, the Minnesota Vikings. For the second time this season, Dahl led all Rams defenders in tackles against the Vikings. Dahl notched 7 tackles, all solo, a tackle for a loss, and charted his first NFL sack against Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Dahl also led the Rams with 7 tackles against Green Bay in week 3.

So what was it like to square off against the legendary Favre and come away with a sack? "It definitely meant a lot to me. I just wanted to perform my best and not let my teammates down. I really focused on things I needed to improve on and things I've picked up in their offense," said Dahl, who used to cheer when Vikings defenders put Favre on his back. This isn't surprising, after all, Dahl was a tackling machine at NDSU, graduating as the program's all-time leader in solo tackles with 134.

Things have come full circle. "When you go against someone like Favre he's not afraid to go down the field and test the secondary. He's a gun slinger, and when you have a rushing attack with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor you have to be on your toes," said Dahl. Now in his second full season in the NFL, Dahl's much more comfortable. "As far as being a veteran, I have a lot more confidence in myself. I understand the schemes more, what offenses are trying to do to you, and understand more about the game than I did," explained Dahl of the learning curve between his first seasons. "I have a better idea now what I need to work on, what I'm good at. After being in the scheme for three years I feel like I'm able to play loose again."

Dahl credits his family and the athletic training staff at NDSU for his successful return to professional football. "My family was never more encouraging and supportive of my ambitions and goals," said Dahl. "They knew I wasn't satisfied ending my career then and there. They rallied and kept encouraging me and helped me get back to 100%."

Instrumental in Dahl's successful rehab were longtime NDSU athletic trainer and current director of sports medicine Scott Woken and his wife Kathy, a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Innovis Health. "I can't say enough about Scott and Kathy Woken. I worked with Kathy every day for months after my surgery, and gradually progressed to where I needed more room. That's when I started to work out with Scott and some NDSU trainers," elaborated Dahl on his road back to recovery. "I was able to come back even better then when I entered the league, so my hats off to them."

Entering this weekend's showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars the Rams are 0-5. Dahl is optimistic his new team we'll be able to turn things around. "There is such a small margin in the NFL on Sunday. There are no bad teams in the NFL, bad teams are just not executing like premier teams," explained Dahl when comparing the difference between the Giants team he played on and these Rams. "When you get that execution, fix the little things, when you turn that around you build a lot of confidence in yourself and end up winning."

Much like the current Bison football team, the Rams are committed to keep plugging away and persevering through difficult times. "This team has no quit in them, you saw that in the fourth quarter against the Vikings. The coaching staff doesn't have any quit and neither do we as players. We are staying focused and keep plugging away. We have to forget about the past and record and worry about the next team we going to play," concluded Dahl.

Dahl was a four year starter at North Dakota State from 2003 - 2006, a two-time team captain, was twice selected to the All Great West Football Conference first team and was an Honorable Mention All-American his senior season.