Not even a bullet lodged close to his heart or the two others that were removed from his body has kept Chargers running back Curtis Brinkley from pursuing his dream. Last Saturday, Brinkley was activated off the Charges practice squad to the team’s 53-man roster. An accomplishment that went virtually unnoticed by the media, but not by his teammates. Brinkley is a survivor who has beaten long-shot odds and his long-awaited opportunity to shine may finally come on Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since originally joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2009, Brinkley has spent a season on the Reserve-Non-Football Injury list and has been released and re-signed by the team on no less than five separate occasions. “Struggling keeps me going,” Brinkley said. “I am just trying to stay determined and keep my eye on wanting to be successful in life. I have a son. He keeps me going. I want him to grow up not how I grew up.”

Brinkley’s parents were part of his everyday life, but he was raised mostly by his grandmother in the tough neighborhoods of Philadelphia.“I think growing up in the inner city is rough period,” Brinkley said. “Growing up in the projects and seeing so much negativity. It’s easy to make wrong decisions when all of your friends are making those decisions because that is what you are surrounded by.”

Brinkley made enough right decisions to attend West Catholic High School where he became a standout star. He set Philadelphia prep records in his high school career with 7,429 yards and 85 touchdowns on 1,007 carries. Along the way he had five 300-yard games to break a mark set by Kevin Jones of the Detroit Lions. Brinkley finished his prep career honored as the AAAA Offensive Player of the Year in 2003.

Universities took notice and he was a highly recruited blue chip athlete, but his parents felt he lacked the needed maturity to succeed in college. Instead of going directly into college he spent the 2004 season at Hargrave Military Academy. The decision allowed Brinkley to keep his college options open for a year while he gained some much needed maturity. “Fifty percent of it was for discipline,” Brinkley admitted. “I went their committed to Syracuse and ended up recommitting to them.”

Brinkley played for Syracuse from 2005-09 and ended his college career as the school’s 15th all-time leading rusher with 2,132 rushing yards including 1,164 yards his senior year. NFL talent evaluators described him as a good all-around back that failed to truly standout in any one category. He was not selected in the 2009 draft, but the Chargers gave him an opportunity as an undrafted free agent.

After completing the Chargers offseason mini-camps and workouts, Brinkley returned to his home to Philadelphia to spend time with his family prior to start of training camp. Brinkley received a call from his sister Niveka who requested a ride home from her work at a medical center. As Brinkley waited in his car outside of Niveka’s work, a man approached the car and fired into the vehicle striking Brinkley three times.

Brinkley believes he was the victim of stupid jealously and mistaken identity. The gunman eventually turned himself and was someone Niveka’s had been dating. “I have not talked to the gunman,” Brinkley said. “I am assuming he thought I was someone else coming to pick her up.”

The location of the senseless act may have saved Brinkley’s life because he was able to receive immediate medical care. “It just wasn’t my time,” Brinkley said. “God has me here for more reasons. I know what it is like to be in that bed and to think that my career is over. I used to take a lot of things for granted. I know how to appreciate things when I didn’t before.”

In an odd way the shooting may have actually saved his career because it postponed his opportunity in training camp for a year. “This why I think everything happens for a reason and there is some stuff you just can’t question,” Brinkley explained. “When I first came here we had LaDainian Tomlinson, Gartrell Johnson, Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, and Mike Tolbert. Where would I have fit in? Before the shooting I wasn’t getting any reps at all.”

“When I went home it was mentally messing with me,” Brinkley said. “How am I going to get my shot? After the shooting happened I was extra motivated. I knew people were counting me out.” Brinkley spent the 2009 season on the Reserve-Non-Football Injury list.

Following the shooting surgeons determined it was unsafe to remove one of the bullets because it was lodged an inch away from his heart. “I knew I was against all odds,” Brinkley said. Remarkably, doctors determined it was still safe for him to play football. “After that I trained harder to prepare myself for another shot.” With the bullet still lodged next to his heart. Brinkley rejoined the Chargers less than a year after the incident in time to compete in the 2010 training camp. “It’s crazy,” wide receiver Vincent Jackson said. “You never hear him saying anything about it. You never hear him making excuses.”

The Chargers drafted running back Ryan Mathews in the first round of the 2010 draft, but Tomlinson, Johnson, and Bennett were no longer on the roster. Brinkley worked harder than he had ever worked before only to be released on the final day of cuts. He was re-signed, however, to the practice squad.

Due to an injury to Mathews (sprained ankle) in 2010, Brinkley realized his dream of making an NFL active roster when the Chargers played the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3 of that season. He did not see action and was released following the game, but was re-signed to the practice squad.

It was the first of three short stints on the active roster in 2010. He then returned to the active roster for a home game against the Denver Broncos in Week 11 on Monday Night Football.

It was late in the 4th quarter and the Chargers were up 35-14 when Brinkley’s number was finally called to enter the game. The ball was intended to go to Jacob Hester since Norv Turner had called for a fullback dive. Quarterback Philip Rivers and the rest of the huddle ignored Turner.“(Brinkley) had worked so hard,” Hester said. “As soon as he got into the game we wanted to get him a carry. It was a group effort. We had a time out. We started to talk about it. So, we were like all right (Brinkley) you are going to get it and you better get the first down.”

Brinkley ran for 9 yards and a first down, but his struggles were not over. Three weeks later he was cut again and returned to the practice squad. He then made the active roster again for the final game of the season against Denver.

Despite Sproles leaving to play for the New Orleans Saints in 2011, more competition entered the mix for Brinkley when San Diego drafted running back Jordan Todman (round six, 183rd overall pick). Todman made the 53-man roster and Brinkley was once again released on the final day of cuts only to be re-signed to the practice squad. “Every time I have been cut I have left with the impression that I am still a part of the family,” Brinkley said.

Although Todman was on the 53-man roster, he has never made a game-day active roster. This set up Mathews and Tolbert as the only available running backs during games. Mathews (calf, wrist) and Tolbert (concussion) both suffered injuries in Week 5 against the Broncos leaving only Hester to carry the ball.

After the game Turner promised a third running back would be active for the remainder of the season. Most thought that meant Todman. The Chargers, however, released Todman the day before last week’s game against the New York Jets and signed Brinkley to the active roster. Todman was then re-signed to practice squad.

Tolbert suffered a hamstring injury against the Jets and has missed practice this past week. If Tolbert is unable to play then Brinkley will likely see considerable action for the first time in his career. Running back Mathews believes Brinkley will make the most of an opportunity when it ever it comes.“Brinkley is someone special,” Mathews said. “He will get his time to shine and a lot of (people) are going to be surprised. He is going to show the world what he is made of.”

For now Brinkley is just happy his perseverance has given himself an opportunity. “I look at the good part of it,” Brinkley said. “It’s hard getting through those things. It is not easy. It’s mentally tough. It’s draining. It is tough staying on the right path, but what else am I going to do? Football is all I know.”