The Green Bay Packers have a clock on the north end of Lambeau Field, above where Vince Lombardi used to have his office.
The clock operates on "Lombardi Time," 15 minutes ahead of the real time, which is how his players learned to operate. Perhaps Eddie Lacy should have followed the advice of the legendary coach.
The running back was demoted due to his curfew violation Wednesday night, hours before the Packers took the field to play the Detroit Lions, a game where the Packers won 27-23.
Why did he miss curfew?
"I was just downstairs and lost track of time," he explained in his first interview since the incident.
"It's a life lesson, a lesson learned, something you move forward from."
The lessons officially started coming for Lacy hours later, in a one-on-one with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.
"We had a talk. We put it behind us. We're moving forward. We both got things out in that conversation," he said.
"At the same time, talking only does so much. It's about actions as well."
Lacy played in the game Thursday, but only touched the football six times for a combined one offensive yard.
"It was extremely tough. It was a result of my own behavior, something I had to deal with," he said.
"You can't take (anything) for granted. My scenario was getting demoted...it can definitely be worse. It's just something going forward, won't happen again."
Lacy hopes moving forward allows him not just the playing time, but the regained trust with his team that he can do what's necessary to produce at the Pro Bowl level he has reached in his young career.
