Shockey Saves Choking Teammate

Although newly signed Panther tight end's Jeremy Shockey and Ben Hartsock haven't played together for very long and are competing for playing time, they now have a deep bond moving forward.

Hartsock credited Shockey with helping to save his life yesterday after he choked on a piece of meat and couldn't breathe in the team's lunch room.

Hartsock's agent Mike McCartney said a piece of pork tenderloin got caught in Hartsock's throat and he tried drinking water to clear his throat, but that didn't work.

"He started to go to the bathroom, and I don't know if he collapsed, but he couldn't breathe," McCartney said. "Some new guy came and tried to give him the Heimlich. It didn't work. Then, Shockey hit him in the back pretty hard and out came the meat. The Panthers told me it was really scary."

"He said to me a little while ago, 'I really hope this doesn't get out, but if it does, it's going to be a funny story.' "