Bironas' father: 'He drank too much, got in the car and it cost him his life'

When former Titans kicker Rob Bironas lost control of his SUV in a single-car accident that eventually took his life, his blood-alcohol content was .218, more than 2.5 times the legal limit, a toxicology report obtained by the Tennessean revealed.

On Friday, Bironas' father, Larry, said that he didn't know why his son got behind the wheel on Sept. 20, and called the situation "a sad story."

"He drank too much and got in the car and it cost him his life," Larry Bironas, 68, told the Tennessean. "I don't condone drinking, and Rob knew that. … Why it happened? Why had he been drinking so much that night? Why did he get behind the wheel? I don't know. We'll probably never know. At the same time I have to have faith and believe that someone has a better place for him.

"Rob's life served a purpose. He had a better 36 years than most people are going to see and he didn't take anybody with him, so I am thankful for that. The Lord took care of him as he saw to do it. But Rob knew better, he knew not to get in the car while drinking. It should have never happened."

While police said there was no alcohol at the scene of the accident, Larry Bironas expected alcohol to show up on his son's toxicology report.

"I told you I could live with the news, even if it was bad," Larry Bironas said, referring to the earlier interview with the Tennessean. "Now if Rob had taken out a family, I would have had a tough time. But if God figures this is the way it has to be, it's the way it has to be.

"Now I'll probably kick him in his butt when I see him next," Bironas said. "It's hard. ... From everyone I talked to, Rob was very particular about not getting behind a wheel in that condition. He had distanced himself from the party scene. He was at home on this night, so why was he drinking so much? Why did he choose to drive this time? I don't know. I can't get in his brain now."

Meanwhile, authorities say the investigation continues, which isn't unusual when there is a fatality.

"Among the questions we'd like to answer is what the speed of the vehicle was at the time of the crash," Metro police spokesman Don Aaron told the Tennessean. "The crash investigation team has methods to determine the speed, and we are hoping they will be productive in this case."

The Titans honored Bironas before yesterday's game against Cleveland.

Source: CBS Sports

photo via USAToday