"Derrick Mason proudly watched as his son bolted out of his stance and sprinted across the practice field with a familiar stride.

Like his father and namesake, Derrick II plays wide receiver with a smile on his face.

"They're out here because they love the game, and, as you get older, sometimes you lose sight of that," Mason told the Carroll County Times during his recent youth football camp at McDaniel College. "I haven't lost sight of that. I still play with the passion of a little kid. As long as that's here, I'll continue to play."

"Just to have fun, that's why I play the game. I have fun and I enjoy it. Once I stop having fun and enjoying it, I'll quit."

Heading into his 15th NFL season and having celebrated his 37th birthday in January, the Baltimore Ravens' veteran wide receiver has maintained a standard reached by few other wide receivers in league history.

Impressively durable with a gritty style and willingness to play through pain, Mason has caught at least 60 passes for 11 consecutive seasons to match NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. He ranks one year behind Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez's dozen years in a row of 60 receptions or more.

Only Mason, Rice and Gonzalez have achieved that milestone.

How did the two-time Pro Bowl selection last this long?

"It's been a blessing," Mason said. "I haven't had any major injuries to my lower extremities. There hasn't been anything I've done differently than the greats or the guys that have played five or six years. I take care of myself and I work hard.

"I make sure I work as hard as I can in the offseason and push my body to the limit and sometimes over that. So when I get into the season, it's easy for me. It's just a bunch of lessons and God watching over me and working hard."

Mason has played in 138 consecutive games, ranking second in the NFL behind Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne."