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Cardinals' Palmer braces for emotional return to Los Angeles Coliseum

Bill Streicher / USA TODAY Sports

Carson Palmer will get a chance to do something not many professionals have on Sunday when he plays an NFL game at the site of his college's home stadium.

Palmer played his entire collegiate career at USC. He'll return to his old stomping grounds when his Arizona Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Rams at their new home, Los Angeles Coliseum.

"Having a chance to go back and play there again is something I never, ever thought would have happened," Palmer said ahead of the game, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. "Getting a chance to finish off the year and play there is really special to me."

Palmer won every one of USC's home games in his senior season in 2002. He would go on to win the Heisman Trophy and earn the No. 1 selection in the 2003 NFL Draft.

"It's a very special place to me," he said.

It hasn't been a special season for Palmer. A year after leading the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game, he and his team have struggled to a 6-8-1 record and have been eliminated from postseason play.

Palmer turned 37 this week. After such a poor year, it's possible Sunday's game will be his last in the NFL. If that is the case, he'll be ending his career on the same field that his college regular-season career came to a close.

"It's going to be emotional, I'm sure," he said.

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