In the NFL, teams start training camp with a 90-man roster which drops to 75 and finally to 53. Last Saturday, Aug. 31, teams made cuts to finalize their 53-man roster for the 2013-2014 season.
If I am going to be honest with you, this is one area that I had little knowledge of until recently. There is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes and in the locker rooms of professional football than meets normal fans’ eyes.
The Seattle Seahawks recently drafted Ty Powell, a 2013 Harding graduate. Powell played in three of four preseason games and had an impressive nine tackles, two of them being sacks.
The Seahawks released Powell on Aug. 31 when the team had to be cut down to 53. He was re-signed on Sept. 1 as a member of the Seahawks’ practice squad. This means Powell will only get to practice with the team and hopefully continue to work his way up in the NFL ranks.
I was considering the circumstances surrounding the cuts and how stressful it can be for the players involved. Their careers are placed into the hands of coaches and owners in hopes they will be signed. If they are not, players are released and cross their fingers that another team will look their way.
Think about it: the players who were drafted before graduating college and are released have been hung out to dry while they wait for something else to come up. They could return to their respective schools to finish their degree, hope another team picks them up or choose another career path.
I think if I were in the player’s shoes I would be a wreck, but it seems like every player keeps their cool in these high stress situations.
Basically, I am saying NFL players and prospects can be top notch. They are passionate about the sport they love and it shows through their play on the field and their attitudes off the field.
The cuts made for the 53-man active roster can be a time for the new kids to feel discouraged, but I think it gives the players the fire they need to really make something of themselves in the NFL.
