Im worried that for the rest of life, in the last days of August my palms will drip sweat, my chest will tighten with anxiety, and my heart rate will spike through the roof. With all 32 NFL teams finalizing their rosters over the Labor Day weekend, I couldnt help but reflect back on my time spent on the roster bubble. No, really. I couldnt help it. So I wrote it down
After the final preseason game, rosters get trimmed from 75 players to 53 players. For most squads, if youre playing in that final preseason game, youre fighting for a job. The days following are like an intense cardio workout, but not from wind sprints or lifting weights; from staring at one's cell phone and praying "please don't call me."
For the top-half of the roster, the final preseason game goes like this: workout before the game, pre-game warmups, watch the game while chewing sunflower seeds and looking forward to having the next couple days off. This rite of passage is reserved for those secure in their status on the team. The other half of the roster grinds out that final game, playing special teams and nearly every snap of offense or defense in front of half filled stadiums of indifferent fans.
Truly a physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting 3 hours for guys trying to cling to their dream; trying to remain employed with a company thats not quite sure if it wants them.
Ill never forget the way the dorm rooms smelled..
