By Austen Lane
MMQB.com
4-year NFL veteran Austen Lane participated in the first Boot Camp: Sports Journalism & Communications in May 2013. Since his participation in the program, Austen has written two articles for Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback column and website. An excerpt from his most recent article is below.
JACKSONVILLE — When writing part one of my crazy football story 10 weeks ago (you may recall What It’s Like to Get Whacked, about being cut from an NFL team), I knew in the back of my mind that part two would be my redemption piece. The first article was about sadness, frustration and disappointment when I was cut out of the blue by the Jaguars in June, a bad fit for coach Gus Bradley’s new defense. The second part would capture my return to glory, a phoenix rising from the ashes of self-doubt and uncertainty and depression into the light, back into my rightful place playing in the NFL.
See, the Kansas City Chiefs had picked me right after the Jaguars fired me, thinking I could be a fit as a fast, pass-rushing type defensive end. And the first game of the regular season, perfectly, was Chiefs-Jags—in Jacksonville. Part two was going to be a story of perseverance, hope and the power of a positive attitude.
Unfortunately, this is not that story.
There is a special time every year when Sundays aren’t just for church and doing work around the house. The special months between September and January feature Sundays when you assemble your friends, drink some beer and, most importantly, watch football. That’s for fans. As a player, Sundays were everything to me. Sunday was the one day a week I could just let it loose and have fun.
Read the full article here.
Read Part I of Austen’s MMQB story here.
Boot Camp: Sports Journalism & Communications will take place on May 12th – 15th, 2014. The cost to attend is $1,000 plus travel. Applications are available now and must be submitted by February 28th, 2014. Visit the NFL Engagement Zone for additional information and to apply.