Princeton graduate and Washington Redskins offensive lineman Ross Tucker’s six year NFL career came to an end last week when he was cut by the team and subsequently discovered a career-ending injury. In Peter King’s MMQB column over at CNNSI, Tucker delivers a touching first-hand account of his experience. Here’s a short excerpt where Tucker recounts walking into Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s office after he learned he would be cut:
I asked Mr. Snyder’s assistant if I could thank the Redskins owner for the opportunities he had given me. In his office, I choked up a bit as I said, “Thank you so much for giving an undrafted free agent rookie from Princeton an opportunity in 2001. You really changed my life.” It’s true — the Redskins gave me my first and my last chance at my dream. In an attempt to lighten the mood I told Mr. Snyder I still had one claim to fame. “I am pretty sure that I am the only 28-year-old Princeton grad that has been fired five times already.” He laughed.
Tucker’s column supplies wonderful insights look into a part of athletic life that fans do not often see.
RSS - Posts
It looks like Princeton breeds a higher class of person, if not athlete.
Tucker’s is a very different response from the anger most athletes (and non-athletes) feel about their losing their jobs. For most people, what they won through competition they often feel they ought to be able to keep through entitlement. This is a story in part because of Tucker’s unfortunately unusual response.