New York Jets rookie safety Jamal Adams showcased his passion — and a bit of naivety — when speaking at a fan forum regarding chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head, that is currently plaguing the National Football League. Continue reading “NFL Player Says There’s More to Life Than Football Amid More CTE Concerns”
Sponsorship deals with Nike, Papa John’s Pizza commercials, comedy movie cameos and big-money contracts aren’t guaranteed just because you play in the National Football League.
Sure, some players like Peyton Manning, J.J. Watt and Tom Brady have those added ‘perks’ of being stars, but the majority of the league’s players don’t. They aren’t on your TV screens for three hours on Sunday afternoons then for 30-second snippets throughout the week trying to persuade you to change car insurance. These players are more anonymous. Some, though, are truly unknown.
Cam Newton was selected first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. The quarterback won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship while at Auburn University.
Peyton Manning was an All-American quarterback at the University of Tennessee before being chosen No. 1 by the Indianapolis Colts in 1998. We all know the caliber of career he had in the NFL.
While players like Newton, Manning and countless others dominate the headlines and spotlight, there are many players, if not more, who are relative unknowns. Continue reading “Ryan Spadola, Like Many Others, Had Unheralded Journey to NFL”
