SIDELINED IDENTITY

We’ve all heard the “If I didn’t get hurt, I could’ve gone to the pros” story from a guy at the bar countless times, but for 1000s of D1 athletes this story rings true.

This is my friend, Major Roman. He was a tight end for Yale University, where he graduated in 2022. Following graduation, he began training for the next year leading up to this years draft. A year of grinding, dedication, and an unimaginable amount of hard work. 

Fast forward to last month, to a showcase for players who went undrafted but were still on the bubble to join NFL teams summer training camps. At this showcase, Major tore his Achilles, bringing his football career to an end.

To get to the point where pursuing a career as a professional athlete is a realistic possibility, requires a lifetime of dedication. From childhood on, you ARE a football player, that is your identity. You eat, sleep and breathe football for 15+ years to make it into the conversation, until one wrong move could cause an injury that forces you to sideline your identity, for good.

Wanting something so bad, that you’re willing to push your body to its absolute limits is rare for most, but not for athletes. Major shares this story with thousands of others, who came so close to their goal before one wrong step ends the pursuit they’ve been after since they were kids.

I wanted to highlight this story with these images, because I felt it was one that was extremely common but doesn’t get told that often. And while his football career may be over, Major has the drive and determination learned from chasing a career as a professional athlete, that he can transfer into whatever he chooses next.