Luke balled up his fists, then did it again. Man, he was fuming, like a volcano ready to blow.
Being one of the few Avalis American faces on the football field, Luke had been busting his butt to smash all those dumb stereotypes since he was a kid. He kept showing everyone that Avalis American players could totally own the game.
Over the last three days at training camp, he thought he had nailed it, proving that no matter your skin color or race, Avalis American players could be top-notch football stars. But nope, he had totally overestimated those team execs and the cocky athletes.
Seattle Seahawks, one day, he’d make them eat their words and feel the burn of real regret!
Luke stormed out of the hallway and ducked into the bathroom. Before he lost it completely, he splashed his face with cold water, and slowly, the rage simmered down. This was just the second interview, and man, today felt like it was dragging on forever. He needed to chill. To prove himself, to win, to hit the top, he first needed to get on a team, have a stage, and grab that chance.
So, he couldn’t lose his cool.
After a quick breather, Luke headed back to the hallway and got back to the grind of today’s interviews.
Besides the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks, there were thirteen other teams, like the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Arizona Cardinals, who had been swapping quarterbacks like crazy lately.
Then there were teams like the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears, whose starting quarterbacks were always a letdown and needed fresh blood every year.
And don’t forget teams like the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts, whose starting quarterbacks were solid but always on the lookout for backup talent.
Surprisingly, but kinda expected, the Carolina Panthers, who had the first overall pick, also wanted a chat. Luke wasn’t the only quarterback they called in; four other guys got the nod too. Including Cam, the Panthers were checking out six quarterbacks in total. Clearly, they were keeping their options wide open beyond just Cam.
As for the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers, neither team gave Luke a holler.
The Green Bay Packers were chill about their quarterback situation. Their star QB, Aaron Rodgers, was killing it. In February, they had just snagged their fourth Super Bowl win by taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were probably the last team looking for a new quarterback.
The deal with the San Francisco 49ers was a bit messier. Their main guy, Alex Smith, was the top pick in the 2005 draft. Back then, they picked Alex over Aaron Rodgers. But since 2002, the 49ers hadn’t seen the playoffs for eight straight years. Looking back, that draft choice seemed like a major oops.
Even though Alex wasn’t exactly a superstar, he was still pretty solid. So, yeah, they needed a quarterback, but it wasn’t a code red. Not calling Luke in was a bummer but kinda made sense.
Even though the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers didn’t hit him up, Luke still got a lot out of a jam-packed day of interviews.
The New Orleans Saints were the most hyped.
Their QB coach, Joe, really vibed with Luke. He grilled him on his college days, daily grind, and future plans. They used up the whole ten-minute slot, then told Luke he could bounce.
Next up were the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins.
Philip Rivers, the Chargers’ QB, was rock solid, but they were hunting for a more dependable backup. The Dolphins, on the other hand, hadn’t found a true leader since Hall of Famer Dan Marino hung up his cleats.
The Chargers were way more chill and welcoming. Not just because they were also in California, which had a ton of Avalis American folks, but they’d also heard about Luke’s epic comeback in the Rose Bowl. They were eyeing Luke even before the training camp. Picking a backup QB was way less stressful than picking a starter.
But these rookie camp interviews were just quick ten-minute feelers to see what’s up. The real draft was still two months away, and every team would be digging deeper, running assessments, and chatting more. So, today’s interviews were just scratching the surface, and the results were still up in the air.
The whole day of interviews, from 8 AM to 10 PM, was a marathon and still wasn’t done. Luke had only hit up fifteen interviews and was already wiped out. It was hard to imagine how those top dogs, who had to sit through interviews with all thirty-two teams, were holding up.
Now, Luke was gearing up for his last interview of the day: the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins were old-school legends in the league, with three Super Bowl wins and five NFL championships under their belt. Lately, though, they’d been missing that star quarterback to lead the charge. They made the playoffs in '05 and '07, but overall, they’d been all over the place.
In the last four seasons, they’d swapped head coaches three times, and their roster was like a revolving door.
Their current QB, Rex Grossman, was a vet who came in as the 22nd overall pick back in 2003. Despite being around for ages, he’d always been more of a backup guy, with hit-or-miss performances. Last year, he led the team to a 6-10 record, missing the playoffs again.
Whenever folks talked about teams needing a rookie quarterback, the Redskins were always in the mix. Both the team and the fans thought they were just one top-tier QB away from snagging their fourth Super Bowl. They had everything but that key piece.
This year, Cam was the hot favorite for the first overall pick, and the Redskins probably didn’t stand a chance. But besides him, there were at least a dozen QBs worth picking. With the 10th overall pick in the first round, the Redskins were hungry and had been grilling a bunch of quarterbacks today.
After waiting around for about forty-five minutes, it was finally Luke’s turn. Led by the staff, he walked into the hotel room. The setup, decor, and vibe were all starting to blur together. After a marathon day of interviews, everyone was looking pretty beat.
Still, Luke pulled himself together, straightened up, and nailed his self-introduction before plopping down on the sofa right in front of the four interviewers, locking eyes with them.
On the left were the offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, and defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett. On the right was head coach Mike Shanahan, and directly in front was the general manager, Bruce Allen.
Oh, and by the way, Bruce was also the executive president of the Redskins, and Mike was Kyle’s dad.
“Thanks for coming to the Washington Redskins' interview,” Bruce said.
As the GM, Bruce had the final say on all team matters and reported straight to the owner, making him the top dog. Some GMs liked to delegate and trust the head coach, while others were control freaks. Bruce seemed to be the latter.
"After a long day of interviews, we're all beat, so let's just chill and have a simple chat," Bruce said with a friendly smile. His short gray hair, slicked back with gel, stood tall and sharp, and his deep-set eyes had a shrewd calmness.
Bruce seemed to be making small talk, casually saying, "You’re a bit of a mystery. You only became a backup in your senior year. Why didn’t you leave UCLA before that? With your skills, picking another school might’ve let you start and show off more."
As a journalist, reading between the lines was a must. During his four years in college, Luke spent a ton of time on the training field but was mostly just a practice player. He didn’t play in regular games, so his academics didn’t take a hit. He nailed his internships and practical tasks.
So, Luke could sense the probing in Bruce’s words and the weighing behind his gaze. This wasn’t surprising; people in power often had that vibe.
"If I say that besides football, my academics were also super important to me, would that be a good enough answer?" Luke’s rhetorical question had a hint of humor, making everyone smile.
After a light chuckle, Luke got serious, "I did think about transferring, but for various reasons, it didn’t work out. On the flip side, at UCLA, I gradually earned my shot. So, I chose to stay."
Luke didn’t spell it out, but his words hinted at a big issue in the football world: his Avalis American identity. It wasn’t just about racial segregation but also physical disadvantages. It was a double whammy.
Comparatively, in the more open East and West Coasts, ethnic integration was better, giving Luke more chances. But colleges on both coasts were also tougher to get into, like Harvard and Stanford.
Bruce nodded slightly, his eyes showing keen interest. "I need you to answer one question seriously. What does victory mean to you? Because from what you’ve said so far, it sounds like football is just a hobby for you."
A killer question!