Chad Brown Tells Story Of Undrafted Player Leaving In The Middle Of The Night During Training Camp
Only the very finest of the best are able to achieve these heights in the harsh world of the NFL. Even still, given how many players are cut before the season even starts and never get to play a meaningful game, it could be easier to stay in the NFL than it is to get in. Now that the NFL draft has passed, many athletes will be concentrating on establishing themselves throughout their offseason regimens in the hopes of being selected. No matter their talent, some players just can’t cut it, according to a former linebacker with the Steelers.
In the second round of the 1993 draft, the Steelers selected Chad Brown. He played for the team for four years until accepting a contract with the Seahawks, then spent the final years of his career switching between the Patriots and the Steelers. As evidenced by his two First-team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowls, Brown was a good player in the NFL. However, he expressed his feelings of inferiority to Boris Graham, an undrafted free agent linebacker signed by the Steelers for training camp, on the podcast Kill U With Truth, which he regularly hosts. As Brown recounts, once the pads were on, his concerns soon vanished.
“My freshman year, I had an undrafted linebacker named Boris from West Virginia who had the appearance of a Greek god. I was like, ‘My my, I did 225 eleven times, this guy did like 31 times.’ He was muscular, with large shoulders, wide lats, and extreme athleticism. He ran a 4.5, and I ran a 4.7 40. Brown remarked, “I’m second round, he’s undrafted,” in reference to Graham’s seeming superiority over him despite not being selected.
“I’m not sure if the NFL is for me if these are the kind of players I’m going up against. Well, it was obvious that Boris couldn’t play football after we put on the pads.
It’s helpful to be reminded that, as has been demonstrated time and time again, not every exceptional athlete makes a great football player. Consider John Ross, a former wide receiver with the Bengals. In spite of being a poor NFL player, Ross had previously held the record for the quickest 40-yard sprint time at the NFL Combine. A player is not always able to play the part just because they look the part. Brown continued by detailing Graham’s fate and the reason Head Coach Bill Cowher had to call an urgent meeting.
“And Boris left training camp in the middle of the night because he was so bad at football.” Coach Cowher was forced to bring it up in the meetings the next day.
When Cowher had to explain to the squad what had happened to Graham, Brown remarked, “Hey, guys, if you’re uncertain about what’s happened here and you don’t feel good, at least come talk to me.” “Please stay here so we can call the police in the middle of the night to find out what happened to you. At the very least, confirm with us that everything is well before you depart and check out.
It is actually amazing to consider what coaches like Cowher had to think when they woke up in 1993 and realized a player had simply disappeared—a time before everyone had cell phones with which to contact. Though it’s amusing to think back on now, it must have been horrifying at the time.
At least their coach could contact or call a player who left during camp these days.
This narrative also illustrates the harsher side of the NFL, as it shows adult men trying to fulfill a lifelong dream who give up before it even begins because they are too overwhelmed by it all. Those that are regular can’t handle that kind of pressure since it’s not natural. No one is born with the same level of mental toughness as every NFL player. Instead, as they mature during their trip, it becomes a part of them.
Being a successful NFL player requires commitment, and as the offseason approaches and training camp approaches, it’s important to keep in mind how difficult it may be for players.Considering this year’s undrafted free agents, you never know when the next Willie Parker or James Harrison will be practicing on the field. But as Brown explains, you can spot the next Boris Graham quite soon. You are not automatically an NFL player just because you look like one. A large number of such attributes are inward-looking and invisible to the naked sight.
