Some major NFL players weren’t always the hotshots they are now, but somewhere along the way, stars were born. As the postseason is winding down, it’s key to recognize the starting grounds for some of today’s most talked about players and their lesser-known history.
Whether they were overlooked as a youngster or received a lack of offers from college athletic programs in high school, these players all had to start somewhere. Some had to email coaches to try to gain recognition, and others had to climb the steep ladder to success. In Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s case, he had to go the extra mile just to get a shot at going pro. Luckily, one coach was willing to take a chance on him.
Although Allen’s 2023 season ended just a few days ago in a nail-biting loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, his six seasons in the NFL have been a major topic of conversation, but he wasn’t always making headlines.
Coming out of high school, Allen’s football future seemed bleak. Despite amassing over 5,000 passing yards in his high school career, he didn’t have any scholarship offers from any NCAA Division I programs. Even though he received an offer to walk on from San Diego State, playing time wasn’t promised.
With no promising opportunities and the odds stacked against him, Allen attended Reedley Junior College in California. Just one year in, Allen made the most important decision of his career. He sent out over 1,000 emails to college coaches asking for a chance and included a link to a highlight video showcasing his skills.
This course of action proved to be life-changing, leading Allen to receive one singular offer from the University of Wyoming.
In his three years as a Wyoming Cowboy, Allen appeared in 27 games and led the team to a record of 8-5 his junior year and to 8-3 as a senior. With over 5,000 passing yards to his name and the record for the highest single-season passing efficiency at Wyoming, Allen’s professional future was slowly changing its course.
Since Allen was selected seventh overall by the Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft, the rest has been history. In the 11 starts he made during his rookie year, Allen made quick work and set five franchise records for passing and rushing.
While it may be easy to get wrapped up in the highs and lows of his professional career, Allen’s high school and collegiate journies have proven to be the most inspiring. Despite being an underdog, Allen changed the narrative and took himself from the bottom to the top.
Another one of the NFL’s household names, Aaron Rodgers, didn’t always hold the gaze of millions.
The cards appeared to stack against Rodgers as he came from a small town in California with little recognition from major programs. His collegiate football career began at Butte Community College where he quickly made a name for himself at the quarterback position.
Rodgers stepped on the gas the minute he stepped on the field as he threw 28 touchdowns and reigned in a 10-1 record during his first season. In no time, he began to attract more notable attention.
After just one season at Butte, he earned a scholarship to play at the University of California, Berkeley. By his fifth game at Cal, Rodgers claimed the starting position where he led the team to a 7-3 season record.
In 2004, Rodgers grew to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football, leading the Golden Bears to 10-1 with 24 touchdowns and over 2,500 passing yards. Before long, he declared for the NFL Draft where he was chosen in the first round by the Green Bay Packers.
Although Rodgers had somewhat of a straighter path to success than Allen, his road to the big league started small and is now larger than imagined.
Rodgers remains highly accredited in his success. He has been named to 10 Pro Bowls, received four regular season NFL MVP awards and is the all-time career leader in passer rating.
A few of the other noteworthy players who had dysfunctional journies to successful NFL careers are Antonio Brown, DeMarcus Lawrence and Matt Paradis.
With millions of high school football players in the country, receiving a collegiate scholarship is a rarity, so rare that just 3% of hopeful applicants will receive a Division I scholarship. Although Allen, Rodgers and several others weren’t part of that 3% at the start, they made the impossible possible.
Now, as they earn paychecks larger than most, dominate headlines and make football history, their career milestones truly represent the light at the end of the tunnel. Although they all were required to go the extra mile for a chance, the cards they were dealt eventually turned out in their favor. With some serious grit and go-getter mentalities, the fight to the top was well worth it for this group as they brought themselves from zero to hero.