Miami Dolphins Sign An Accountant Who Hasn’t Played Football Since High School to be Their Tight End — No Joke
For Full Article — The Salt Lake Tribune:
A couple of years ago, Les Brown had dropped out of Westminster College and was grunting away in accounting at a private equity firm in West Palm Beach, Fla., paying bills, doing invoices, checking employee expense reports, drifting in and out of various stages of sleepy lethargy.
A couple of days ago, he signed a deal to play tight end for the Miami Dolphins. He was wide-awake.
Brown’s road-never-taken to the NFL started at Judge Memorial and Highland high schools and went through Westminster. But at the college level, he did not once touch a football. He played basketball for three years for the Griffins as a 6-foot-4, 190-pound shooting guard.
Before that, in high school, Brown played football, baseball and basketball, and was recruited in each of those sports, including Harvard (basketball) and BYU (football).
He chose basketball because a few glances in the mirror made one thing clear to him: “I didn’t have the body to play football. I was a tall, skinny kid who liked to sit outside and shoot threes.”
Somewhere between studying finance and taking an internship at Huntsman Gay Global Capital, it dawned on Brown that the NBA wasn’t in his future. When he received a full-time offer at the firm, he quit school, quit basketball and launched his career. When the firm closed its Salt Lake City office, Brown moved to an office in West Palm Beach. But after seven months there, in July 2011, he decided to return home to finish his degree.
He couldn’t have imagined at that time his decision would bounce him back to South Florida to play pro football.
When Brown returned to Westminster, he went with his younger brother, Braden, an offensive tackle at BYU, to check out pro trainers who might be able to help Braden prepare for an eventual ascent to the NFL.
One of the trainers, Chad Ikei, took an interest in the basketball player/accountant/finance major who happened to be tagging along.
Says Brown: “He looked at me and said, ‘You’ve got the rest of your life to work. You could be a great tight end.’ “
As the weeks went by, Ikei pushed dreams on Brown he didn’t even know he had.
He returned to the mainland in time to participate in BYU’s pro day on March 29, fully aware of his status and standing: “I was a no-name guy coming out of nowhere. I knew I had to turn some heads.”
Brown did exactly that.
In the vertical jump, he went 39 inches, the highest of anyone at the event.
In the broad jump, he went 10 feet, 3 inches, the longest at the event.
In the 40, he ran a 4.43, the fastest at the event.
He ran routes and caught passes, impressing the scouts, all of whom asked the same question: Who is this guy?
The Eagles subsequently called, the Giants called, the Raiders and Colts called. The Dolphins, Packers and Eagles invited Brown to private workouts. He made it to Miami and then Green Bay before the Dolphins persuaded him to sign a three-year minimum deal with them, which included a modest signing bonus.
“All I wanted was a chance,” he says. “When I started on this journey, I never thought this would happen.”
It has happened. Brown will fly out Sunday, reporting to Dolphins mini-camp on Monday.
“I know the hard work is just beginning,” he says. “I’m excited and humbled. I’ve got a lot of work in front of me. My goal now is to make the Dolphins look like the smartest team around for giving me a shot.”
This boss just become the instant front-runner for “Man of the Year?” Dude is like, just give me a quick 3 month bootcamp and I’ll get signed in the NFL. More power to this guy. I’m a huge fan of Les Brown now!
But, Really? Who is making decisions inside the Dolphins organization? What are the chances that this guy pans out? -10%. Why do they sign him for three years AND a signing bonus?
I’m embarrassed that the Philadelphia Eagles showed interest in this guy. Embarrassed.
Haven’t we learned anything about guys who show up at workouts and combines and put up great numbers but have had average (or NO) college career? They normally don’t pan out. When athletes hit the pro level, it doesn’t become about physical skill anymore, its all about heart and desire. It seems like the trainer wanted this more than Brown did.
Mike Mamula anyone?
Source: [Sportsgrid]
