Page 197 of Made Better Together

“Thanks, Del, I’m good to step in.”

He chuckles. “I’m sure you are.”

“Do I need to come to the facility today?”

“First, we’ll email you the contract if you want your agent and lawyer to look at it. It’s standard language. You’ll make the league minimum.”

“Sure, okay.”

“Good. Your agent can talk to the GM’s office if there are any questions. Then I’d like to meet with you today, go over a few things, and see if you and Ernie can hook up for some practice.”

Since it’s Friday, our regular team practices won’t resume until Monday otherwise. “I can definitely come in.” My head is brimming with questions too.

“There’s one more thing you should know, Connor. I won’t lie, some people in the organization want to find a free-agent veteran to carry us for the playoffs. I vouched for you, and since we’ve already secured the bye, we all agreed to give you a shot for this last regular season game.”

He doesn’t continue to the next obvious conclusion, but I can read between the lines. If I fuck up during the next game, I’m out.

“I won’t let you down, Del. I promise.” My words are loaded with particular meaning given recent events.

“I know you won’t.”

The contract gets sorted quickly—it’s indeed standard language, per Aiden, who Landon connected me with after I made the practice team. I’m ecstatic at the almost $50,000 weekly paycheck and opportunity, so we don’t screw around with trying for changes.

Then it’s time to focus on slotting into the starting role. Once they restart on Monday, the full team practices go smoothly. Having watched Jeremy for almost the entire season, I settle into a flow that mirrors his. Functionally, it’s not significantly different from when I was on the practice squad, except now I get a lot more reps and play from the beginning.

Finally, it’s time to go. My first game starting, my first road trip.

When we land at Newark, I can’t help but think about the countless times I’ve gone on this exact flight, Orlando to New Jersey.

Only before, it was to head back to school after a break.

This time, it’s as the starting kicker of an NFL team.

“We don’t walk through the normal airport in Newark, right?” I ask Rawley quietly once we’re seated on the plane. I know it’s a “dumb question,” and he’s the only one I’m comfortable asking.

He shakes his head. “Nah, there’s a private section we use.” He narrows his eyes. “You holding onto any other questions? I forgot you’re basically a rookie today, without the benefit of a bunch of others heading to their first game too.”

I wrack my brain. “Not yet, but I’m sure some will come.”

Part of it turns out that I don’t know what I don’t know. Rawley and Ernie tag team to quietly give me info as I settle into the hotel: dinner options, how getting to the stadium on game day works, what we’re allowed to do for entertainment tonight.

Not that I want to do anything crazy. After hanging with a bunch of the offense players, including Johnson and Rawley, for a movie, I head back to my room and text with Eden.

CONNOR: Hey beauty, back in my room.

EDEN: Ahhhh, wish I could be there. How are you feeling?

CONNOR: NGL, nervous.

EDEN: You’re gonna be great.

CONNOR: Hope so.

EDEN: Want to FaceTime and watch a show together until you fall asleep?

She’s perfect. It’s exactly what I needed. I end up picking a world history documentary on one of the educational streaming channels, and she doesn’t even protest.

Instead, she chats away with me, debating how accurately they portray certain events.