Show Us What You’ve Got
“Is it always this hot, all the damn time?” Chris Olave asked me as we were headed back to the locker rooms to change.
“Come on, Cali. Don’t tell me being in Ohio got you soft.” I laughed.
“Even Cali gives a little breeze. This shit is suffocating. I’m glad we play in the Super Dome.”
“You right. I’ve lived in the South my whole life. Went to school in Miami and then in Jackson, Mississippi and this heat is a different animal this year.”
Training camp had been great. I actually got a chance to work out with the starters a little this past week. Michael Thomas is unreal. I have been busting my ass to get this playbook down because when my number is called I want to be ready. I can see myself sliding in as the backup quarterback to Jameis Winston.
I head to my locker to put my things away.
“K.D., can I speak to you for a second?” Our quarterbacks coach, Ronald Curry, called from the doorway of his office.
I walked into the office and stood in front of the chair.
“Take a seat.”
“What’s up, Coach?”
“Well, you know preseason is just around the corner. And we’d like to see what you can do. We want to give you a few more snaps in practice this week to get ready for Baltimore. Jameis will start us off and then we’ll try and work you into the second half.”
“Thank you, sir. I’m ready.”
“Hope so. You have impressed all throughout training camp. Keep it up.”
I still had the same smile on my face when I arrived back at my condo twenty minutes later. I could hear my mom in the kitchen.
“Tell me you are making lasagna, Ma.”
“You know I am. How was practice today? They make you the starter over Winston yet?”
I walk over to the refrigerator and grab a bottle of tea. “Not yet, Ma. But I got good news.”
I take a seat at the counter and she sits a plate of lasagna in front of me. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”
“Coach said they want me to take some snaps in the second half of the preseason game against Baltimore.”
“Are you serious? Baby, that is so great! I told you, you can do this. Have you told Miss Agent?”
I laughed. “Her name is Yasmin, Ma. And I wanted to tell you first.”
I pulled out my phone and sent Yasmin a text of the news. She responded her congratulations almost immediately. She said she would be in town in two days, and we needed to schedule some time to talk.
Then she sent two words: Jordan Brand.