aulia on Nostr: A few years ago when I was head of a news outlet my NFL-mad CEO at the time insisted ...
A few years ago when I was head of a news outlet my NFL-mad CEO at the time insisted that we write a story about Ryan Santoso, the Indonesian American placekicker who had been signed and waived multiple times at that point by NFL and CFL teams.
Not sure what the significance was because he barely got game time and I was reluctant to do the story since there was very little story to write. It wasn’t his first signing, wasn’t his first game, and he hadn’t had any notable achievements. When we wrote about him he was just signed by the Panthers who ended up trading him to the Titans after just one game. My CEO insisted it was a big deal but I didn’t see the point but it wasn’t a hill I was gonna die on either so we pushed a story out. It didn’t perform and nobody cared.
Santoso basically was a journeyman already at that point and continued to be after that article. He was again signed and waived a few times without seeing minutes on the field. As of this year he had played a total of 7 pro football games but through sheer luck he was part of the LA Rams practice squad when they won Super Bowl LVI. I don’t know if practice squad members can claim that title but it must be bitter sweet.
I feel for the guy but it is a very tough field. Each team has 40-50 or so players on the roster, not everyone is guaranteed a spot and there are only 17 games in a season.
Not sure what the significance was because he barely got game time and I was reluctant to do the story since there was very little story to write. It wasn’t his first signing, wasn’t his first game, and he hadn’t had any notable achievements. When we wrote about him he was just signed by the Panthers who ended up trading him to the Titans after just one game. My CEO insisted it was a big deal but I didn’t see the point but it wasn’t a hill I was gonna die on either so we pushed a story out. It didn’t perform and nobody cared.
Santoso basically was a journeyman already at that point and continued to be after that article. He was again signed and waived a few times without seeing minutes on the field. As of this year he had played a total of 7 pro football games but through sheer luck he was part of the LA Rams practice squad when they won Super Bowl LVI. I don’t know if practice squad members can claim that title but it must be bitter sweet.
I feel for the guy but it is a very tough field. Each team has 40-50 or so players on the roster, not everyone is guaranteed a spot and there are only 17 games in a season.