“Day by day,” that’s a phrase I hear a lot in locker rooms, in the gym, with my trainer, and with my team. You might have heard it as, “Brick by brick,” or “One step at a time,” but regardless of how you’ve heard it, you know it’s harder than it sounds. It’s even harder, going into a season of the NFL as a veteran.
Over 17 weeks of highs and lows, grueling work, and rewarding gains, my team and I are giving our best every week. I know this rhythm, this flow. I’ve been in the game for nine years, but this year there’s something different to it.
As a veteran player, preparing for something like this is challenging. While more time means more experience, it also means a different body with different strengths and weaknesses. Noo season feels the same.
If you’ve stuck with anything for the long haul, you know that you work hard to find a routine. You work hard to find something that works for you. You work out the bugs, overcome the adjustment period, and find a flow, but as time goes by things still change. My body and environment have changed, my surroundings have changed, and the adjustments I made to meet those needs in year one or year five aren’t the same this year.
It’s a weird feeling to know you’re closer to the end of something than to the beginning...
Here in my ninth season, I find myself rebuilding a routine that works for me. If you’ve read my recent posts, you know I’m dealing with circumstances I’ve never dealt with before. I’m asking new questions about how getting released from the Patriots affects my new routine. I’m learning how playing on the practice team will affect my every day, my mind, and my spirit.
I’m asking questions you might be asking yourself:
How does this change affect my every day?
How can I still invest, brick by brick, into the life I’m looking to build? What does my day-by-day look like knowing I’m on the back end of my career?
It’s a weird feeling to know you’re closer to the end of something than to the beginning, but you’re not finished yet.
This season is a new challenge for me and for our team, but I’m always up for a challenge and I know it’s the main reason why I’ve gotten as far as I have. I know I won’t be playing this game for another 10 years, but I want to stay sharp and continue to grow and this new challenge is going to make me a better man. It will sharpen my character, and it will make me a better football player.
I’m looking forward to meeting the man on the side of this growth.
All in all, preparing for the long NFL season ahead as a veteran is challenging but it’s worth it. There’s always opportunity that lies beyond the growth we have in front of us. There’s an opportunity to grow for our entire team, as we endure difficult losses. There’s an opportunity for me to grow personally as I navigate it all. Despite what isn’t easy, I’m looking forward to meeting the man on the side of this growth. I’m also wishing every one of my teammates in the Patriots organization a strong season where hard work pays off.
To the fans who will be watching, I want you to know the team is grateful for you – every week – and wants to make you proud. I also hope you rally behind yourself, and your brick-by-brick, whatever that is. Even if you’re in a season where things are familiar, give yourself grace for the things that still change. We are all adjusting and growing out here.
As always, live love,
-Ty