St. Joseph native and former tight end Blakley offers perspective on grind of an NFL season
By Kyle Schmidt
Only NFL players will understand all the aspects that go into the physical and mental grind of a near seven-month long season.
Dwayne Blakley is from St. Joseph and made it to the bright lights of the NFL. His perspective has changed since retiring.
”I think the biggest difference is young mind versus older mind. When you’re young, I’m out here playing and practicing and I didn’t really realize the physical toll that it takes,” Blakley said. “Whereas now I’m older and I got little things that come up, shoulder, neck, and I’m like, so that’s what they were talking about.”
Blakley’s career started with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. After bouncing around the league for his first two years, he finally landed in a safe spot with the Atlanta Falcons.
He understands the toll of the sport but also the mental aspect. What it’s like to lose games and win.
”When you have success at that level, you never want to get too far ahead of yourself, one game at a time,” Blakley said. “Every game is important and even if you lose, you approach the next week the same, try to win.”
Looking at the Chiefs this year, it took a lot throughout the season to make it to the Super Bowl, with many doubters along the way. A big reason the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl is because of the direction of head coach Andy Reid.
”There’s a saying we have in football, it’s called attitude reflects leadership. So honestly you’re never going to get as high or low emotionally as leadership lets you,” Blakley said. “You got Andy Reid, been coaching 20 years. How do you think he gets emotionally? He’s probably right here (in the middle) the entire season. So it’s tough to get out of line because leadership won’t allow you.”
Now, the Chiefs are heading into the offseason with a three-peat in mind, the players will finally be able to relax. So what does the offseason look like for most players?
”You got to hang out. You get to chill a little bit. Unwind, let your body come back and then get ready to gear up and go do it again,” Blakley said. “Every offseason I came back here and played basketball just to do something different. Football’s a grind. It’s hard on your body. So the second that you get a chance to do something else, got to do it.”
The next time fans will see the Chiefs on the gridiron will be at OTA’s in May followed by training camp in July in St. Joseph.
Blakley had one last message for the kids in St. Joseph wanting to make it to the league.
”Being from here, I heard every reason, every excuse why you can’t be a pro-athlete, why you can’t do it. I’m one of those kids. I heard it, but I’m telling you, you can do it. It ain’t easy, but hard work, good instruction, listen to your coaches, parents, things like that. You can do it.”
