When an NFL head coach wants to sign a free agent in the middle of the season, they really don't expect any problems.
I mean, come on, this is the NFL-the highest level of football in the world. This is the league kids grow up dreaming about playing in, spending countless hours practicing in the hopes that some day their name will be called in the draft. You don't just turn that down.
But when the Jets called up Keith Fitzhugh, that's exactly what he did according to Jenny Vrentas.
As much as it would be fun to laugh about an undrafted free agent not wanting the Jets one day after their 45-3 decimation at the hands of the Patriots, this is actually a pretty responsible decision by Fitzhugh, and one that a lot of sports stars could learn from.
You see, Fitzhugh already has a job conducting trains in Norfolk, and it's a lot more secure than any position with the Jets would be:
Steady employment, which is not the nature of the NFL, is important to him because he helps support his parents. His father, Keith Fitzhugh, Sr., is disabled and unable to work.
"Being unemployed is not a good feeling," Fitzhugh said. "It's a lonely feeling. I'd rather be somewhere safe and have a great foundation."
We've all heard the stories about the former superstar who wasted their millions in just a few short years out of whatever league they were in. It seems there's a new one every week, really. For Boston, the obvious example is Antoine Walker, who's attempting another NBA comeback as his financial problems only seem to keep growing.
Of course, Fitzhugh never made his millions, but he seems to have learned the lesson that so many others do not: any career as a professional athlete is inherently short-lived. It's easier to see, of course, when it's just a few weeks instead of a few years, but still, kudos to Fitzhugh on making the smart choice.
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