MOBILE, AL- Twelve guys with pictures, helmets and footballs stood on the bridge that connects the players hotel to their meeting rooms across the street at the convention center. As Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix made there way back to the hotel, the start of their NFL career has just begun.
A grueling week awaits players from all over country, as they get their first glimpse at what life in the NFL will look like. Morning meetings with coaches from both teams. Seminars on how to best navigate the waters of Senior Bowl week will fill the time before hitting the practice field.
It’s a crash course on the professional life, with the college football season wrapping up earlier this month in Houston. While Michael Penix Jr. was fighting for a national championship, many of these players had already started their preparations for the next chapter.
For Bo Nix, this meant spending the week leading up to the Senior Bowl working on his game at QB Country, a facility located in Mobile that has produced numerous top-tier quarterbacks in the NFL. As for others, setting up their off-field future was a priority.
Getting hounded for autographs is almost a rite of passage, just as much as NFL personnel hitting up ‘Veets’ across the street from the hotel. After growing up around this game, you learn the secret spots that you might find an NFL head coach roaming around. This is almost half the fun for the regular joe going to work everyday in the downtown area.
College Players are at the Senior Bowl to prepare for their NFL future
NFL Coaches, GM’s And Owners Are Prowling The Town
Back in the day, fans would post up on the second floor of the Senior Bowl hotel to look for their favorite player riding up the escalator. Now, fans will unload their vehicles in the parking garage with memorabilia for players to sign. Unfortunately for some of these collectors, representatives will shutdown the impromptu signing.
In awe of the process, I sat there and watched one guy unload thirty footballs from the back of his vehicle, hoping to cash-in on these signatures. But, we are in a new era, with NIL still a factor for a good amount of these players, so some of these guys aren’t going to give away their likeness for free.
For NFL coaches and GM’s, the locals are used to accommodating these high-profile guests. If you were to walk around the downtown area, you’ll likely see Arthur Blank, Jerry Jones or Mike Tomlin getting a coffee at the local shop. If you really want to see a party, go hang out at the Ruth’s Chris steakhouse, where Jerry Jones will rent out a room in the back to hosts his team personnel.
As someone who worked there during my college years, there are a number of nights where that final bill would near six figures. If you’re a server or bartender that works downtown during Senior Bowl week, you signup for as many shifts as possible, trust me it pays off.
For three or four days in Southern Alabama, the NFL world congregates on the city that invented Mardi Gras, and yes I will argue this point till my dying days.
What Should The Players Expect This Week? Chaos
Not only is every team in the NFL represented in Mobile this week, but the entire event is televised in the process. Unlike years past, players won’t have to get down to their underwear and stand in front of NFL personnel during the measurement process, but there’s still a tremendous amount of pressure.
Every block, catch, pass, run or tackle will be broken down. The future of your favorite team could start to be decided this week at practices. There will be interviews with teams in hotel rooms, along with doctors going over past medical history. And there’s not much to hide from a players standpoint, because NFL scouts have already figured out those nagging injuries.
College Players are at the Senior Bowl to prepare for their NFL future
While the NFL Network breaks down every play, with scouts, GM’s and coaches watching from the stands, the pressure is on these players. The nerves can set in, with Sean Payton asking for a player to run a certain drill one more time. While the NFL Combine will have guys going through individual drills, these guys are going up against some of the best players in college football during the 2023 season.
And don’t forget, this is where the NFL Draft starts, and fans start making predictions on which player can help their team in the future. As one NFL GM mentioned to me on Monday, the job interview has now started.
In the meantime, you can catch a Super Bowl winning head coach sipping on a beer at Veets, while the players are focused on not screwing up their first chance to impress.
It’s a whole different world in Mobile, which is what makes this event so special.