Where it all began.
Everyone has their own story of how they found American Football to be their sport. This is mine.
Growing up just outside of Scotland’s biggest city, I grew up in the football fishbowl that encapsulates the city.
This, and being a martial-artist from the age of two, meant I never found the National Football League until I was in my twenties.
I still remember trying to watch multiple Super Bowls while in high school and finding the stop-start nature tedious.
Even a partner from Florida, who grew up a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, was not enough to pull me in.
Fantasy Football
After all of this, it took an invite from my personal trainer to play fantasy football.
This could have been an invite from a friend just to fill a league but I am too competitive for that.
I spent the summer of 2019, meticulously researching players, mock drafts, fantasy projections and anything else I could find to make sure I would not finish last.
I lost to a team consisting of Christian McCaffrey, Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas and Derrick Henry.
Seven hours of commercial free football
Now that my competitive nature had been taken advantage of, I was fully in.
For me, and others, we would watch one game a year – the Super Bowl. A giant advert with a concert and a side of football.
So when I found RedZone, essentially Sky Sports Soccer Saturday on steroids, it was a game changer.
Now for 18 weeks of the year, my Sundays are designed around ensuring I am on the armchair for 6pm.
Where we are at now
Fast forward six years, my only regret is not getting into this sport sooner.
Multiple London games, 20 fantasy leagues, now writing about the NFL, this wonderful sport has brought me so much joy and now opportunity.
Who knew, watching men play catch for a fake team I managed would have had such an impact on my life.
