Jermaine Wiggins entered professional football when the New York Jets took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent 11 years ago and signed him to their practice squad.
It was the beginning of a long NFL career for Wiggins, during which he caught a Vinny Testaverde pass for a touchdown as part of the Jets’ Monday Night Football comeback dubbed the “Miracle at the Meadowlands,” won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI, and played against the Patriots with the Panthers two years later in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
Wiggins left Carolina and spent three years with the Vikings before signing with the Jaguars in March of 2007. He suffered a concussion during a preseason game in August that same year and was released. In short, by almost any definition, Wiggins has had a successful and impressive NFL career.That success leads one to ask an obvious question. Why would a player who achieved the highest honor of his sport sign with an unproven league, which Wiggins did after being drafted by the Florida Tuskers in the UFL’s Premiere Season Draft in 2009?
“It’s the opportunity to continue doing what it is that I do, and that’s playing professional football,” Wiggins said. “It’s a way to keep my career going and have the opportunity to make a living. The NFL only has so many jobs and the UFL is giving guys the opportunity to continue their careers, whether on the field, as a coach or working in the front office.”
After signing with the Tuskers, Wiggins had only an abbreviated time in training camp to get familiar with the offense. Luckily, he had some help from a former teammate.
“When I was in Minnesota I worked with [quarterback] Brooks [Bollinger],” Wiggins said. “I had a good relationship with him there. He’s smart, he’s a competitor, and he knows the game of football. He was able to come in and make the transition very smooth. He didn’t miss a beat, he just got into it.”
That chemistry and experience helped lead the Tuskers to an undefeated regular season and a chance for Wiggins to play in a third championship game. An overtime loss to the Las Vegas Locos was not what Wiggins and the team had envisioned, though.
“We played well last year but we obviously didn’t attain our goal, which was winning a championship,” Wiggins said. “To me, in order to be successful you have to win a championship.”
Wiggins is enthusiastic about the opportunity the UFL has given him and other players. “The one thing I really want to get out there is that the UFL is a great opportunity for guys to create a career,” he said. “Look at the UFL and say ‘Hey, I’m fortunate enough to be in the UFL. Let me try to build a career here.’ If you’re blessed enough to get that opportunity [to play in the NFL], that’s great but the main focus is building that career with the UFL.”
Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden understands what it means to the veterans in the UFL. “I think one, they love to play the game and two, they feel like they have a lot more football left in them despite people telling them they don’t,” Gruden said. “Jermaine proved he has a lot more football left in him.
For his part, Wiggins sees the opportunity long-term. “I’m trying to build a fan base where fans will look at like ‘Hey we’re going to get to know these guys who will play for our teams for four, five, six years,’” Wiggins said. “I’m a sports fan myself. I’m a die-hard Red Sox and Celtics fan and it’s good to see some consistency with your players.”
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wiggins Sees UFL As Viable Alternative for Former NFL Players
Friday, July 16, 2010
Charity Starts at Home for Carter
Florida Tuskers safety Jerome Carter never had a football camp to attend when growing up in Lake City, Fla. And that has been a motivating factor for him as each July he hosts a free clinic for underprivileged kids in the small community. “First, it’s about getting the kids out there and having fun. It’s a way for me to get involved and give back to the community,” Carter said. “Second, I never had the chance to interact with football players growing up, so that’s another reason why I do this.”
“Overall, I think It’s important for professional athletes to get involved,” Tuskers Head Coach Jay Gruden said. “You’re creating relationships with the kids, which is a good thing. Jerome has done a great job in getting involved in his community.”
Carter’s football credentials were established early in his career. The Gainesville Sun named Carter its State Player of the Year for 2001, and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association named him the Class 5A Player of the Year his senior year.
“He’s a talented guy,” Gruden said. “He’s been coached by great coaches and for this reason Jerome can offer a lot to these young kids both from his experiences off the field and on the field. Anytime you can better the place where you grew up, man, it’s an important thing to do.”
Carter would go on to Florida State and in 2002, his first year of football there, scored on a blocked punt against Wake Forest. Carter was an honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection as a junior, and was the defensive team captain his senior year. Carter finished his career at FSU with 257 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions.
After being drafted into the NFL in the fourth round by the St. Louis Rams in 2005, Carter finished his rookie season with 38 tackles, including 12 in one game against the Houston Texans. He added 18 more tackles to his career numbers the following year plus two interceptions for 39 yards, including a big pick against the Detroit Lions.
After missing the next year with an injury, Carter was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2009, but was waived in August that same year, just in time to sign with the Florida Tuskers. He played in all six regular-season games for the Tuskers last season with five starts. His 24 tackles and 2 interceptions for 98 yards were enough to get protected status from the Tuskers for this upcoming season.
“It’s very important to get him back,” Gruden said of Carter’s return to the Tuskers. “Jerome’s a smart guy. He’s always in the right place at the right time. He has a year of experience under his belt at the safety position in our defense which is huge, because we ask a lot of our safeties. It’s going to be good to have a guy back there experienced with the terminology and the system that we run. He’s a great leader and he’s shown that he’s a great player.”
The Tuskers, who went undefeated in the 2009 season with a 6-0 record, open training camp in mid-August. The team will play four regular season home games at the Citrus Bowl. Season tickets start as low as $60 and can be obtained at 407-545-8123.