An adjustment.
That’s how Philadelphia Eagles offensive guard Danny Watkins describes his transition from being a firefighter to playing in arguably North America’s biggest professional sports league: The NFL.
“Every once in a while I still gotta pinch myself, do a reality check,” Watkins said in an exclusive interview with Sportsnet.
Watkins’ story is quite remarkable as the 27-year-old Kelowna, B.C., native was a late-bloomer for an NFL athlete, or any professional athlete for that matter – starting at age 22.
“People are shocked by it. I’m still shocked by it,” Watkins said about his journey to the NFL.
At 16, Watkins became a junior firefighter and enrolled at Butte College to study fire sciences in order to get into his then-potential career as a firefighter.
It all changed when Watkins went to college, where he discovered his football skills.
“Just that camaraderie and that friendship and that brotherhood I had (with the fire service), I kinda yearned for that. Really enjoyed it,” he said. “I went to school and I wasn’t getting that and football brought the next best thing to having that.”
After two impressive years at Butte, Watkins transferred to Baylor, a Division 1 university in Texas. He replaced Jason Smith, who was selected second overall by the St. Louis Rams in 2009.
Watkins was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2010 CFL Draft by the B.C. Lions, but as his stock went up, the Lions chance of getting him in one of their jerseys became slim.
On April 28, 2011, Watkins was selected with the 23rd overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft. He became the first Canadian to be drafted in the first rounds of both the CFL and NFL drafts since Mike Schad in 1986.
Watkins has started eight out of the Eagles first 12 games this season.
Not bad for a guy who only picked up the pigskin five years ago.