Ed Reed, Champ Bailey, Ty Law, Tony Gonzalez and Kevin Mawae enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
tian Kirk, Byron Murphy, Brooks Reed and Terrell Suggs all played high school or college ball in the state.
“It can’t get better than this. … All this love?” said Murphy, a rookie defensive back who starred at Scottsdale Saguaro.
“That’s something that you want to keep playing the game for. You’ve got fans here. You’ve got family here. You’ve got friends here. You just want to keep making them proud.”
There’s a lot of support, to be sure. But those inclined to look for potential traps and pitfalls would be wise to point out that playing in your hometown can lead to distractions. Proximity increases the intensity of family problems. Longforgotten acquaintances can emerge demanding favors.
And there’s always the issue of tickets.
But veteran running back D.J. Foster, who also played at Saguaro before starring at Arizona State, dismissed the potential negatives.
“It’s not too bad, you know? Here’s what happens, when you come, you’ve got to set the standard real quick: ‘I don’t have 50 tickets to be handing out to everybody,’” he said with a laugh.
It’s clear how much he loves being in his hometown.
“Just having that experience of having family and friends at the games and stuff, memories like that are just unbelievable to cherish,” he said. “It’s very rare for guys at this level to be able to experience that. I’m definitely blessed, and I enjoy every second of it. … you never know how fast this can end.”
‘Rep it proudly’
Foster is the oldest of the trio of Saguaro Sabercats on the roster.
Kirk, a second-year wide receiver, played on the same team with Murphy.
“We take pride in our high school, definitely,” he said. “Everyone thinks it’s cool having three guys from the same high school on the same team. You’ve got to rep it proudly.”
Hundley, a veteran quarterback who starred at another suburban Phoenix power program, Chandler, has good perspective on why it’s so important.
“It just gives you faith,” he said. It’s important to see people have success, especially for young people.
“Being able to see that the guys who came before you are making it and are playing for your hometown NFL team, I think that’s a big boost of confidence,” Hundley said.
Reed, a defensive lineman who played high school and college ball down in Tucson, is back home after eight years in Houston and Atlanta.
“It’s fun, you know? Just a chance for a lot of my friends and family to make it to games, and me and my wife love Arizona … It’s pretty much a dream opportunity for me,” he said.
“Guys that I played with at the U of A live in Phoenix. I still keep in touch with (former Sabino High School football coach) Jay Campos and some other coaches that I had in Tucson.”
Reed is another player who struggles to find the downside of playing in his home state.
“Drawbacks?” he said. “No drawbacks. None. Zero.”
‘Maybe just the ticket price’
Of course, there’s the issue of tickets again.
“I’ll be giving out tickets,” Reed said. “Maybe just the ticket price.”
It’s a legitimate concern. So much so that Murphy had already thought about it back at the start of rookie camp.
“How ever many tickets we get, that’s how many I’m gonna give out,” he said back in May. “I can’t do 100 tickets. How many tickets I get, that’s where my family is gonna be.”
He said it with a laugh. His focus was clearly on the upside.
“Obviously in my hometown, I feel like I’ve got to go harder. I’ve got people who’ve been here supporting me my whole life,” he said. “And now I’ve got to go hard and show them what I can do.”
There are sure to be growing pains. The Cardinals have a new coach, a new offense, a new defense, a new quarterback and new players all over the roster.
But right now, there are at least seven guys who don’t feel new at all. They’re comfortable here. They’re home.