Former OU center Ikard’s uncertain NFL path leads back to Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Ikard family’s experience with attending NFL games has created a cruel pattern.
Former Oklahoma center Gabe Ikard’s young professional career has shown him the ugly side of the league where college success does not always immediately translate.
The current Buffalo Bill’s job stability as an NFL offensive lineman has forced him in and out of four different franchises since 2014 due to untimely injuries and franchise moves.
The Bishop McGuinness graduate’s path began when the Tennessee Titans signed him as an undrafted free agent following his senior year at OU. His father, Jim, remembers going to see his son’s first preseason game.
The torrential downpour in Nashville on Aug. 9, 2014, won’t let him forget.
Gabe Ikard’s family endured the inclement weather to see him play center professionally for the first time.
Less than a week later, a knee injury sent Ikard to the injured reserve list for his entire rookie season. The Titans waived him a year
later during their 2015 final roster cuts.
Ikard shortly after was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills in his first of two stints with the organization. His family planned a trip to New York — plane tickets purchased and all — to see the Bills face the Houston Texans on Dec. 6, 2015.
Days before their flight, the 6-foot-4 center informed his parents he was waived by Buffalo. They still made the trip, and watched the game with their son from his apartment after Buffalo canceled Ikard’s game tickets.
Through his roller coaster pro career, Gabe Ikard reflects more on the positives than the negatives. The NFL has opened his eyes, however, to a side of the sport most don’t see.
“It truly is a business,” Ikard said. “I’ve had an interesting career so far. A lot of people don’t realize how unstable it is for the guys that aren’t star players.”
Ikard started 2016 with the Detroit Lions, lost a battle for the starting center job and was waived on Sept. 3.
The former All-American center was still grateful for his time with the Lions and grateful for the opportunity to learn under coach Jim Caldwell. Getting waived still stung. “Being released isn’t fun. You are getting fired,” said the 2013 Wuerffel Trophy award winner.
“That being said, Detroit firing me was by far the most complimentary firing I have had. I was able to put enough good stuff on tape in the preseason games to end up back in Buffalo.”
Ikard was signed to the Bills’ practice squad after the Lions cut him loose for his second shot with the franchise, and he was placed on the active roster in time for Buffalo’s regular season game against the New York Jets on Sept. 15.
The nature of Ikard’s pro career is a change of pace for a player who enjoyed plenty of success at Bishop McGuinness and the University of Oklahoma.
He started varsity as a high school freshman at defensive end and tight end, helping the Irish to the school’s first two football state championships in 2006 and 2007.
The likes of Stanford and Notre Dame wanted Ikard as a defensive end, but despite offering the homegrown product late in the process, OU ultimately won the Ikard sweepstakes with the intent of playing him at tight end.
OU eventually moved Ikard to center as a true freshman on Oklahoma’s scout team, where he faced the likes of Gerald McCoy and Adrian Taylor on a daily basis.
By the end of his career, Ikard moved from tight end to guard to center and earned All-Big 12, All-American and Academic All-American honors in the process.
His position change was pivotal in extending Ikard’s football career into the pros.
“It helped. It gave me the opportunity to play a lot of football,” Ikard said. “That experience was valuable.” Ikard’s smarts didn’t hurt either. Oklahoma offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh only had the center for one season in 2013, but he says he’s never had anyone as smart as Ikard or former OU center Ty Darlington.
“I could take those two guys the game plan on Monday, explain everything and they knew it. And they could teach everybody,” Bedenbaugh said.
Ikard finished with a 4.0 in multidisciplinary studies with a focus in medical sciences at the University of Oklahoma.
The center’s been asked why he didn’t pursue medical school, but he’s enjoying football while he still can and his degree will still help him after his playing days are over.
For the time being, Ikard is working toward establishing himself in the NFL with the Bills.
Ikard is fond of his current home and lives with his girlfriend, Caroline, and their two mini Australian labradoodles, Lani and Makena, who aside from having their own Instagram page, own a dog jersey for each team Ikard’s been on.
Ikard hopefully won’t have to buy the two any more jerseys anytime soon, but he’s well aware of the nature of the business and will look to make the most of his second chance with Buffalo.
“I’m excited to have an opportunity to help contribute to this football team,” Ikard said. “I’m just going to do what I’m coached to do and take advantage of opportunities when I get them.”