Hi goldnboi-ga,
What an interesting question, one that I’m sure interests many young
men, but one as I’m sure you already know, that’s not easy to find a
whole lot of insider information about. The short answer to your
question is that it’s within the realm of possibility to get an NFL
tryout without any representation at all, to represent yourself as a
“free agent” – IF you’re good enough, IF you have a track record, say
in college ball, IF you know someone who knows someone, and IF you
have the nerve to show up as a walk-on at a tryout. To find out where
they are, just go to the sites of individual teams and read the press
releases. Here’s a link to the NFL, which has further links to the
homepages of each team: http://www.nfl.com/help Look for news
releases or archives. You might need to dig a little to find news of
tryouts.
But you’re quite likely on the right track in inquiring about
representation, because getting an NFL tryout isn’t usually a matter
of just showing up and asking for one. The NFL holds tryouts because,
in addition to their professional scouts and other programs, they are
aware that there is talent out there they may miss, and they want to
provide opportunity for talented players to be noticed if they have
what it takes.
But oh boy, that can be a challenge, particularly if you haven’t
played college football, which is where a lot of top players are
either scouted, or learned the ins and outs of what it takes to aspire
to a career in professional football.
Still, there is some advice out there, and here are some places where
you can begin to learn what kind of representation you might need if
this is your dream, and where and how to go about finding it.
To start with, here is a great and very enlightening discussion about
this subject, with some good tips and advice:
http://www.musclebuilding.info/showthread.php?t=8950
It does seem that the best approach to getting that tryout would be to
find an agent to represent you. What you’ll need to look for is an
“NFL certified” agent, who has an “in” and contacts in the NFL. Also
be sure any prospective agent can give you references of players he
has gotten tryouts for or, better yet, placed. Contact them. Ask
questions, listen to their answers, and follow their advice. Here are
some links to get you started:
http://www.paulassad.com/ and
http://www.paulassad.com/2002%20REG.html
http://www.kurtvlaw.com/pages/2/index.htm
http://www.sports-management.com/Football.htm
Here’s a link to the NFLPA (NFL Players Association), where you might
send an inquiry. I’d suggest the “Player Development Department” as a
start:
http://www.nflpa.org/AboutUs/main.asp?dept=Player+Development+Department&subpage=Contact%2BUs&x=3&y=7
If you don’t mind spending a few dollars, at this site you can get a
manual called, “The Complete Guide to Making it in Pro Football,” that
will answer this specific question, and a whole lot of others as well
about how to break into the NFL:
http://www.get-a-look.com.futuresite.register.com/_wsn/page2.html
For $49.95 you can get an annual subscription to a directory including
certified NFL agents, here:
http://www.allsportsagentsdirectory.net/join.asp
And for quite a few more dollars, around $300 to be exact, you can get
a directory that claims to have ALL the certified sports agents for
not only the NFL, but all other professional sports as well. Check
‘em out here: http://www.prosportsgroup.com/agent_directory/features.htm
Other interesting links:
http://www.combines.com/news/news_story.asp?storyID=117
http://www.combines.com/home.asp
http://www.couchscout.com/
I hope this information will prove helpful to you as you seek
representation and the best advice on pursuing a professional football
career. If anything isn’t clear or if you have any questions, please
use the “Request Clarification” feature before rating and closing the
question, so I can be sure I’ve helped you to find what you need.
Best of luck to you in your search.
Regards,
Byrd
Search terms used:
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NFL “open tryouts” OR “scheduled tryouts” –europe –arena –indoor
“pro football” tryouts OR draft OR pick
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NFL agent OR representative
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