Chosen by the Packers in the 1997 NFL Draft, Jerald Sowell was out of Green Bay before seeing snow.
Which may or may not have caught them by surprise. One of their final roster cuts less than a week before the season-opener, the Packers could have been trying to sneak the rookie fullback from Tulane through waivers and re-sign him to their practice squad.
The Jets, however, burst that thought balloon.
"At one practice, and I remember like it was yesterday, I was with the twos going against the one defense, and they gave me the ball five or six straight times," Sowell said. "(Green Bay's G.M.) Ron Wolf and another guy were standing there watching, and Chris Hayes, a special teams/safety guy, said, 'Man, you're going to the Jets.'
"And I was like, 'What do you mean?' Because I was wondering why in that scrimmage, they gave the ball to me five straight times when you had Dorsey Levins and Travis Jervey. Because I was the back-up behind William Henderson at fullback. And so the Packers cut me and the Jets picked me up the next day.
"I was really excited. I had a chance to have a job, for one, because I'd just got cut. I knew they were interested in me prior to the draft because they were calling me a lot. And I knew (New York's Head Coach) Bill Parcells had a thing for bigger backs. He really gave me an opportunity."
Since the Jets already had Pro Bowl fullback Richie Anderson on their roster, Sowell's opportunity to be in the offense's huddle during games would be put on hold. Instead, he'd have to contribute another way – on special teams.
"I did understand that if you weren't starting, you had to play special teams," Sowell said. "In college, we had a great special teams coach, John Baxter. And so even though I didn't play a lot on special teams in college, I paid attention in the meetings.
"And using his principles, it was a learning process, but I learned very quickly. I just studied and got with the older guys, and learning from them really helped me. They took me under their wings and watched film with me, showing me what to watch for. I was willing to do anything to get better."
It showed. Sowell went from being a novice to a special teams ace.
"You know what, I really liked to be the hammer instead of the nail," he said. "But in both situations, it was a job I had to learn. But I just basically did what I had to do. I had to make plays when I was out there."
And in 2003, his seventh season, patience paid off when Sowell went from being a special teams ace to the starting fullback after Anderson left the Jets as a free agent.
"I thought if they ever needed me, I was able to do it. But I also was producing on special teams. I was one of the top tacklers and always kept my value up," Sowell said. "Being able to play special teams allowed them to keep me on the roster.
"And then when it was time to turn it over to me, I was ready. But I had a lot of coaching. I learned from Richie Anderson and Keith Byars when he was there. So I kind of really waited my turn. And then when it was, I was ready to go."
The following season, Sowell helped lead the way for Curtis Martin to capture the NFL rushing title. His numerous key blocks produced the lanes for his backfield mate to carry the ball for 1,697 yards.
"I took a lot of pride in it. I didn't know how big it was until afterwards, but that's a great accomplishment to have as a running back," said Sowell, who posted his second-straight 40-catch [45] campaign. "And it kind of surprised me because I didn't see the importance of it at the time. But as I watched football, even today, I know that being No. 1 out of all these backs on 31 other teams, is a great feat, a great accomplishment."
Spending nine seasons as a Jet before being with Tampa Bay for his tenth and final one, Sowell left New York having played in 137 games with 48 starts. He carried the ball 61 times for 244 yards and a touchdown, in addition to catching 147 passes for 1,188 yards and two touchdowns.
But before he was anywhere near the ball his last three years with the Green & White, Sowell was a special teams-tackling machine – 146 stops, 103 solo.
The definition of a team player, even his fondest memories and what makes him most proud of his career is centered around others.
"What I loved is the fans. The excitement running out of the locker room and getting introduced and riling up the fans, there was no better place to play," Sowell said. "And I was able to play under the best coach, which is Bill Parcells. I learned a lot from him. And I played with excellent players. Curtis Martin, I mean, that speaks for itself right there. He's a guy of character. He's a guy of integrity. He was a hard worker. We even communicate to this day.
"You just miss the camaraderie of the locker room and game day. Those things, you can't replace. That's the biggest part that I miss about football. But I'm glad I was able to play under the best, Bill Parcells. He's a great coach, a great guy, and he was prepared for every situation. He gave me the opportunity to play football."
After his playing days, Sowell was the part-owner of an IT staffing company, TekPartners. When it was sold and he retired, Sowell and his wife, Kimberly, who make their home in Southlake, TX, were able to spend more time with their daughters: Jillian and Jordyn; and watch them grow up to be young women.
"My girls played basketball, and I was attending their practices and games. I still had that little itch in me to be a little bit competitive, so I was just living through them," Sowell laughed. "And it was just fun because you don't get that time back. Spending time with them through sports was very fulfilling for me as a dad.
"Jillian went on to play at West Texas A&M for two years. Then she transferred to Texas State and graduated last May with a degree in Business Marketing. And Jordyn is at Howard University in DC, and she's graduating this May with a degree in International Business. So I'll have two college graduates.
"I'm trying to be the best version of myself. I'm trying to be a good dad, a good husband, and just keep living life to the fullest."
