sports@southwesttimes.com
After a long journey that included trips to Indianapolis, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay, a former Pulaski County football star has finally found a long-term home in the National Football League.
Brandon Anderson, who graduated in 2004 from PCHS and played football, basketball, and track for the Cougars, signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday.
“I was definitely excited about the opportunity,” said Anderson, while in attendance at the Cave Spring-Pulaski girl’s basketball game to watch his sister Sydney. “I never settle for anything less. I know that I am better than a practice squad player. I just want to be the very best that I can be. That’s not just in football, but in life.”
Like many kids, his dream was to play professional football on the gridiron. Despite the many times being cut and released by each team, Anderson kept up the hope and was determined to make his mark.
“I remember always telling my mom ever since I was five it was my dream,” Anderson said. “I always believe in myself. I knew that I could do it by just working hard and doing the things I need to do to be that kind of a player.”
Anderson was a River Ridge All-District First Team football player on both offense, as a running back, and defense, as a defensive back, for Pulaski County. He was also named the Southwest Times/PCHS Touchdown Club Player of the Year that season. Coach Jack Turner recalls his memories of Brandon during his first year under the Cougar’s helm.
“First of all, he is an outstanding young man,” Turner said. “He is a great family and great character kid. Not only is he an outstanding football player athletically, but he is a great character kid. I think in this day and age, that is what he has going for him more than anything.”
“He always had great speed. At that age, you don’t know if they are going to be an NFL football player or not. We knew he could go to college and play football. At a young age, he always had great instincts and speed on the football field.”
Anderson, who plays defensive back for the Bucs, joins former Cougars tight end Jeff King (Carolina), kicker Shayne Graham (Cincinnati), and wide receiver Gary Clark (Washington/Arizona), who all have played or are currently playing in the NFL.
It’s been a busy year for Anderson, whose journey began when he was contacted by the Indianapolis Colts and joined the team on April 30 as an undrafted free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft.
“I was surprised Indianapolis picked me up,” Anderson said. “They called me and said they wanted me to come there. So I was there throughout the summer, training, and I was with them all the way up until the day before camp and then the released me.”
On August 4, the Indianapolis Colts released Anderson and it looked like his dreams of playing professional football were over before they started. He reflected on that dim moment in his football career.
“It’s hard,” Anderson said. “I’m not really a person that takes rejection well. I don’t like to fail at anything I do. The first time was the hardest because I was just getting settled and didn’t know what to expect. After being cut the second time, I knew this wasn’t the end of it. I was going to keep working harder. I feel like every time I get rejected or released, I just have to keep working even harder to get that much better.”
While his football future seemed a little bleak, Anderson would get another chance even before he could get home. The Cleveland Browns would serve as his second home for a potential NFL future.
“I actually drove home that day and got a call from my agent and he said that Cleveland wanted me to come up tomorrow,” Anderson said. “I drove all the way to Dublin, Virginia and had to turn around and leave for Cleveland at about 1 or 2 a.m. I got up there and had a workout with Cleveland the next day. They liked me and signed me. I was with them throughout the rest of camp. We had four preseason games and I played in three of them. I thought I did pretty well there.”
Anderson looked to be in good shape to make the roster, but once again he would not get over the hurdle and be given the pink slip for the second time. However, Cleveland would keep him on the practice squad, giving him a chance to make the roster again.
“They had to make that final cut after the last preseason game,” Anderson said. “They actually let me go, but signed me to the practice squad and I came out at the first day of practice. I thought I had a pretty good practice. They ended up letting me go the next day though.”
Once again, Anderson was out of the NFL for the second time with two teams. Released on September 9, Anderson would get hope quickly and pick up another NFL stint on September 15, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to their practice squad.
“I went home for a week and I got a call from Tampa Bay,” Anderson said. “They said they wanted me to come down and do a workout for them. I went down there, did a workout, and ended up staying there. I didn’t even come back home. I was there on the practice squad from Week 2 to Week 12, then I got activated for the Carolina Panthers game. I was active for three games total.”
So far, Anderson has seen some tough NFL competition in just the three games that he has been active for. Despite not playing much, there is one battle in particular that has been his favorite so far.
“I would say playing against the Carolina Panther’s Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith,” Anderson said. “That was my first game being activated. It was going up those two players in your first game. I was just focused on what doing what I had to do.”
Despite the team’s 3-13 record, Tampa Bay kept first-year coach Raheem Morris, who is just 33 years old and the youngest head coach currently in the NFL. That move enabled Anderson to keep his spot on the team and eventually seal the long-term deal that he long awaited.
“We were really young this year,” Anderson said. “Even our head coach is young. We’ve got the players and we’ve got the talent. It’s just learning how each of the guys plays beside us. As far as defensively, we started the season in a quarters man. The further we got into the season, we started to go more into our cover two scheme. I feel like it fits me real well because I’m good at covering. I can play the bump and run too.”
As for what the future and next season hold for Anderson, only time will tell. Next season, Anderson and the Bucs will play against NFC South foes New Orleans, Carolina, and Atlanta, along with the playoff teams like Baltimore, Arizona, and Cincinnati. That means Anderson will go again both King and Graham
The team will look to make some changes and improve on their disappointing 2009-10 record, but Anderson is excited about the potential future for the squad.
“I feel like adding anybody would help our team,” Anderson said. “We have a top pick, so we get a top player in the draft. I’m just looking forward to a brand new season and working hard.”
(1-8-2010)
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