Anthony
ANTHONY
I’D BEEN CALLED in so the starters could rest in this opening game.
I’d been focused on keeping my eyes off the Jumbotron and strictly on the field.
I wanted to see my girl but I didn’t want to lose focus and miss something key.
So far I’d had a few tackles but I hadn’t made the type of impact play I knew I was capable of. But I could feel it coming.
Whenever we played in New York the crowd was always just as full of our fans as it was with theirs.
Having crowd noise simulated at practice helped me out more than I could say.
Down here on the field, the sound echoed and concentrated.
It’d been a minute since I’d been in the middle of game day noise like this and on that first play I can admit I struggled.
The wideout got seven yards after catch and picked up the first down on me.
Unacceptable.
The formation was one I’d seen before even though the quarterback cadence was different.
Film study had become muscle memory to where I could visualize the play better than the players on offense.
When the ball was snapped Coby had done a good job of getting through the line to cause the fumble but the fullback got the ball in the air before one of our linemen could scoop it up.
I watched the ball flutter in the air just out of the reach of everyone who jumped for it and raced full speed to make the tackle to prevent the wideout from gaining a yard.
At the last second, I made a play for the ball instead of getting the tackle, a risk that could bite me in the ass if I missed since I was the last line of defense on the field.
Blessedly, my hands, that had been my saving grace since I was a little kid, held a little more magic and I snatched the ball from the outstretched wide receiver’s hands.
The sound of the crowd was deafening but I could hear the wide out hit the ground behind me as I turned to head in the opposite direction.
Immediately, the field was flipped and defense was throwing blocks to clear my path to the end zone.
The linebacker opposite Coby on the field tackled the fuck out of a lineman that tried to grab me and I started to holler out the numbers of my teammates to let them know I was coming up behind them.
Bodies were flying around me but all I saw was the opening of grass in front of me.
I still kept my eyes focused ahead, arms pumping but my forearm and bicep clenching the fuck out of this ball so no one could punch it out.
I felt a presence creeping up on me and out of my peripheral I saw someone trying to reach out for me.
I stutter-stepped, dipping my shoulder and shaking the wide receiver off as he tried to drag me down with him.
It was the same one that I’d taken the ball from and I had to give this nigga credit because he was fast as shit.
All I could hear was the sound of my breathing and a line that ‘Twan spoke to me while we were in that tree: just imagine it and it’ll come true .
So that’s what I did. With my big brother’s voice in my head and the ball in my hands, I visualized myself in the end zone and knew nothing was going to stop me from getting to it.
Every flash of purple that came toward me was taken down by a flash of black.
The sound of my beating heart got louder and I saw that I still had at least forty yards to go before I was home.
My body kicked into high gear drowning out all the noise except my breathing.
I thought of getting into this end zone, of my girl up there losing her shit watching me ball.
Of my brother falling all over himself with pride.
The folks who wanted to talk shit about me shutting the fuck up, all because of one play.
Folks were trying to bottleneck me on the sideline but I shook off the tackle and spun out of the arms of the fullback while Jacoby blocked him into the opposing quarterback.
The nickelback named Reeves was to my side and running next to me to ensure no one stopped my progression and I didn’t bother to look up or focus on anything else until I somersaulted into the end zone and stuck the landing.
I made sure my Black ass was well within the lines before I let go of the ball because I’d seen arrogance get too many in my position caught up.
It was as if the noise of the stadium flooded my ears then.
I could hear the screams of the sidelines, the fans and turned to see my brother losing his mind on the sideline.
He was being restrained by the strength coach because he was too hyped and was going to get us a penalty.
I was heaving because my ass was out of breath but I was too fucking hype.
“Let’s GEAUX!!! That’s my baby brother! First NFL touchdown baby! LET’S! FUCKING! GEAUX!”
I pointed to ‘Twan with the ball and was immediately dog piled by my teammates. I ain’t have no fancy dances or end zone celebrations ready so I just tossed the ball to Murda and he spiked that shit before his big ass hefted me up.
“Your girl got you ballin’ like this you better keep her ass around, Ant.
” I glanced up at the screen finally and could see the box where AP was with my niece and sister-in-law.
Aphrodite was jumping up and down with her arms around Rye and my niece and I saw her fine ass rocking my jersey as a dress with some boots on.
Gotdamn she fine.
Her US Open trophy was at her feet just as I requested making me smile. I turned back to Coby’s big ass who was grinning as hard as my brother. “Even if she didn’t I wouldn’t let her go.”
He pushed me in the chest like he forgot he was built like a fucking Avenger. “That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. Let’s let them kick this PAT. You know ‘Twan's gone be mad he ain’t get to come on the field with you.”
I chuckled knowing he was right and ran off the field so the play could continue.
I didn’t want this moment overshadowed because I caused a delay of game penalty by not being mindful of what the fuck was going on.
My brother stopped giving a fuck the closer I got to the sideline and he hugged me right there on the field.
“That’s what I’m talking about, boy! Runnin’ like somebody got a hot pan of calas waitin’ for ya in the end zone.
You gotta come up with a celebration, though.
We can’t be sittin’ around just handin’ the ball off like we got good sense.
Them Phillips boys gotta make the city proud yuh heard me?
” I saw his face clearly since he didn’t have a helmet on and he was pushing me in the chest like he couldn’t contain his excitement.
I took my helmet off and handed it to one of the equipment staff on the sideline to hold. “You a fool, bruh.”
“Good play, AP.”
“Thanks, Fontaine.” He was the player I’d gone in for and I wondered how pissed he was that I’d made the play instead of him. I didn’t have time to linger on that because Stew came over to dap me up.
“Okay, Big time. Big Play AP. We gotta come up with a name for you so folks can start hollering that shit out.” He was grinning and I was happy that the way he’d given me a chance was working out well for the both of us.
“Not even necessary, Stew. Long as they hollering Phillips on some good shit that’s enough for me.”
“I told you, didn’t I? You needed the focus to and you’d be bigger than PrimeTime .
That greatness is in you, I’m glad you finally letting it out.
Everybody needs to know your brother is the least talented of the Phillips brothers and that’s saying a lot more about you than him.
” He pounded the top of my shoulder pad with his fist punctuating his words.
“I appreciate that, Stew.”
“Ain’t shit but the truth. But that was the last play. Get ready to do it all over again. We got your ball for your trophy case.”
“Trophy case?”
He smirked again before putting his headset back on his head. The commercial break was almost over and he had to get back to work.
“Your girl ain’t gone be the only one in the house racking up accolades. Get your shit together, my boy, this is only the beginning.”
Because of the way our defense was set up, the line kept the quarterback from attempting anymore long balls.
Me and the rest of the defensive backfield held any throws to only short dunks and the one time they got it to the slot, the wideout ended up on his back with only two yards after the catch.
The first game of my NFL career and we got a shutout against our opponent.
I felt like I was on cloud nine. I’d racked up seven tackles, two passes broken up and an interception returned for a touchdown.
I didn’t think it was a record but it was one hell of a statement.
I was ready to head back into the tunnel to get to my people when Steph, the head of media outreach stopped me.
“TV needs you.”
She didn’t bother to say anything else just turned like she knew I was following her. I’d started stripping off my equipment so I was glad she caught me before I took off my damn jersey.
“Me? For what?” I tucked my gloves into my waistband since I was going to have to be on camera.
She turned back to me and the long braid she had going down her back whipped toward her face like it had a personal vendetta against her. “You got your first NFL interception that led to a touchdown, Anthony. Go talk to them.”
“That’s crazy.”
The nerves had kicked in because I damn sure wasn’t expecting to talk to media.
I wanted to get to my people not talk to the public.
I worked my shoulders back and forth trying to release the immediate tightness that had taken control of them.
I’d had media training for years so I knew how to act but damn I wasn’t thinking I’d have to. At least not this soon.