 CSC FOOTBALL
Danny Woodhead can’t pinpoint one moment of clarity when he realized he had made it in the NFL after rushing for an NCAA record and winning two Harlon Hill Trophies from a small Division II school in the Nebraska Panhandle. In fact, to him, playing in 12 games as a wide receiver and tailback for the New York Jets and helping that franchise advance to an unexpected AFC Championship Game appearance was the same game he’s been playing since he was a kid. “I never really had a moment where I thought ‘I made it,’” said Woodhead, who owned nine NCAA records, nine Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference records and 13 Chadron State records when he concluded his playing career in 2007. “The first game I played in, I thought, it’s just football. But then you remember you have an NFL jersey on and it is the real deal. That’s a pretty awesome feeling and the playoffs were incredible. As the season went on, I really started to get more comfortable. I had a couple catches, but when I made a catch or two to get a first down, you get the feeling you’re helping. I always felt like I belonged and the other players made me feel that way, too.” The Jets finished the 2009 season with a 9-7 record and caught fire in the postseason, upsetting both Cincinnati and San Diego on the road before losing a 30-17 decision to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game. The Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl in a classic back-and-forth game, but Woodhead was one of the few who didn’t get much enjoyment from watching it. “It was tough to watch,” he said. “Obviously, we all wanted to be playing in the Super Bowl and so it’s different watching it when you know you had a chance to play in it.” Despite falling short of the Super Bowl, Woodhead was pleased with how he performed in his ‘rookie’ season. He was signed as a free agent by the Jets in 2008 but missed the entire season with an injury. He bounced back, though, and was a fixture for the Jets in the preseason, saw considerable time in the regular season and played in two postseason games. “The preseason, regular season and playoffs; each one is a different step,” he said. “The speed goes up and it’s just a great time being a part of that. We just came up a little short.” Woodhead shined during the preseason, rushing for 226 yards on 45 carries. He really turned heads in the final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles when he ran for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in the Jets’ 38-27 victory in front of 73,000 fans at the Meadowlands. “That game was awesome and I showed what I could do,” he said. “It was a blast. I played in the other preseason games, but in that game I got into a rhythm and it was a lot of fun. It was really helpful to have that performance and that game didn’t hurt me in any way.” However, Woodhead earned his roster spot in the regular season at wide receiver. He made eight receptions for 87 yards and rushed 15 times for 64 yards. He was often on the field during third downs, giving the Jets another dimension to their offense with his versatility. Catching the ball was nothing new to Woodhead. During his four years at Chadron State he made 129 receptions for 1,417 yards. “I did a lot of different things but I was still in the backfield a lot of the time,” he said. “Moving to receiver wasn’t in my plans at the beginning, but I wanted to do anything to help the team in basically what was my rookie year. It was a great experience to play in some big games and it was awesome. I couldn’t have been more blessed and I’m thankful for the opportunities and hopefully I can keep taking those opportunities.” For now, though, Woodhead is taking time to relax in the offseason. He’s been busy maintaining his workout regimen, playing video games and helping his wife, Stacia, around the house. Yet, with all his spare time and proclivity toward video games, he hasn’t played a game as the Jets on Madden 2010. “I still haven’t played as myself on Madden,” he joked. “I am just atrocious on it and I couldn’t catch a ball. I think I’m ranked a 46 overall, but I’m really fast.” Woodhead’s siesta is well earned. During the season and preseason camp, he usually began his day around 6 in the morning before calling it quits in the early evening. He said a normal day featured meetings in the morning, practice, and then more meetings in the afternoon. “I have basically worked seven days a week since July when we went to camp and I need time to just rest and that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I wanted to work hard because I wanted to help my team in any way possible, but the thing people don’t understand is that it’s a job. It’s still fun, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a lot of work. “The season was such a rollercoaster, but I was so blessed with how things went. It was a great year, especially since I was able to play and do some things to help the team. It was really awesome to play on Sundays. It’s something you can’t really explain; it’s unbelievable.” Copyright by Double Q Country Radio |