#TBT โค๏ธ
This guyโs a big reason I took up kicking. My Grandpop Murphy โ career Philly firefighter, Purple Heart Vietnam Vet, absolute gentleman, and huge Eagles fan โ was one of my biggest supporters.
I never played football growing up because soccer was always my thing. Pop-Pop made frequent trips to visit us in Wisconsin and loved coming to my soccer games and practices. He told me more times than I could count that I had a โheckuva leg.โ
We bonded watching football. He enjoyed that I was a Packers fan (Go Pack Go!) and we had our own, good-natured NFC rivalry going. He was a big fan of Akers and Elliott and always stressed how important a strong, reliable kicker is to a team. Looking back, I wonder if he secretly hoped Iโd give it a shot someday.
He was diagnosed with an aggressive, service-related cancer in the fall of my 8th grade year and passed away just weeks before my graduation. That summer, I started kicking footballs for the first time.
When freshman year began, I asked my varsity head coach if I could try out for JV. By midseason, I was kicking in varsity games.
Now heading into my senior year, Iโm incredibly grateful for this journey and all the opportunities itโs given me. Most of all, Iโm grateful for the man who inspired it.
Miss you, Pop-Pop. ๐ฆ @Eagles
#PhillyFire #PFDFamily #Local22 #GoBirds #GoPackGo #FieryKickIcyVeins #ClassOf2027 #Kicker