Super Bowl XXXVII

I'm so fortunate to be here

EDITOR'S NOTE: New Port Richey's Ryan Benjamin is making the most of his first full NFL season, and the Bucs long-snapper could end it with a Super Bowl ring. Each day this week, we'll catch up with the River Ridge graduate for a Super Bowl diary from San Diego.

By RYAN BENJAMIN
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 22, 2003

The turnaround was so quick, from winning the NFC championship to having to be back at the stadium Monday at 12 o'clock, packed and ready to go to the Super Bowl. We celebrated in the locker room and on the plane, but now it's back to business.

We flew back from Philadelphia; and I got home, grabbed my son (Aidan Cooper, born 10 days earlier), fed him, changed him -- I won't be able to do that for a week. I wanted to spend time with him and was able to spend a little bit of time with my wife.

So here I am, and in my first season. I'm so fortunate to be in this position. There are veterans out there, and you look at how many years they play and never get here.

I almost didn't get here.

I remember I went to try out for the Chicago Bears (in October), just a workout on their off week. Their snapper wasn't injured, but he went down in practice the day I was there.

They said "We're going to send you back home; but we'll call in a few days, and we might have to sign you."

Sure enough -- I'm sitting at home Monday, and I got a call from the Buccaneers. They said they wanted to sign me right then and there. I got off the phone and literally 30 seconds later the Bears called and said they wanted me, too. I went all that time without a sniff of anything, then I get offered two contracts in 30 seconds.

Now I'm playing in the Super Bowl.

COMING UP THURSDAY: The craziness of Super Bowl media day.