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CONTENTS
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From Kent
State to the Dawg Pound
Continued
by Phil Novak
photos by Mike Nash
"I'm raw right now. I can always get more strength and quickness. Technique-wise, there's some other things I need to learn and get better at."
 Zahursky takes a break from practice. |
Zahursky says he works hard to try toplace himself among great lineman in the game, guys like Tony Boselli from the Jaguars and Jonathan Ogden of the Baltimore Ravens.
But the games every Sunday are only a part of the work. Life in the NFL is not all fancy hotels and expensive restaurants. The job can be very difficult, especially for an undrafted player who still needs to prove himself.
Practices are five days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the body can take a real beating. The career of a professional football player averages less than 19 years, and then they often have to work after retirement.
"People think you make so much money, and it's an easy job," he says. "It's not. You're working more than 40 hours a week. You're busting your hump, and you get home and all you do is sleep because you're so exhausted from the day. It's not as easy as people think."
Zahursky says the fans have not really begun to recognize him, even though the Browns' games are televised every week.
"[Offensive lineman] don't get much of that," he says with a laugh. "But maybe when we start winning.
"When we do, it's going to be really fun."