tEn qUEStionS WITH AUSTIN PETTIS WRITTEN BY LAUREN jONES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WENdI YVONNE
Fusion had the opportunity to talk with Austin Pettis, a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams and former Boise State football player.
fUSion: do you know the quarterback well? If so, what is your relationship with him?
fUSion: What are the similarities and differences between the
PEttiS: Because I am a rookie, I have not gotten to know Sam [Bradford] very well. On the field is the easiest way to establish a relationship. You have to prove yourself first, just play football, and watch and learn from the guys with the experience.
lifestyles in St. Louis and Boise? PEttiS: It really is no different, because I do not have a lot of free time to explore. Right now, the entire team is staying at a hotel about ten minutes away from the field, so we don’t venture out too far. It was the same in college; we were busy with football, just like we are here. As far as the fan base goes, there is a huge fan base here in St. Louis, just like in Boise. There are so many people that support our team; it makes it feel like a great football town. fUSion: What are your goals in the NFL?
fUSion: do you think you will make the starting lineup? PEttiS: Not really sure. A lot can happen in a season. It is all
about proving yourself out there and gaining the respect of your teammates and coaches. fUSion: What does your typical daily schedule look like now that
you are in the NFL? PEttiS: I want to immediately get on the field and earn playing time
as much as possible. I would love to win a Super Bowl as a rookie. But really, I want a lot of playing time. fUSion: What has the change been like from college ball to the NFL
so far? PEttiS: The speed of the game is a lot faster. There are guys out there that have been playing in the NFL longer than I have been playing football, so the experience level is raised significantly. You will come to find out that the NFL is more business-like than anything else. You have to be very self motivated, and you have to earn respect in order to get any playing time. fUSion: How has the NFL lockout affected you personally?
PEttiS: We have 14–15 hour days. Rookies do not lift with the offense or defense, and start out by lifting early in the morning around 7:00 a.m. We go to the practice field and do work there for a couple of hours. We watch film of the practices and of the games. We have three meals a day with the team, and we usually don’t end the day until about 9:45 p.m., after the last meeting wraps up. [But] our days can vary depending on what we have coming up. fUSion: What do you love to do outside of football? PEttiS: I am a BIG sports fan! Any sports, and I am interested in
them. fUSion: do you have anything special to say to the Bronco fans
at home? PEttiS: Me, not so much, because I did not know any better. I do
not have a house, car and other bills to worry about here like the other guys on the team. They are the ones that have been affected the most. With football, it has been more difficult to learn the playbook, because we are learning it at a much faster pace than normal.
PEttiS: Yes, definitely! I am very grateful for all of their support, and will be back soon to enjoy some games with them. I am so happy and proud of the success we have had as Broncos and enjoyed every minute I played for them. I wish the team the best of luck this season!
Fusion Magazine
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