For those not au fait with the personalities and players in American football, Joique Bell of the Detroit Lions has a fascinating backstory.
And fortunately for Off The Ball, the 28-year-old running back happened to be in Dublin and dropped by our studio this afternoon for an interview with Ger and Donny.
In short, Bell has been in the NFL since 2010 and joined home state team Detroit in 2011. But before that he had served as a security guard for the team's training camp while studying at Wayne State University, a Division II college which would be below a Division I institution when it comes to scout's priorities.
"When I worked security for them in my first year and I'm sitting outside the practice facility and I see scouts leaving and coming the whole time I was working there," Bell told the lads.
Listen to the full interview via the podcast.
"So, on my last day I saw a scout coming in and I was about to get off my shift and it was going to be my last day before my first season. I pulled him to the side, looked him in the eye and I say 'excuse me, sir, can I ask you a question?' He says 'go ahead'. I said, 'you think a player from Division II can make it to the NFL?' He looked me right in my eyes and said 'listen, son. If you have talent, they'll find you'. And they found me."
Donny Mahoney, Joique Bell and Ger Gilroy
Bell also spoke about doing mixed-martials arts as part of his training routine, the intricacy of in-game play and just how taxing the schedule is for players' bodies.
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