Drill-N-Fill
07-29-2008, 09:54 AM
Hamza Abdullah just had his moment.
It's that moment when a player knows he has arrived not only as an NFL starter but as a player the team absolutely cannot afford to lose.
Abdullah's moment? It came Saturday afternoon during special-teams practice. Abdullah was out there, as always, when about two minutes in, he was dismissed by special-teams coach Scott O'Brien. Abdullah's services would no longer be needed on the ever-perilous kickoff-coverage or kickoff-return units.
This was a good thing. Abdullah can't be covering kickoffs when he's the Broncos' only every- down safety.
"I don't know about 'arrived,' but it does put me closer to the goals I've set for myself," he said. "I've never not played special teams. I played
Denver Broncos special teams in Pop Warner."
You should have seen Domonique Foxworth's look when he realized Abdullah was dismissed from special-teams practice. Foxworth was leading the first wave of players through a high-step warm-up drill when he heard O'Brien tell Abdullah to hit the showers and go home for the day.
Foxworth stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at his departing teammate.
"I see how it is," Foxworth yelled as a joyous Abdullah trotted off the field. "You're one of them!"
The ribbing has been merciless since. The one mistake anyone can make is to say Abdullah has "graduated" from special teams or has been promoted.
"He wasn't promoted, he was demoted," O'Brien said. "It's a privilege to play on special teams."
Abdullah is the first to agree. Through his speed and relentless energy, he made his mark on special teams. It was his coverage on kicks that kept him around the NFL before he finally got his chance to play safety midway through his third season last year.
Special teams had become so ingrained in Abdullah's fiber, an order to skip the "privileged" workout Saturday never registered.
"Coach said, 'I told you, you didn't have to come out here,' " Abdullah said. "But I've never had to miss a practice, ever. I might be a safety in the league, but no matter where I'm at, I'm going to have to play special teams. It's just one of our duties. I was surprised. That was a huge bone they threw me. I was able to go home and see my little girl. She's usually asleep when I leave in the morning and asleep when I get home, so that was a good time."
John Lynch remembers when he no longer had to play special teams. He had been a full-time starting safety for three seasons and had played six overall before he got relieved from "special" duty.
Times were a little different then. It was different as early as last year's camp for Lynch and Abdullah. Then, Lynch was the every-down safety and Abdullah was fighting to share playing time with Nick Ferguson at strong safety.
This year, Lynch is splitting time with Marlon McCree at one safety position, while Abdullah is the other safety who stays on the field for both running and passing situations — but not for the bulk of the special- teams' play.
"The guys were certainly giving him a hard time," Lynch said. "But I'm really excited for Hamza. Mike (Shanahan) talks all the time that you have an opportunity to be a special player when you match talent with want-to and desire, work ethic and professionalism. And Hamza's got all those things. The game is extremely important to him."
It was the veteran Lynch who helped bring along the young Abdullah to where he is today. Where he is, is not on any kickoff special teams. Abdullah will remain on the punt-coverage team, where the action is more controlled than on kickoffs.
But no longer does Abdullah have to stick around for the majority of the special-teams' practices. No offense to O'Brien, but allowing Abdullah to spend more time with his daughter, now that's a privilege.
-------
He's looked very good in training camp. I think he'll be a force this year. :defense:
It's that moment when a player knows he has arrived not only as an NFL starter but as a player the team absolutely cannot afford to lose.
Abdullah's moment? It came Saturday afternoon during special-teams practice. Abdullah was out there, as always, when about two minutes in, he was dismissed by special-teams coach Scott O'Brien. Abdullah's services would no longer be needed on the ever-perilous kickoff-coverage or kickoff-return units.
This was a good thing. Abdullah can't be covering kickoffs when he's the Broncos' only every- down safety.
"I don't know about 'arrived,' but it does put me closer to the goals I've set for myself," he said. "I've never not played special teams. I played
Denver Broncos special teams in Pop Warner."
You should have seen Domonique Foxworth's look when he realized Abdullah was dismissed from special-teams practice. Foxworth was leading the first wave of players through a high-step warm-up drill when he heard O'Brien tell Abdullah to hit the showers and go home for the day.
Foxworth stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at his departing teammate.
"I see how it is," Foxworth yelled as a joyous Abdullah trotted off the field. "You're one of them!"
The ribbing has been merciless since. The one mistake anyone can make is to say Abdullah has "graduated" from special teams or has been promoted.
"He wasn't promoted, he was demoted," O'Brien said. "It's a privilege to play on special teams."
Abdullah is the first to agree. Through his speed and relentless energy, he made his mark on special teams. It was his coverage on kicks that kept him around the NFL before he finally got his chance to play safety midway through his third season last year.
Special teams had become so ingrained in Abdullah's fiber, an order to skip the "privileged" workout Saturday never registered.
"Coach said, 'I told you, you didn't have to come out here,' " Abdullah said. "But I've never had to miss a practice, ever. I might be a safety in the league, but no matter where I'm at, I'm going to have to play special teams. It's just one of our duties. I was surprised. That was a huge bone they threw me. I was able to go home and see my little girl. She's usually asleep when I leave in the morning and asleep when I get home, so that was a good time."
John Lynch remembers when he no longer had to play special teams. He had been a full-time starting safety for three seasons and had played six overall before he got relieved from "special" duty.
Times were a little different then. It was different as early as last year's camp for Lynch and Abdullah. Then, Lynch was the every-down safety and Abdullah was fighting to share playing time with Nick Ferguson at strong safety.
This year, Lynch is splitting time with Marlon McCree at one safety position, while Abdullah is the other safety who stays on the field for both running and passing situations — but not for the bulk of the special- teams' play.
"The guys were certainly giving him a hard time," Lynch said. "But I'm really excited for Hamza. Mike (Shanahan) talks all the time that you have an opportunity to be a special player when you match talent with want-to and desire, work ethic and professionalism. And Hamza's got all those things. The game is extremely important to him."
It was the veteran Lynch who helped bring along the young Abdullah to where he is today. Where he is, is not on any kickoff special teams. Abdullah will remain on the punt-coverage team, where the action is more controlled than on kickoffs.
But no longer does Abdullah have to stick around for the majority of the special-teams' practices. No offense to O'Brien, but allowing Abdullah to spend more time with his daughter, now that's a privilege.
-------
He's looked very good in training camp. I think he'll be a force this year. :defense: