Their Super Bowl is played each August, just before final cuts. So say the coaches, who preach this message hard. The game matters to those on the edge. A good night can boost a player’s stock.
A bad night can cost him his dream.
Wide receiver Jimmy Farris understood this well.
So, in the 2005 preseason finale, Farris grabbed two touchdown passes and plenty of headlines.
And he still got cut.
The game, apparently, didn’t matter. Except that it made all the difference.
“It did matter because he came back later in the year,” Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. “It mattered in the end.”
Farris is back where he was a year ago: entering the preseason finale — once again vs. Baltimore — fighting for a roster spot. And it’s uncertain if a good game can even help him. Farris’ future would be on special teams anyway. If the Redskins keep six receivers, he has a chance. If they don’t, he’ll be out of a job.
He knows what message the coaches will deliver.
“They always say we’re really looking at these guys and whoever can get a lot of playing time and make it happen, it’s real important,” said Farris, who was re-signed on Nov. 21 and played four games in 2005. “And I was home the next day, so you never know. Sometimes they have their minds made up and sometimes they don’t. It’s always good to go down swinging and go out with a good performance in case they’re not. I hope I have a repeat performance.”
He also knows a good performance will be seen by other teams. It’ll also be remembered by the Redskins, just as it was last year.
This is how Farris has lived his life since entering the NFL in 2001. He’s spent time on rosters with San Francisco (practice squad), New England, Atlanta and the Redskins. He’s appeared in 34 games with seven receptions.
But what he wants is a home. Life on the bubble gets tiresome.
“It does get old,” he said. “We’d all like to reach a point where you could come into camp knowing you’re working towards being here for the season. The mind-set for me is to do everything I can to make it and then we’ll take it from there. It keeps me on my toes. If I ever thought about slipping or sleeping in or missing workouts, knowing I’m on the bubble keeps me sharp.”
