Q&A: Kyle Nunn on his NFL opportunity
Offensive lineman Kyle Nunn followed up a trying season with an anxious few days after the NFL Draft.
Nunn missed much of last season with a pair of ailments: a back injury that needed surgery and a blood clot that required hospitalization.
He ended up playing in the Capital One Bowl and set his sights on an NFL opportunity. Nunn earned a degree in retailing but will miss the graduation ceremony this weekend. That's because he’s in New York trying out for a larger role with the Jets, but the chance didn’t come without some drama.
Here’s how he got his shot at the NFL:
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You got a call first from another team. What happened?
Yeah I got a call from the Redskins on Monday and they said they were going to bring me in for a tryout. Five minutes later I got a call back saying their training staff couldn’t clear me. Come to find out they thought I was still on blood thinners because my medical record hadn’t been updated since the season. So I’m under the assumption that a lot of teams figured the same thing. It kept me from getting a lot of interest.
What happened next?
After we got everything straightened out with the Redskins, we called every team in the NFL and said, ‘Hey there was a mistake in the medical file. This is what’s really going on. I’ve been healthy. I haven’t been on blood thinners since December 17. And everything’s good.” After that the Jets called back and said they wanted to give me a shot.
Did you have any hint the Jets may be interested?
I saw [head coach] Rex Ryan and four or five other scouts at pro day. I was really hoping I’d get an opportunity there. Buffalo and the Jets were the two teams who called Coach [Shawn] Elliott and asked him what kind of guy I am. I was hoping one of those two would pick me up in free agency. I’m happy for a tryout opportunity.
What was your week like?
It was nerve racking, four or five days afterward. It was pretty crazy. It was hard to keep calm and wonder why, “Why not me? Why haven’t I picked up? What did I do wrong?” Now we know what was going on. I’m just happy for the opportunity.
What did you do for the draft?
I was by myself. I told my mom, even for the draft, I just wanted to be by myself. I kind of knew I wasn’t going to be drafted. I’d get a free agent opportunity. That’s what we were thinking. I didn’t want all the hype. I just wanted to get the phone call. I was on the lake for the first two days of the draft, fishing and hanging out with my friends.
How hard have you worked since the bowl game to get this chance?
You’ve just got to keep pushing. Once I got in playing shape for the Capital One Bowl, it was getting ready for my all-star game. After my all-star game I was getting ready for pro day. You’ve just got to keep working every day and hope that your dreams come true.
What’s the deal with your Jets deal?
What I’m going to do is be up there for three days for a minicamp this weekend. We’ll practice Friday and Saturday. They said I would get some classroom time and they’re to see how I do in that situation. They told me to work hard and I’ll have a job.
So you’ll miss the graduation ceremony?
I was looking forward to walking on graduation. But it’s a good thing I was invited to camp. I wanted to get a tryout with an NFL team to see if I’m what they're looking for. I’m really happy for the opportunity they're giving me.
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Nunn joins five other teammates in getting a tryout or a free-agent opportunity: Terrence Campbell (Redskins); Jason Barnes (Chargers); Marty Markett (Falcons); C.C. Whitlock (Vikings); and Jay Wooten (Jaguars).
This story was originally published May 4, 2012 at 2:16 PM with the headline "Q&A: Kyle Nunn on his NFL opportunity."