With the NFL Draft coming up Melissa Mahler spoke with Brian Waters about his experience entering the league back in 1999. Waters didn’t hear his name called on draft day but was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. The TE out of the University of North Texas, was released during training camp but went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs (2000-2010) New England Patriots (2011-2012), Cowboys (2013) and has earned 7 Pro Bowl selections (04-06, 08, 10-12).
Waters earned his seventh Pro Bowl selection in 2012. The right guard is among the most accomplished offensive linemen in the league and while he remains a free agent he isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just yet.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your draft experience. Everybody that is entering is on pins and needles what is some of the advice you give to those guys?
A: My draft experience wasn’t a great one, I didn’t get drafted. It was definitely a long and hard process to watch name by name gets called and it not is yours. That being said, having the opportunity to see that and having a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and being highly motivated is really helped me out throughout my career.
Any advice that I would give to the guys is really, just being in the league is a great opportunity and so no matter where your name is called or if it’s not called at all. If you have an opportunity to put a jersey on you take full advantage of it.
I think sometimes the guys who get called later on in rounds or even the guys that don’t hear their name called those guys don’t have as many expectations, so they have a freedom of just going out there playing football. A lot of times that’s a great freedom, a great opportunity for them.
Q: Is there a message that you would like to share with your fans and people that have followed your career and will continue to do so?
A: You know everyone has been positive and supportive on my particular career and really I think all the players who in this particular position as far as allowing me to serve them at a greater capacity with the union.
Honesty, I’m just appreciative of everybody I’ve been involved with and all the people that I have met. There have been so many people that have helped change and shape my life. It’s been a wild run and I’m not saying it’s over yet but it’s definitely something I’ve been happy and excited that I’ve been able to live my dream out.
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