"I know I have physical abilities:" Packers OL Geoff Gray looks to get career rolling with the green and gold
Geoff Gray
GREEN BAY -- The backup offensive linemen on an NFL football team usually operate under the radar, but one player in Green Bay may be rolling into a bigger role.
Geoff Gray is a third-team offensive lineman from the University of Manitoba whose only similarity to the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews is his Packers uniform and helmet -- and his belief in himself.
"I know I have physical abilities. I just need to work on the fine technical details. I've always been able to focus on my individual stuff and just kind of apply while still learning at a high level, obviously," Gray said.
Gray has a refreshing forthright personality, and based on the reviews of training camp and the early preseason, an appealing football skill set. The 6'5" 315-pound Gray is green, though for this level of the game.
Geoff Gray
"I think the big thing for me is just demonstrate how much I can learn. Like, I know I'm not going to be my best day one, so just kind of don't make the same mistake twice. I'm going to have some mistakes where I've just never done that before. You don't know it until you find out," Gray said.
Gray would be a big guy anywhere, but he would be a massive guy had he stayed to play football in his native Canada. However, he said the NFL is where he wants to be.
"I think anyone that plays football, you play it to play at the highest level, and you're just kind of driven to do that and that's what it is. You want to achieve what you can achieve and play at the highest level," Gray said.
Geoff Gray
Geoff Gray
One of the ways Gray put himself on the NFL map was by hopping on a unicycle during his Pro Day workout in Canada.
"I was kind of talking with my agent at dinner the night before my Pro Day and I can't remember why it came up, but they were like 'let's do that. It will distinguish you' or something, and especially being a less known guy, it just helps me get my name out there as the idea, so I'm just like, why not?" Gray said.
Geoff Gray
So it really is something that Gray is now one of the Packers players who famously rides kids' bicycles to practice during camp.
"I'm a little surprised I didn't have someone bring a unicycle. I had some questions about it before, so I'd ride one if there was one there. I'm not going to bring my own. Maybe next year," Gray said.
Gray and his Packers teammates play their second preseason game Saturday night, August 19th at Washington.