Page 10 of The Brotherly Shove

"Breaker, when you signed your contract back in the spring, there was an NDA included in the paperwork, do you remember that?" Coach asks, and I nod.

"Yes, I remember signing it," I say. My agent mentioned that signing an NDA when signing with a team wasn't all that common, but that it does happen, and I didn't care. Mr. Irrelevant wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"We'd like you to keep that NDA in mind when we tell you what we need to tell you," McRyan says from beside me, and my stomach flips. Why do I suddenly feel like I'm in some sort of Western meets The Godfather meets Remember The Titans sort of situation?

"Can we stop beating around the bush like I'm not sitting right here?" Cannon booms, pounding a fist on the arm of his chair. The sound echoes throughout the mostly empty room and makes me jump.

"Lawson," he says, turning to look at me. "I'm assuming you saw the NFC Divisional game this past January?"

I nod. "Of course I did."

"Do you remember the sack I took near the end of the third?" Luke asks, and I nod again. Of course, I remember. That hit took him out for the rest of the game. It probably cost the team their ticket to the Big Game. Not that Tyree Kasper didn't do a good enough job stepping up in Cannon's absence, but that kindof blow to moral can cause even the best teams to choke. Coach Elliot picks up where Cannon left off.

"He tore his LCL. He had surgery back in the spring but the physical therapy…" Coach trails off.

"The recovery isn't going how I want it to. My knee is absolutely fucked. I'm not going to be able to start this year. I don't know if I'll be able to play this season at all. Maybe ever again," Luke says, his pointer finger tapping anxiously on the injured knee in question.

Shit. He looks absolutely dejected. Coming back from an injury is never fun. Trying to come back from an injury, knowing your career is on the line but your body is fighting you tooth and nail along the way? It's gotta be goddamn devastating.

"We've managed to keep this all hidden from the press, for now," James speaks up from behind his desk. "What with my buying the team after last season and some of the rearranging going on on the defensive coaching staff, we've thought it best to keep this on the down low. Give Luke here the time he needs to get his body going in peace. Clearly, he's going to have to go on the injured reserve list, but we'd like to continue to downplay the extent of the injury for as long as possible."

"I understand," I say, "But why are you telling me this now? If Cannon is going on the injury reserve list, I would've found out eventually." I'm just very confused. I feel for Luke, and what he's going through, but I just don't get what it has to do with me.

"Lawson, I know you just got here, but we're going to need you to seriously step up." McRyan says as he lifts and stands next to Elliot. "Without a roadmap to Cannon's recovery, we need to play it safe with Kasper here, keep him as healthy as possible throughout the season."

"Right…" I draw out, the puzzle pieces slowly clicking together in my mind. "So what you're saying is…"

"What we're saying is that we know you probably thought you'd be spending the majority of the season with your ass warming the bench. Last round draft pick, third string quarterback, that's what's to be expected. But that's not what's going to happen this year for you. We're going to need you on that field with the team, helping to hold us up. We're going to need you giving it all during this training camp. Every practice, every workout, every scrimmage, you need to be out there giving it your best, showing us that you can lead a team to victory. What the five of us need to know right now," Adler says, and I can feel all five sets of eyes searing into my skin, "Are you up for the challenge?"

I bite my lip, considering what they're asking. It's not that outlandish. Players make the first string and start games right out of college all the time. Showing up and showing out during practice is what I'msupposedto be doing. Throw in actually getting some field time during the season? It's a dream scenario. And they want to know if I'm up for the challenge?

Well, I'll tell you what. If I learned one thing from the hours Lennon and I have spent binge watching The Office, it's that there is only one appropriate answer to that question.

"Absolutely, I am."

CHAPTER 6

LENNON

Now

Redwoods Practice Facility

Jesus fuck. I spent every single day of the off season working on something—lifting heavy as fuck shit, agility training, conditioning, ice baths and heat treatments. I really thought I kept myself limber, loose and ready to go on day one of training camp.

I thought wrong. I am wrecked.

Today was a never ending cycle of drills. Throwing, catching, snapping footballs, sprints, tackling 300 pound sandbags and getting knocked over by athletic trainers whacking us with huge padded dummies as we try to run and hold on to the ball. The temperature rose to about ninety around mid afternoon, and in all that gear plus the helmet and guardian cap on my head, I don't think I have any sweat left in my body. It's all either soaked into my undershirt or forming a river out on the field. I love this game, but goddammit it's brutal.

"Yo man, solid first day," my teammate Tyree Kasper says while patting me on the back. We got news today that Cannon is on IR and won't be eligible to practice or play the first few gamesof the season, so Kasper and I spent some time today working on our exchange. He'll be filling in as starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, so we'll be on the field together a lot. There are a few kinks to work out—the guy could work a little harder on improving his grip, but we didn't fumble a single snap, so that bodes well for our gameplay.

"Yeah, Ty, it was solid alright. I think as long as we keep putting the effort into these practices and keep up the communication, we'll be a tight fit out there on gameday," I say, pulling my tee shirt over my head as we leave the field and head towards the locker room.

"We'll have to get the new kid involved, too. Gotta make sure you fit as well."

"We will, but trust me, Breaker and I gelling is not gonna be an issue. We played together in college. We're tighter than a bear hug from a wrestler." I throw my shit into my locker and wipe the sweat off of my face with a fresh shirt. I'm definitely hitting the showers before I head home, no need to make my new car smell like musty jockstrap.

"Or like a hug from a big fucking bear like you?" Ty asks, laughing, and I chuckle, too.

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