All season lengthy, Jets particular groups participant Justin Hardee watched a number of gamers be invited to talk on the podium, which is positioned in the midst of the crew’s locker room.
Wednesday was his flip to be within the highlight as Hardee lastly achieved considered one of his profession objectives.
Last week, Hardee was named to the AFC Pro Bowl crew for the primary time in his profession. He supplanted Patriots’ 15-year veteran Matthew Slater, who was a 10-time Pro Bowl choice.
Hardee was not solely chosen by the followers to be the AFC’s particular groups consultant but additionally by the coaches and gamers.
“I honestly been waiting on this moment all year,” Hardee stated. “Offense and protection get a whole lot of the popularity and there’s no knock on any of these guys as a result of they deserve it, particularly on this locker room.
“All season, I’ve been strolling previous this [podium] all yr and I used to be like, ‘put me in front of there.’ I actually acquired my motivation from y’all. I’m that sort of man that any little factor motivates me. I wasn’t referred to as to speak on any day and I used to be like, ‘I’m going to make them need to discuss to me.’
“That’s just something that I put in my head each week. Each week, I was like, I’m going to make them talk to me and I’m going to get what I want. So that was a blessing.”
The lifetime of a particular groups participant is at all times difficult and that has been the case with Hardee. He was a three-star recruit at Illinois, the place he began 12 video games at receiver his senior yr.
Following his faculty profession, Hardee didn’t get chosen within the 2017 NFL Draft. He was signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent however was launched throughout ultimate cuts.
After the Texans lower him, former coach Bill O’Brien gave him some profession recommendation as he believed Hardee had an opportunity to be a particular groups participant within the mildew of Slater.
Following his stint in Houston within the fall of 2017, Hardee was signed to the Saints follow squad as they switched his place to defensive again. He was later promoted to the Saints lively roster as he was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after Hardee blocked a punt and returned it for a landing in a win in opposition to Tampa Bay.
After three seasons with the Saints, Hardee signed a three-year, $5.25 million contract with the Jets in 2021.
“I didn’t even know about the Pro Bowl or anything like that necessarily during my rookie year,” Hardee stated. “At that time, I simply wished to be on the 53-man roster. I didn’t essentially care about accolades, I simply wished to play and present that I can play on this league.
“Once I used to be capable of get round that and be round that crew, be round profitable and different guys was going to the Pro Bowl, I set that as considered one of my objectives, however I fell brief for years.
“I can honestly say, better late than never. I’m glad that it happened for me and I’m glad that it happened now compared to now because I appreciate that much more because I had to go through so much to get it.”
Hardee’s Pro Bowl accomplishment is a bit bittersweet. His mom, Estella Perryman, wasn’t capable of see him play within the NFL as she died at 55 in 2013 whereas he was a scholar at Illinois as she handled lung illness for 15 years.
Perryman was Hardee’s inspiration for incomes not only a bachelor’s diploma in communication but additionally grasp’s levels in training and sport administration. Last week, Hardee visited his mom’s grave website on Christmas with the Jets having the weekend off after taking part in final Thursday evening.
Hardee wished to inform his mom the information of him making the Pro Bowl and all of the objectives that he wished to realize.
“I know she would be proud,” Hardee stated. “She would inform me to go do it once more. My mother was at all times somebody that had very excessive requirements for me and we aren’t comfortable with simply that. It is a lot extra stuff out right here to go get even inside the season.
“Pro Bowl is a huge accomplishment as some guys never get that in their career. It’s an honor and every time I walk out on that field, I’m representing her all the time, every time.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com