Why would you want to play football?

The grid for greatness like a machine that never wants to stop.

Passion for your team as if all 11 of them are your family.

Lifting weights that feel like trucks to be able to run over your opponent.

Early morning practices, trying to hold your heavy eyes open.

The grueling hot practices in the middle of summer,

sweat rolling off your face like a waterfall.

Long water breaks, letting the ice-cold water hit your face.

The players may love the grind, and the hustle,

but they always love the game.

Every Friday night suiting up like Roman warriors,

strapping up your pads like it's your armor,

feeling as if nothing can hurt you when they are finally locked in place.

Putting on your eye black as if you are a savage warrior with no mercy.

Putting on your helmet as a warrior would before entering the arena.

Holding your brothers' hands as you walk on to the field,

ready to sacrifice your body for them, for the sake of the game.

The instant adrenaline rush you receive when the ball is snapped,

almost like a drug, you get addicted to the feeling.

The lights shinning on you as if you are in a musical,

everyone's eyes fixed on you, waiting for you to perform.

Hitting another person like you are a truck and embracing the impact as it comes.

As if you have no care for the kid lined up across from you.

Although a true player knocks you down then picks you right back up.

When you're on the field you have no sense of anything outside the game.

It's just you, your team, and the ball.

When the game is all over the adrenaline is still rushing through you,

like the Nile ripping through Africa.

The smiles come when you win,

and the tears flow when you lose but,

despite any arguments on the field you walk across the 50-yard line,

you shake every man's hand saying, “Good game”.

But you're really showing your gratitude for every person that had the heart,

the heart to play the sport that we all love for many different reasons.