Post by Free Agent Fan on Feb 5, 2007 20:53:28 GMT -5
Maese looks to snap into action for Blackbirds
BALTIMORE - Two weeks ago, Joe Maese was out of a job. The former Baltimore Ravens long-snapper had spent the entire NFL season without a team and was pondering his future.
Now, he’s the marquee star of Baltimore’s new American Indoor Football Association team, the Blackbirds, after signing with the club last Wednesday.
“I have this NFL label. I want to do a good job to meet the standard that comes with the logo,” Maese said Saturday following a minicamp workout. “I haven’t had a challenge like this in a long time.”
“Joe has been an incredibly accurate long-snapper in the NFL, but he also is an exceptional linebacker and defensive end,” Blackbirds general manager John Wolfe said. “Signing an NFL player of Joe’s caliber is an immediate boost to our organization and we are proud to call him a Blackbird.”
Maese found out about the Blackbirds two days before the team’s final tryout, which was held Jan. 27. He was working out in a local gym when a friend mentioned something about the club. Maese wanted to give it a shot.
Maese spent the first four years of his career with the Ravens before losing his spot to Matt Katula during the 2005 training camp.
He quickly signed with the Detroit Lions, but was cut again a few weeks into the season.
The Seattle Seahawks kept him on call throughout this past season, but an opportunity never came his way.
During his layoff, Maese worked in real estate and hoped to get another shot.
Now back on the field, Maese is stepping out of his specialist shell and rekindling his love of the game.
During Saturday’s practice, the team used him as a fullback, a position he has never played.
“Now, what it looks like is, I’m not coming off the field much,” Maese said.
He’s just happy to be back in football and still believes he can play in the NFL.
“I still have that goal. I can’t give it up yet,” Maese said. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been so reluctant to if I didn’t have great workouts. It’s hard to give up.”
BALTIMORE - Two weeks ago, Joe Maese was out of a job. The former Baltimore Ravens long-snapper had spent the entire NFL season without a team and was pondering his future.
Now, he’s the marquee star of Baltimore’s new American Indoor Football Association team, the Blackbirds, after signing with the club last Wednesday.
“I have this NFL label. I want to do a good job to meet the standard that comes with the logo,” Maese said Saturday following a minicamp workout. “I haven’t had a challenge like this in a long time.”
“Joe has been an incredibly accurate long-snapper in the NFL, but he also is an exceptional linebacker and defensive end,” Blackbirds general manager John Wolfe said. “Signing an NFL player of Joe’s caliber is an immediate boost to our organization and we are proud to call him a Blackbird.”
Maese found out about the Blackbirds two days before the team’s final tryout, which was held Jan. 27. He was working out in a local gym when a friend mentioned something about the club. Maese wanted to give it a shot.
Maese spent the first four years of his career with the Ravens before losing his spot to Matt Katula during the 2005 training camp.
He quickly signed with the Detroit Lions, but was cut again a few weeks into the season.
The Seattle Seahawks kept him on call throughout this past season, but an opportunity never came his way.
During his layoff, Maese worked in real estate and hoped to get another shot.
Now back on the field, Maese is stepping out of his specialist shell and rekindling his love of the game.
During Saturday’s practice, the team used him as a fullback, a position he has never played.
“Now, what it looks like is, I’m not coming off the field much,” Maese said.
He’s just happy to be back in football and still believes he can play in the NFL.
“I still have that goal. I can’t give it up yet,” Maese said. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been so reluctant to if I didn’t have great workouts. It’s hard to give up.”