"I knew that I had to hit the ground running," said wide receiver John Ross about his mentality when he received an invitation to attend the Eagles' Rookie Minicamp following the 2024 NFL Draft as a tryout player. "I was so excited. It could have been anything. It could have been me versus a bunch of kids in Philly middle schools. I would have been here and been happy."
This is the story of John Ross, at one point the fastest man in the history of the NFL Combine who ran a 4.22 40-yard dash that, combined with his production at the University of Washington, propelled him into the top 10 (ninth overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Six years and 62 receptions later, Ross retired from the NFL. Injuries and inconsistencies marred his play and, frankly, he was in what he calls "a bad place."
So he called it quits.