You have worked your entire life to become an NFL player. Before the sun was up and long after it went down, you studied and practiced and kicked your own ass in pursuit of a dream. Other cliches happened, too.
Now you’re close to the pinnacle of your profession. You’re vying for a roster spot with the Atlanta Falcons, a team that looks really great this year despite decades of crushing disappointment. And then, despite your lifelong efforts, you don’t make the cut. You bounce around to a few other teams over the next couple of years, scrabbling up an impossibly slippery slope, and then you’re out of the league.