There is a certain sense of separation that fans have with the players. Many of them are millionaires, some exponentially richer than you’ll ever be. All of them are elite athletes—well, except some of the specialists. They are also celebrities of sorts, though their recognition also varies relative to their success.
There are many ways in which we are unlike those we root for, and sometimes those differences make us lose sight of how similar we can be as well. Though not entirely. There is a reason that players like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fullback, Roosevelt Nix, always manage to become favorites of the fan.