New York Jets or Norfolk Southern?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdo ... nfl-292927

Keith Fitzhugh chooses family over football

By Doug Farrar

It's not often that you see a perfectly healthy, NFL-ready person turn down an offer to join the roster of a playoff team, but Mississippi State grad Keith Fitzhugh(notes), who has spent time with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free-agent safety, has decided to respectfully decline a recent offer by the Jets to be a part of their active roster.

Rex Ryan's defense was looking for new blood after losing safeties Jim Leonhard(notes) and James Ihedigbo(notes) for the season to injuries.

Despite their 45-3 killer loss to the Patriots on "Monday Night Football," the 9-3 Jets are still a near-mortal lock for the postseason, with possible Super Bowl glory in their future.

So why would Fitzhugh say "no"?

Because he's thinking about his family and its financial security. He's currently a conductor for the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and he's had that job since the Jets released him in September. There was no venom behind Fitzhugh's decicion to turn down the team that cut him; it's more about Fitzhugh's father, who is disabled and unable to work.

I'll give the guy credit. Passing up being on a nationally-recognized football team to stay as one of thousands of conductors, picking a long-term career over a short-term money spurt. Good guy.

go keith! can't wait to see how he'll do. this puts NS on my list of potential railroad employment locations. he was on the tonight show last night, and both parts of the interview are on the website. sadly, i'll have to wait until i get home to watch the interview, because the flash on my school computer isn't up to date

We will see how good that decision was after Sunday I guess. I dont think I would be able to pass up a possible super bowl ring and reach the ultimate goal most players have strived for since childhood.

John80 wrote:We will see how good that decision was after Sunday I guess. I dont think I would be able to pass up a possible super bowl ring and reach the ultimate goal most players have strived for since childhood.

John80, I second your statement. You can always go to work for the RR after your playing career is over.

"John80, I second your statement. You can always go to work for the RR after your playing career is over."

This is correct, however he only has one family and he choose his family and supporting them over a possible trip to the Superbowl. Obviously if he definitely went to the superbowl he may have been able to offer them alot more immediate support, but that isn't guaranteed. It was much less guaranteed a few weeks ago. Obviously the Jets are now only one game away, but when he was asked, they were a longshot to make it, and were not playing well. This guy was brought up right and knows whats really importent: family. He lost his sister to a "mosquito bite" when she was like 13 years old. His dad can't work and is on disability. His mother was struggling to support the family. He did the right thing and should be admired for it. Not too many others in a similar situation would've choose the path he did.

drewg350 wrote:"John80, I second your statement. You can always go to work for the RR after your playing career is over."

This is correct, however he only has one family and he choose his family and supporting them over a possible trip to the Superbowl. Obviously if he definitely went to the superbowl he may have been able to offer them alot more immediate support, but that isn't guaranteed. It was much less guaranteed a few weeks ago. Obviously the Jets are now only one game away, but when he was asked, they were a longshot to make it, and were not playing well. This guy was brought up right and knows whats really importent: family. He lost his sister to a "mosquito bite" when she was like 13 years old. His dad can't work and is on disability. His mother was struggling to support the family. He did the right thing and should be admired for it. Not too many others in a similar situation would've choose the path he did.

I totally agree with you. I made the statement knowing the league minimum is way better than most of us will ever make. I would figure to make a good buck right now and then enlist in the RR. I heard NS still has about 500 more conductor positions to add and they usually need people more often than most of us would think. A lot of industries won't have enough younger people like me to replace the boomer generation that is startring to retire now so job security should always be good in the RR industry in the long run. Unfortunately a lot of people my age and younger don't want to put in an honest days work anymore. I totally understand his position, as I am the only reason my dad hasn't been homeless in the last 3+ years thanks to this economy/his age (early 60's and nobody will hire anyone his age).

Looks like it wasn't worth it after all. The railroad wins again.

Decided to bump this thread after news of the NFL lockout. I commented in another group that this guy now looks like a genius, but I got a reply to the effect that he has to worry about having to go out on strike soon against the railroad.

Are there negotiations going on between UTU and the freight railroads/NS again? Anyone know the progress on a new contract? Strike talk?

Ocala Mike wrote:Decided to bump this thread after news of the NFL lockout. I commented in another group that this guy now looks like a genius, but I got a reply to the effect that he has to worry about having to go out on strike soon against the railroad.

Are there negotiations going on between UTU and the freight railroads/NS again? Anyone know the progress on a new contract? Strike talk?

Who's to say he'll want to strike anyway. Considering he's been at NS for about six months, why would he put himself at such a risk?