NFL players have often told me that, between the nerves and the energy of the crowd and teammates, stepping on the field for the first time is an experience that cannot be put into words. While those same players have been playing football from a young age, nothing can ever really prepare them for their first NFL game.
Ravens rookie wide receiver Michael Campanaro confirmed that notion when I caught up with him at the Baltimore Summer Football Festival presented by LGC Marketing on Friday evening.
I asked Campanaro if he has a case of the butterflies going into his regular season debut on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
“A little bit,” he explained. “I think if you don’t have any there is something wrong with you. I’m just excited to go out there and enjoy my first regular season NFL game.”
Campanaro got his first taste of how excited “Ravens Nation” is for football as he signed autographs and posed for pictures with the many fans in attendance.
“It’s been great and you can definitely tell there is a game right around the corner by the huge of showing of fans that came out tonight,” Campanaro said. “Just talking with all the fans and they are excited. I think they know we have a good team this year and excited for Sunday.”
“Camp” certainly understands the excitement of the fans he met during Friday’s event, as he spent his entire summer learning and working with veteran wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., someone who he grew up a fan of.
“Steve’s been great,” Campanaro said about the five-time Pro Bowler. “It’s been awesome having a guy like that in our room and being able to watch him day in and day out. He’s a legend. Such a great player and also a great person off the field. He’s brought a lot to our receiver room.”
So as the Baltimore Ravens take to the field of M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon, each of us will get just a small taste of the butterflies Michael is feeling, as we hope for the team to start off on the right foot. Imagine that feeling, except magnified a bit by having those 71,008 fans screaming at you instead of with you.
Best of luck to you Michael and his family this Sunday.
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