NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

Readers of this blog are probably very familiar with the story of Myron Rolle, the former Florida State cornerback who is pushing off a potential NFL career to study at Oxford.  Rolle made major headlines throughout the last football season as he bounced between games and the Rhodes Scholar interview process.  Then he shocked even more observers by actually pushing off his NFL career for the opportunity to study abroad.  The New York Times check back in with Rolle and he confirms it was all worth it.

“I feel a little disappointed when I see guys playing on Sundays, especially guys I’m friends with,” said Rolle, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound safety. “But when I walk out of my accommodations in Norham Gardens and spend time with my friends and go to class, I realize that I did make a good choice. It’s been worth it.”

Although he misses football, Rolle has forged friendships that cross cultures and continents. He takes stimulating classes in which discussions and engaging classmates matter more than papers and tests.

“I think it’s a great message for all of us,” N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell said of Rolle’s decision to attend Oxford. “Even the greatest players don’t play forever. And they’re going to have to think about other careers, and he’s obviously thought about that at a young age.”

He still works out every morning and practices with the rugby team in preparation for next year’s draft, but Rolle is living proof that the student-athlete is very much alive.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 6:24 pm and is filed under College Football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.