I returned home to stay with my parents. It was the fall of 1995, and I had been rejected by five NFL teams in two years. No teams were expressing interest in me. Each day I would work the 6-10 a.m. shift at a friend’s gas station, enduring jabs and taunts from people who knew me as the “big star” who had crashed down to earth. Even one former football coach worked me over. I used the barbs to fuel my fire, not that it needed much help. Even though all looked very bleak, I went out after work and practiced with my father who would snap balls at me to kick. I would lift weights to round out the day. Having a very supportive family that always welcomed me helped make this tough time in my life easier.
Never quit going for your goal!
The Minnesota Vikings gave Mitch Berger what might have been his last pro tryout in 1996. He made the team and later went on to play in the Pro Bowl.
