Like many other selections during draft weekend, quarterback Travis Partridge will be a part of an unforgettable group of young men known as the first MLFB draft class in league history. For Partridge, this opportunity embodies everything the league stands for, another chance to pursue his pro football dream. In an exclusive interview with News-PressNow, read what Partridge had to say about becoming a part of MLFB and what he’s looking forward to playing under former Cowboys head coach in Dave Campo.
In the spirit of his new league, one ex-Griffon isn’t giving up on his dream.
Thursday, former Missouri Western quarterback Travis Partridge joined a host of other NFL hopefuls by being selected in the regional draft of Major League Football.
The organization is a developmental league that is hoping to do what others have failed to do — help players take the next step and also attract fans.
For Partridge, it’s also a chance to keep doing something he loves.
“Any time you get an opportunity to play a game and actually make a living out of it, it’s a great blessing,” he said. “It is something that everyone really strives to do when they start their college career.
“Hopefully, I can go and compete and make this a landmark in my career.”
Partridge will be playing for former Dallas Cowboys head coach Dave Campo in the new league. Although the locations of the teams have not yet been finalized, he will report to camp with his new teammates in the middle of February.
Campo isn’t the only name area fans might recognize, either. The upstart league has also hired former Chiefs coach Herm Edwards as an executive. Edwards serves as the league’s senior adviser.
The NFL imprimatur isn’t the only perk for Partridge, who led Western to the 2012 Division II quarterfinals. The Griffons’ formerl signal caller is also getting a better paycheck.
“The money is really pretty good,” he said. “That is a bonus.”
The league says it is striving to provide a fan-centric experience and help players with NFL talent achieve their potential.
Partridge has done stints in NFL training camps and with the CFL’s British Columbia Lions. He also had a stint in the FXFL for the Hudson Valley Fort. While those experiences will prove invaluable to him, he said this one gives him a chance to up his game.
“They model it after minor league baseball,” Partridge said. “It is better organized, it is better money and better cities.
“It’s hard, because in other sports you have all these minor leagues. In the NFL, you are either on the active roster or you are not.”
MLFB is a league that will play in eight cities in spring 2016. While the cities have yet to be announced, the organization says it is targeting markets that are under-represented and do not feature either NFL or Major League Baseball franchises.
Among the sites on a preliminary list are Little Rock, Arkansas, and Oklahoma City.
Partridge said he knows where he will report to training camp in mid-February but can’t say where he will play his games pending the league announcement.
“I think they are going to surprise everybody and build a social media buzz, which they are doing a good job of,” Partridge said. “If you look up MLFB, it will be all over the place.”
In the meantime, he has been working out and preparing for another chance to keep his football dream alive.
Original article can be found here: http://www.newspressnow.com/sports/college/missouri_western_griffons/article_a5ffe633-000b-58bb-a03c-e35c03e0b7c4.html
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