The preseason is for the underdog. The man battling for the 51st spot on the roster. The undrafted player scraping for a shot. The dark horse who gallops with every ounce left in his body to make the team.
The preseason is for Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi.
The Browns' receiver and returner has become a team favorite after talking his way into an NFL tryout, and earning a contract in Cleveland.
Thursday night, Sheehy-Guiseppi had his moment.
With 3:15 left in the fourth quarter of the preseason opener versus the Washington Redskins, Sheehy-Guiseppi fielded a punt at his 14-yard-line. The speedster split two would-be tacklers with a quick burst, weaved pasted a diving defender, got one block, and blazed past every angle, taking the pigskin to pay dirt for an 86-yard touchdown to ice the 30-10 tilt.
Sheehy-Guiseppi's story is a fascinating one, told by Nick Shook of the team's official website. To get an NFL shot, the 24-year-old had to beg for a tryout, sleep outside at one point, scrap at every turn to prove he was worth a chance, and convinced the Browns he deserved a spot. It's an awesome story you should read, twice.
If you want to know how much Sheehy-Guiseppi has endeared himself to his teammates, just check out the celebration afterward:
Players don't just mob any old teammate after a touchdown in a preseason game.
Several Browns have taken a liking to the 24-year-old who scrapped for his NFL shot.
Teammates were thrilled for Sheehy-Guiseppi. More than that, they knew the speedy wideout had a shot to make some noise.
"We were calling it before it even happened," receiver Rashard Higgins told Shook after the game. "When Damon Sheehy's name was called to go back to punt return, we were all standing up. He was telling us that he could run a 4.3, and we told him that we haven't seen that all camp, but it looked like he ran a 4.3 to me."
The touchdown won't secure the youngster's spot on the 53-man roster. There are still three more weeks of the preseason for him to prove he belongs. His work ethic, desire, speed and fortitude, however, give him a shot.
"It's good to see hard-working, good people succeed. And he definitely fits the build," coach Freddie Kitchens said Thursday, per Shook.
Now Sheehy-Guiseppi must continue to prove that build is worth a roster spot. He has three more weeks of the preseason to go. After turning heads in the first week, eyes will be on him the rest of the month.
That's what preseason is for.
