It's been 14 years of triumph and disappointment for Greg Olsen, University of Miami alumni and 31st overall pick in the 2007 draft. While the tight end originally played for Chicago, he was traded to North Carolina in 2011 and, later, the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He was a particular asset to the Carolina Panthers' 2015 season, catching 6 passes for 113 yards vs Arizona in a game that secured their Super Bowl berth. They would ultimately lose Super Bowl L to the Denver Broncos, but Olsen secured a great victory in his own right - he'd broken Wesley Wall's team record for most career receptions in Panther history, as well as most TE receptions for a single game (9 passes for 129 yards).
"As a young kid, I never dreamed of playing in the NFL," he wrote in a heartfelt and honest tweet sent out January 24, "At the time, my dreams didn't go any further than the local high school team that was coached by my father. My dad is still the best coach I have ever had. He introduced my brothers and me to the game at an early age and poured every ounce of himself into helping us reach our full potential."
Olsen finished his career with the Seattle Seahawks, who clinched the NFC West and made it to the postseason but didn't advance to the Divisional Round. He said he regretted "walking off the field under the weight of confetti, but realizing our dream came up short."
He also mentioned, without calling it by name, COVID-19 and the toll it's taken on the his own experience, which I think is important to address. Yes, we were able to have the playoffs on time and yes, we will have a Super Bowl. When you consider the fact that the MLB had to shut down after only 60 games this past season, the NFL was fortunate. But that doesn't mean our athletes aren't feeling the effects of this pandemic, coping with sick family members (or sickness of their own), the loss of the pre-season, re-scheduling games, and playing for few (if any) fans in the stands. Olsen seems to comprehend the weight of this, saying, "My ultimate regret was not being able to enjoy the end with my family. Watching the time tick down, in an empty stadium, knowing it would be my last game. Not having the ability to be surrounded by my loved ones. Not being able to hug them and thank them for a lifetime of love and support."
What's next for Greg Olsen?
The end of an athletic career doesn't have to mean the end of football. Olsen has just signed on with Fox Sports and will begin sportscasting, while being able to spend more time with his wife Kara and their three children, Tate, TJ, and Talbot. "I look forward to the next chapter together as a family," he said, "I look forward to catching up on so many moments I have missed as I chased this life."