Bowling Green State University Athletics
Dorley And O'Neill Sign NFL Free Agent Contracts
May 12, 2000 | Football
May 12, 2000
It's a goal that so many set, yet few reach. After countless hours of preparation, Doug Dorley and Joe O'Neill finally have their chance to reach the goal...they have been signed as free agents to play football in the National Football League. While this does not guarantee either one of them a spot on the roster, it does give them the opportunity to make the team. According to both of them, this opportunity will not be wasted.
"I'm excited," said center Doug Dorley. "This is a starting point, and my goal is to turn this opportunity into a career."
Dorley signed as a rookie free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals. After looking at six other NFL teams, Dorley felt the Bengals showed the most interest. Instead of simply making an offer over the phone, the Bengals organization flew him to Cincinnati and met with him in person. The Norman, Ill., native will report to Cincinnati for summer strength and conditioning training on Monday. Training camp will begin on July 20th in Georgetown, Ky., and Dorley likes his chances of making the team.
"What I have in agility, the others at my position have in experience," said Dorley. "I'm working very hard to improve my strength, which can only help during training camp."
O'Neill, a 6-2 outside linebacker from Twinsburg, will join his brother, Kevin ('98), at the Detroit Lions mini-camp. While it's a dream come true for O'Neill to be playing alongside his brother in the NFL, it was not what he expected. He originally thought he would be signed by the Carolina Panthers or the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Lions stepped in and created the best situation for him.
"Kevin and I will both be fighting for a job when mini-camp opens on July 21st, " said the younger O'Neill. "It would be incredible to have played with my brother in high school, college, and now in the pros."
Both players felt that Bowling Green and Coach Blackney helped to prepare them for this next step in their careers. The strength of schedule and getting to match-up against top level opponents were key to getting them acquainted with a quicker and more physical style of play. Not to mention the lessons learned at practice and in their overall experience of being a college student.
"I went through a lot of adversity with my injuries," said O'Neill. "I learned to fight through that adversity, but I couldn't have learned that lesson without the support of some key people at Bowling Green."
And if this career doesn't pan out, they will both have a BGSU education to fall back on...
