It says a lot about a person when they can respond well to moments of adversity.
For former Austin Peay defensive back Juantarius Bryant, getting a chance at the NFL was supposed to be a dream come true. However, it turned out to be one of the most embarrassing moments of his life, through no fault of his own.
Apparently, someone contacted Bryant posing as Dean Pees, the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator, and told him to show up to rookie minicamp on May 12. Needless to say, the opportunity wasn’t actually real and Bryant wasn’t given a chance to work out for the Falcons.
On his Twitter page, Bryant posted a heartfelt message to his supporters and everyone following the situation.
“I do not understand why this has happened, ” said Bryant. “But I do know everything happens for a reason.”
The class Bryant showed during this debacle was exemplary. What was supposed to be a highlight in his life turned sour far too quickly, but he handled the situation as gracefully as one could.
At Austin Peay, Bryant was a 2019 First Team All Ohio Valley Conference selection. He was a second-team selection in 2018. In 2019, he had 108 tackles which was most by any member of the Austin Peay secondary that season.
Hopefully, this young man gets a legitimate opportunity down the line to show what he can do on the pro level.