Football Rookie Keith Fitzhugh Turns Down Pro Team to Support Family

Keith Fitzhugh turned down the New York Jets to keep a steady job as a train conductor, which lets him support his family.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on December 08 2010

Keith Fitzhugh has always dreamed of a professional football career. He was an undrafted rookie last year, and had already served three short stints with the New York Jets. Yesterday, they called him again, asking if he would replace an injured player as safety.

But despite his dreams of a Superbowl win, Fitzhugh turned the team down.

“I know I haven’t won a Super Bowl; it would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” Fitzhugh told the New Jersey Star-Ledger. “But you only get one mom and one dad. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I’d rather be there for my mom and dad than go for a Super Bowl chance.”

Fitzhugh knows that his time with the Jets could last as little as a few weeks—and though he loves football, supporting his family is more important to him. He was unemployed for months after his last time on the football field, but he now has a good job as a railroad conductor, which has health benefits and a steady paycheck. He lives with his family and helps to support his mother and disabled father.

The family is close-knit—especially since the death of Fitzhugh’s younger sister, Brittany. She died from the West Nile Virus at the age of 14, just as Fitzhugh was starting college.

“That’s why I’m so strong about being around family now,” Fitzhugh said. “Life is short, and you never know what will happen. When I went through the period of time being unemployed, my family was there for me. I didn’t want to take a risk and lose everything again, especially when I have a great job like I do now.”

Turning down the NFL may be a rarity, but for this football player, family comes first.

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