The doors of the NFL weren’t initially opened to wide receiver Andrew Hawkins.
He went undrafted in 2008, leading him to play for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
He won the Grey Cup in both years with the Alouettes.
After two seasons in Montreal, he tried out for the St. Louis Rams but was waived before the season.
It didn’t take long for his dream to play in the NFL to come true after the Cincinnati Bengals claimed him.
He also became a fan favorite in Cincinnati after fans called him “Baby Hawk.”
After his stint in Cincinnati, Hawkins played for the division rival Cleveland Browns from 2014 to 2016.
He tried to join the New England Patriots in 2017 but did not make the final 53-man roster.
Hawkins announced his retirement from the NFL in July 2017 when he was just 30 years old.
Since then, he has had a successful television career, starting from SportsCenter on Snapchat to Discovery Channel’s Dodgeball Thunderdome.
He also hosts Roku Recommends with Maria Menounos.
Now, he gets to do a program that is close to his heart.
He tweeted, “I created a show (“Granted”) where I get to go to different colleges & come up with ways to surprise walk-ons with scholarships and it might be the most satisfying (thing) I’ve ever done in my life!!”
He was also a walk-on at the University of Toledo and became the first player in the school’s history to have regular playing time on both offense and defense.
His tweet contains a video of him surprising walk-on tight end AJ Harrison with a scholarship.
Giving Back To Those Who Deserve It
Hawkins understands the struggle of constantly proving himself as a walk-on.
That’s why players who also went through his ordeal have a special place in him.
This show sends a nice message of perseverance before reaping the rewards.
It will also bless the recipients to push harder and perform better on the field.
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