In what appears to be a popular series amongst NFL teams, we’ve now had the amazing opportunity of speaking with players from a number of NFL teams past and present NFL International Series teams, including Jaguars, Redskins, Bengals and Jets.
Today we are joined by kicker for Kansas City Chiefs, Cairo Santos. Here he gives us an insight to his typical day as an NFL player:
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Tell us a little about yourself…
My name is Cairo Santos, I am from Brazil, 24, and I got to the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Tulane University
Why did you want to become a professional football player? When did you know it was what you wanted to do?
Ever since I picked up kicking for my High School I knew I loved the game. It wasn’t until junior year in college that I truly believed I had the talent to play in the NFL
Talk me through a typical day of a player in the NFL, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep and everything that happens in between.
I wake up at 7:15 am and have breakfast at the practice facility. We go to meetings at 8:15 am until 11 am. After a lunch break we start practice at around 1 pm and usually are done by 4 pm. After work I like to just relax at home, cook a good meal, watch a movie, and go to bed at around 11 pm.
Also, what does a typical game day look like? Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Game days I like to just listen to music and talk to my family. These two things are the best things to calm the nerves down before a game.
What would you eat in a typical day? Do you stick to a strict diet and have ‘cheat’ days or do you allow yourself to have what you want, when you want? Either way, what is your favourite treat?
I don’t have a strict diet. I usually just follow what we have at the practice facility, because I know they are always looking out for our health.
What do you like to get up to in your downtime, when you’re not playing or training? What are your favourite hobbies?
I love playing golf. Anytime we have a day off and I am not too tired, you will find me somewhere at a golf course.
What’s the best part of your job?
The best part is that it never feels like a job. I love kicking and being a pro-athlete.
What’s the worst part of your job?
The uncertainty of how long it will last.
What is the biggest misconception that people have about what it is like to be a NFL player?
Most people think that we are multi-millionaires from the start. It takes a long time to reach that level. Plus, taxes are brutal.
Have you been to the UK, what did you enjoy most?
I’ve been to the UK twice and I think London is one of the coolest places in the world. I love how every building in London looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie.
The great thing I have noticed when it comes to American sports is that it is largely based around the fans and their experience. How important to you are the fans? If you could give any message to them, what would it be?
If it wasn’t because of our fans, we wouldn’t have our jobs. We love having the Chiefs Kingdom supporting us every Sunday and I consider myself lucky to have such great fans like them.
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Thank you so much to Cairo Santos for giving us some insight to his day and what it is like to be an NFL player. I appreciate him taking the time out of his schedule to answer our questions, and also thanks to the press team at Kansas City Chiefs for helping to make it happen.
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