The NFL preseason is all about fringe players getting their shot at earning a roster spot. And on Saturday night, Texas Tech football alum Sam Eguavoen made the most of his first preseason opportunity.
After spending time away from his team due to being on the COVID-19 list, the Miami Dolphins linebacker was activated prior to Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. And he wasted no time in making a huge splash.
Racking up four sacks, eleven total tackles, and a safety, Eguavoen was arguably the star of the night for the Dolphins. What makes that performance all the more impressive is that he put up those numbers despite playing only 38 snaps.
Over the past two years, the Garland, Texas native has played in all 32 games that the Dolphins have played. He’s racked up 51 tackles and 3.5 sacks during that time.
But after a strong 2019 that saw him register 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks, he was far less productive in 2020 with only nine tackles. Thus, his spot on the Miami roster was in question entering the preseason.
However, Eguavoen is relying on his faith in himself to carry him.
"“Just have a strong faith,” he said in an article by Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. “Just always believing in yourself. Even if you don’t make it, at least your faith got stronger, you know, like just always believe. It’s never good to doubt yourself or bet against yourself.”More from Wreck'Em RedTexas Tech football: Red Raider fans need to know about these MountaineersTexas Tech football: Red Raiders land first commit for class of 2025Texas Tech football: Why have the Red Raiders struggled on the road under McGuire?Texas Tech football: Why the Red Raiders can compete for a Big 12 titleTexas Tech football: Plenty of questions remain as conference play arrives"
Since leaving Texas Tech, it has been a constant fight for Eguavoen to find a spot in the NFL. In fact, from 2016-18, he was in the Canadian Football League where he totaled 173 tackles, 4 sacks, and an interception.
Then, he tried out for as many as 13 NFL teams before getting his shot with the Dolphins. And after Saturday night, it appears that he might have secured a spot on this year’s Miami roster.
Of course, Red Raider fans will find it easy to root for Eguavoen. In his four years in Lubbock (2011-2014), he put up 225 total tackles including 14.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.
As a senior, he earned honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors. That year, in only ten games played, he amassed 4 tackles (49 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles, one interception, and one quarterback hurry.
Now, he appears headed for his third-straight season with the Dolphins. But Eguavoen isn’t taking anything for granted.
"“It’s still a fight,” he told Habib. “It doesn’t matter what you do today. It’s always — the rent is due every day. You can’t get lackadaisical because, ‘Oh, I got four sacks this week’ or ‘I got a pick that week.’ There’s always somebody ready to take your spot just like when I was in Canada; I’m waiting for somebody to slip up in the NFL. I’m going to rejoice tonight, but tomorrow I know I’m still going to get chewed out in film for plays that I messed up on.”"