There was even a time when football wasn't even in the offensive lineman's life. Stephen hadn't even heard of football when he moved to his house in Hastings in fourth grade because where he came from, football meant something totally different.
It's a dream many have, but few get to live it.
Former University of Nebraska Kearney Loper and current New York Giant Stephen Goodin says, "You know, you dream of it when you're a kid, but you never really expect yourself to be at this point. Most of the guys here are just playing for the love of the game, not necessarily thinking, 'Oh, I'm going to show how good I am, and go to the NFL out of college when you go D-II'."
But that's exactly what former University of Nebraska-Kearney Loper, number 65, Stephen Goodin is doing. And his father shares his disbelief.
"It's unbelievable," says Rod Goodin, "It's hard to even imagine. I didn't even think Stephen would play college football when he was in high school, let alone have a chance for the NFL!"
There was even a time when football wasn't even in the offensive lineman's life. Stephen hadn't even heard of football when he moved to his house in Hastings in fourth grade because where he came from, football meant something totally different.
Rod Goodin says, "Stephen grew up in Greece. He was born in Greece. And they don't play football. So until we came to the States, he didn't really know much about football at all."
But years later, Stephen knows enough about football to share the field with the defending Super Bowl champions, and he's knows what it will take to stay there.
Stephen says, "It's gonna be tough, those guys are really good football players. They showed it by winning the Super Bowl. But I'm going to go in there, work as hard as I can and hopefully prove myself and see what I can do and eventually work my way on to the team roster, the 53-man roster."
So, it may be time for a change in the Goodin household. Specifically the favorite family team. A team that was the Chiefs.
"The Chiefs," says Stephen, "Yeah, my dad's from Kansas, so I grew up as a Chiefs fan."
When asked if the Giants could ever overtake the chiefs as Rod's favorite team, he said, "Yeah...If he plays with them. If he plays for them, no doubt!"
Goodin heads to Giants camp on May 10 and the chemistry major told us that even with the chance of being in the NFL, he still plans on going to medical school.
