When the Panthers and Broncos took the field for Super Bowl 50, all eyes were on Cam Newton and Peyton Manning. And why not: Newton was this year's NFL MVP and Manning was possibly playing in his final game. However, the eyes of Anderson Township from just outside Cincinnati were on another player: Panthers guard Andrew Norwell. Being an offensive lineman in football means you usually don't get a whole lot of glory, and usually fans don't pay attention to you as much as a quarterback or star wide receiver. Norwell is one of my favorite players in the NFL, however. To me, his journey to being a win away from an NFL title is one that deserves more attention.
Andrew Norwell and I share something in common: we both played football at Anderson High School. While I wasn't even a starter, Andrew was a star player for the Anderson Redskins. In his sophomore season, he started at left tackle and helped Anderson win their first state title in school history. The next year, they came within four points of repeating as state champions. However, his senior season was derailed early on due to a leg injury. Regardless, he earned an athletic scholarship to play at Ohio State. While there, he endured a major coaching change after his freshman season, but that didn't deter him. He started the final 39 games of his career at Ohio State. He became an All-Big Ten guard his junior and senior seasons while helping the Buckeyes to a dangerous offensive attack and three 12 win seasons in his four-year college career.
NFL scouts didn't think he could play in the pros, though. They thought he'd be a borderline NFL player as he eventually went undrafted in the 2014 Draft. He didn't give up on his goal to play in the NFL, though. He was able to earn a contract from the Panthers and made the roster out of training camp. He became the first former Redskin to play in the NFL, an accomplishment in its own right for our high school. He got a chance to start midway through his rookie season, an opportunity he took and ran with. Since that time, he has become a top guard in the NFL while helping the Panthers to win. He didn't even commit a penalty through the entire 2015 season, not an easy task to do. And even though the Panthers didn't win this year's Super Bowl, you can bet they will be a team to beat next season, partially due to the quiet rise of Andrew.
Ask anyone around Anderson football and they will say Andrew is the perfect person to represent the school and township. He has worked hard to get to the position he is in. His former offensive line coach at Anderson Matt Stanyard told me "“He would do all the little things in practice to improve. He was constantly working on his footwork and hand placement. Andrew would take even the "lightest" drill period and work with determination and focus. He was a pleasure to coach!” and “He worked hard in high school, which was the foundation for his future success at Ohio State”.
Our saying at Anderson is "Once a Redskin, Always a Redskin". I know it sounds cliché, but I openly embrace it. It shows pride of where I came from. I still wear my Anderson football gear around. To see another Redskin to be able to play in the Super Bowl is a great feeling. Andrew is a great representative of our township and the city of Cincinnati. I think we can all take something from him. Hard work and determination are keys to success that can help you accomplish your goals, even if the journey is not easy and others think you can't do it.
