Curtis a full-time Cowboy
By JOHN DEVINE
Herald Staff Writer
There were no phone messages. His locker remained intact. His name plate was still up.
As others were being escorted upstairs with playbook in hand, some fighting back tears, no one said a word to Tony Curtis.
Yet, there was nervous tension.
Just before the Cowboys concluded a team meeting, word leaked out that 10 more players would be cut.
"It was in the back of my mind,'' said Curtis.
With good reason. He had been down this road the last two years with Dallas, failing to land a spot on the regular season roster.
The sight of head coach Wade Phillips walking into a film session only made the stomach turn, albeit briefly, for the Seaside graduate.
"He looked at me and said congratulations,'' Curtis said. "That's when I knew I had made the team. He said 'keep improving'."
Patience and progress are two valuable assets on Curtis' resume.
Curtis is expected to be on the field for Dallas' regular season home opener Sunday against the Giants after making the 53-man roster as a back up tight end.
"I wasn't jumping up and down when I learned I made the team,'' said Curtis, who had spent the last two years on the Cowboys practice squad. "It was more of a relief-type of feeling. I'm just happy.''
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Curtis was one of three tight ends kept by Dallas, where he'll back up All-Pro Jason Whitten and 2006 first round pick Anthony Fasano.
Curtis has been told by his positions coach that he could see time in the Cowboys two tight end set. He will also play on special teams.
"Now it's just about trying to keep getting better and moving up the depth chart,'' Curtis said. "I'll mainly be special teams. When an opportunity comes, I have to try and take it."
Which is what Curtis did during the preseason for Dallas, leading the team in receptions with 11, averaging just under 14 yards a catch with one touchdown.
The 11 receptions equaled his season total during his senior year at Portland State in 2004.
"My position coach said what I did in the preseason was take advantage of the opportunities given,'' Curtis said. " I just tried to go out and have fun. I was more relaxed.''
Curtis contributed some of the mood change to spending the winter in Europe, playing for Cologne, Germany of the now defunct NFL Europa.
In 10 games, the 23-year-old caught 15 passes for Cologne and finished among the league leaders in touchdown catches with three.
More importantly, Curtis got a chance to get back on the field and hone is talents in a game situation rather than practice, where the pace is different.
"I got a chance to work on all the things I needed to,'' Curtis said. "I broke some bad habits. The game seemed a little slower and easier when I got back."
And it showed. Curtis, the Herald's Male Athlete of the Year in 2001, opened up some eyes with his progress. He didn't drop balls, miss blocks or lack confidence.
"I caught my first touchdown pass,'' Curtis said. "I had three tackles on special teams. These are things I had never done before. I don't know what it is. But things worked out."
Of course, Curtis had thought he had done enough to make the team last year. And it wasn't until he got to his locker that he learned he hadn't.
No one had informed him he had been released.
"Last year I got released because of the kicker situation,'' said Curtis, referring to Dallas in need of another kicker because of an injury.
Depending on how far Dallas goes this year, Curtis could end up playing 34 games over the course of 12 months.
Yet, he believes he's going into the season in the best shape of his life, having trimmed 15 pounds while in Europe, regaining a little of his deceptive speed in the process.
He's broken bad habits, improved his blocking and become a reliable target for quarterback Tony Romo.
"It's not like I'm going to play 60 snaps a game,'' Curtis said. "The body's not beat up. I am good to go.''
Herald Staff Writer
There were no phone messages. His locker remained intact. His name plate was still up.
As others were being escorted upstairs with playbook in hand, some fighting back tears, no one said a word to Tony Curtis.
Yet, there was nervous tension.
Just before the Cowboys concluded a team meeting, word leaked out that 10 more players would be cut.
"It was in the back of my mind,'' said Curtis.
With good reason. He had been down this road the last two years with Dallas, failing to land a spot on the regular season roster.
The sight of head coach Wade Phillips walking into a film session only made the stomach turn, albeit briefly, for the Seaside graduate.
"He looked at me and said congratulations,'' Curtis said. "That's when I knew I had made the team. He said 'keep improving'."
Patience and progress are two valuable assets on Curtis' resume.
Curtis is expected to be on the field for Dallas' regular season home opener Sunday against the Giants after making the 53-man roster as a back up tight end.
"I wasn't jumping up and down when I learned I made the team,'' said Curtis, who had spent the last two years on the Cowboys practice squad. "It was more of a relief-type of feeling. I'm just happy.''
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Curtis was one of three tight ends kept by Dallas, where he'll back up All-Pro Jason Whitten and 2006 first round pick Anthony Fasano.
Curtis has been told by his positions coach that he could see time in the Cowboys two tight end set. He will also play on special teams.
"Now it's just about trying to keep getting better and moving up the depth chart,'' Curtis said. "I'll mainly be special teams. When an opportunity comes, I have to try and take it."
Which is what Curtis did during the preseason for Dallas, leading the team in receptions with 11, averaging just under 14 yards a catch with one touchdown.
The 11 receptions equaled his season total during his senior year at Portland State in 2004.
"My position coach said what I did in the preseason was take advantage of the opportunities given,'' Curtis said. " I just tried to go out and have fun. I was more relaxed.''
Curtis contributed some of the mood change to spending the winter in Europe, playing for Cologne, Germany of the now defunct NFL Europa.
In 10 games, the 23-year-old caught 15 passes for Cologne and finished among the league leaders in touchdown catches with three.
More importantly, Curtis got a chance to get back on the field and hone is talents in a game situation rather than practice, where the pace is different.
"I got a chance to work on all the things I needed to,'' Curtis said. "I broke some bad habits. The game seemed a little slower and easier when I got back."
And it showed. Curtis, the Herald's Male Athlete of the Year in 2001, opened up some eyes with his progress. He didn't drop balls, miss blocks or lack confidence.
"I caught my first touchdown pass,'' Curtis said. "I had three tackles on special teams. These are things I had never done before. I don't know what it is. But things worked out."
Of course, Curtis had thought he had done enough to make the team last year. And it wasn't until he got to his locker that he learned he hadn't.
No one had informed him he had been released.
"Last year I got released because of the kicker situation,'' said Curtis, referring to Dallas in need of another kicker because of an injury.
Depending on how far Dallas goes this year, Curtis could end up playing 34 games over the course of 12 months.
Yet, he believes he's going into the season in the best shape of his life, having trimmed 15 pounds while in Europe, regaining a little of his deceptive speed in the process.
He's broken bad habits, improved his blocking and become a reliable target for quarterback Tony Romo.
"It's not like I'm going to play 60 snaps a game,'' Curtis said. "The body's not beat up. I am good to go.''
posted by The Gryphon at 8:38 AM
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