TCNJ

13 Prairie FALL 2024 PETER MURPHY How I Got Here TOM BURKE '24 Versatile team captain uses fifth year to reach for NJACs, All-American status, and the NFL. > Football appeals to a lot of young boys, I think. Just that idea of being with other kids, running around, and you get to be a little rough. It's a good way to get rid of that boy energy. > I am from Virginia now, but I was a Navy brat. I lived in San Diego for half my life, so I am a Chargers fan. My dad is from the Philadelphia area, so the Eagles are his team, and I like them, too. > When my dad asked me if I wanted to play football, it was a no brainer. I started in Pee Wee leagues. > I play tight end, which is a mix of an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. So I have to block and get physical on the offensive line, but I also have to go out for passes and catch balls. Tight ends are like the Swiss army knives on the football field. They do everything. > My first year at TCNJ, we only won two games. The class I came in with said, "This is not the standard we want to live up to. We're going to take this a lot more seriously." > We've built ourselves into being a real college football team. And that reflects in our record and how we've been performing. We take a lot of pride in this. > I didn't really understand what it took to be a college athlete, and I ended up losing my starting spot as a sophomore. I wasn't making the plays they knew I should be making. I thought I could just slide by on natural ability. But it's a lot more than that. > I told the coach, "I'm going to do whatever I can to show you I deserve to be on that field." I was in there watching film. I was in the weight room like a maniac. > Junior year, I had a breakout season, meaning a really good season. The rest has been history. > I received All-Region honors. I was a preseason All-American last year, but I didn't get it at the end of the season. So that's a goal. I'm really focused on showing I'm one of the best tight ends in the country. > And it's not just me. It's the whole team. We want to win a conference championship and have a playoff win. > I'm a business management major, and I would like to work in the sports sector. I know it's very competitive. But I think I could bring a lot to that field. > For right now, this is the job I want to do, and I have been talking to agents. I hope to play football for a few more years. I'm doing one of the most fun things in the world. — As told to Kara Pothier Burke in the locker room and on the field during TCNJ's preseason prep.

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