Ashburn, Virginia— Sammis Reyes grew up poor, the son of a physical education teacher and an auto insurance adjuster. However, he dreamed of what his life could be.
When the opportunity to play basketball in America presented itself as a teenager, his family sent him $ 50 a month to live. Reyes didn’t know any English and learned everything he could by watching the movie “The Matrix.”
Now he is close to making history. Washington placed tight end Logan Thomas on the disabled list with a hamstring injury and his possible absence for at least three games could open the door for Reyes to become the first Chilean to play in the NFL.
If Reyes plays the New Orleans Saints on Sunday or shortly after, it would mark a milestone in the 25-year-old’s journey, which took him from Talcahuano to the field and with several twists and turns.
“Where I come from, the cost of a helmet is equal to what parents pay for six months of education,” Reyes acknowledged. “I am not naïve to the fact that I am the first to do it. I am grateful for the opportunity to show that we can do it, that the people of Chile can do great things and we can leave the country and get good opportunities elsewhere. ”
Washington signed the experienced Jace Sternberger, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft who was ruled out by the Packers after a two-game suspension for violating the league’s banned substances regulations.
But Reyes’ familiarity with offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s system and his meteoric rise – from knowing nothing about football to being in an NFL team lineup – makes him the favorite to replace Thomas.
“It looks like Sammis will have a chance,” said head coach Ron Rivera. “You will have to start getting ready and getting ready to go out.”
Reyes believes that his life has been a series of failures that, however, have led him to this moment. His parents played basketball and the Chilean national team gave him the opportunity to go to the United States on a scholarship.
He lived in Florida and Hawaii, and eventually New Orleans, where Reyes played in the first division of college basketball with Tulane. When that didn’t come to fruition in a long-term career, he became a delivery man for the food distribution company DoorDash at the start of the pandemic while listening to podcasts to understand all about football.
“As I was driving, I would sit and listen and try to understand what a 4-3 defense meant,” he said. “I took advantage of every second and did the best I could with that.”
The 1.95-meter, 117-kilogram player continued to receive recommendations to play football, for which he entered the NFL International Pathway Player Program.
After just 10 weeks and a chance to show off his skills, he received a three-year contract with Washington. His dream was to stay in that team, as he plays in the area that has become his new home, since his family resides there.
“Here are all the people I love, except for my family in Chile, of course,” he said. “I finally felt at home after looking for this for so many years.”
Reyes spent long nights studying the playbook and leaving his phone away so it wouldn’t distract him. He concentrated on drawing the plays and tried to catch up with his teammates who have years of experience.
He demonstrated enough understanding during training camp and preseason games to earn his spot on the 53-man roster, and Rivera has referred to Reyes as part of Washington’s future.
“He has the body for that, also the mentality,” Rivera said Monday. “When you see him, how he prepares, the way he studies and gets ready for things, he does it the right way.”
Rivera believes that the fact that Reyes is Chilean is important to show that American football is an internationalized sport.
“It’s good that you can find athletes from everywhere,” said Rivera, whose father is Puerto Rican and mother is Mexican.
But coming to the NFL as a Chilean came as a surprise to Reyes, who understood very little about the sport just a few months ago.
On Sunday, you will have the opportunity to show how far you have come.
“It was crazy,” he stressed. “It’s been a tough year, but at the same time, it’s probably the most rewarding year of my life.”
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