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Unbelievable true story & it involves Joe Burrow.

Posted on 9/1/26 at 2:07 am
Posted by Boomdaddy65201
BoCoMo
Member since Mar 2020
4910 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 2:07 am
I figured the Burrow line would get you to look, but it’s the story of Dohnte Meyers and his improbable dream of making that 53-man roster and yes, Joe Burrow plays a crucial part.





quote:

Dohnte Meyers went undrafted in 2023 out of Delta State, a Division II school in Mississippi.

He got a tryout at Atlanta Falcons rookie minicamp. It didn't take.

So he started driving for DoorDash. Train during the day. Deliver food at night. Sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning. Then get up and do it again, waiting for a football phone call that wasn't coming.

Eventually he heard about an open tryout in Atlanta for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

It cost $100 to participate. Out of pocket. His own money, from delivering food, for a chance to stand on a field with a few hundred other guys hoping somebody was watching.

He paid it. "I balled out," Meyers said later. Saskatchewan signed him to a futures contract in October 2023.

Then everything went wrong again. A broken hand delayed his 2024 debut. A separated shoulder ended his season early. Two years into professional football and he'd barely played.

"That was the only thing that could really provide some stability," Meyers said about leaning on his faith through that stretch.

Then 2025 happened. 65 catches. 1,056 yards. 8 touchdowns. CFL West Division All-Star. And a Grey Cup, Canada's championship, with Saskatchewan.

A Bengals scouting executive whose job is watching other pro leagues flagged him. Cincinnati brought him in for a January workout and signed him to a reserve/future contract.

That's usually where these stories end. A camp body in a receiver room that already has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Here's the part that changed it.

The week before training camp, Joe Burrow texted him asking if he was in town for a throwing session.

Meyers was in Atlanta.

The workout was the next morning at 11. He said yes anyway, got in the car with his brother riding shotgun, and drove seven hours through the night. About 460 miles. He walked into that session on no sleep.

Burrow only found out about the drive afterward, face to face.

“I texted him, 'Hey, are you in town?' He's like, 'I can be.' I was like, 'Can you be here tomorrow at 11?' He's like, 'Yeah,'" Burrow said.

“Come to find out he drove from Atlanta that night to be there to throw the next day. That's the kind of guy that he is."

Meyers explained it simply. "Whether I've got to fly, whether I've got to drive, if the quarterback says he wants to throw, I'm ready to work. I'm not gonna let him outwork me. If he's ready to throw, I'm ready to catch."

Through three preseason games, he caught 11 passes for 121 yards, added 22 rushing yards, and 99 return yards. He took first-team reps with Burrow. The two of them stayed 40 minutes after one practice working on routes.

Today, Cincinnati cut down to 53 players.

Wide receivers coach Troy Walters called him on FaceTime to tell him. "The sweet part about it is I get to tell a guy who worked out for us last December, came from the CFL and then we signed in February, spent hours in the coaches' office studying the playbook, made plays in the preseason. I just wanted to personally tell you congratulations for making the 53-man roster."

Meyers is 26 years old, 5-foot-11, 186 pounds. Three years ago he was delivering food and scraping together a hundred dollars for a tryout in another country. On September 13th, he'll be on an NFL field catching passes from Joe Burrow.
Posted by ManBearTiger
BRLA
Member since Jun 2007
22708 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 2:36 am to
Lol acting like door dash delivery is working at a meat plant. You understand people work these services on a whim?
Posted by Downeast12
Member since Jun 2022
1224 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 4:07 am to
quote:

Lol acting like door dash delivery is working at a meat plant. You understand people work these services on a whim?


You can take the Door Dash part of this story completely out and it’s just as great a story without it.
Posted by PowerTool
The dark side of the road
Member since Dec 2009
23633 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 4:25 am to
Did you miss the part where he had to go to the CFL?
Posted by TTsTowel
RIP Bow9den/Coastie
Member since Feb 2010
93071 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 5:55 am to
Didn’t take someone long to act like a complete dick for no reason.

How about commend the guy for busting his arse to do what it takes to live out his dream? That’s something a lot of these upcoming athletes could look up to.
Posted by LSUTigKyl
Nashville
Member since May 2009
1978 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 6:55 am to
The most fascinating thing about this whole story is the Bengals have someone whose entire job is to watch other pro leagues. Imagine waking up and knowing your goal for today was to go watch a CFL game and probably paid 6 figures to do it. And you are huge success if you find one former DoorDash driver that can ball.
Posted by coolpapaboze
Parts Unknown
Member since Dec 2006
22646 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 7:24 am to
That’s an awesome story thank you for sharing. I hope Dohnte sticks and has a great career.
Posted by Pelican fan99
Lafayette, Louisiana
Member since Jun 2013
39714 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 7:51 am to
quote:

Lol acting like door dash delivery is working at a meat plant. You understand people work these services on a whim?
isn’t that the whole point? He was working some shite job at night so that he had the flexibility to train everyday
Posted by bountyhunter
North of Houston a bit
Member since Mar 2012
7311 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 7:55 am to
quote:

ManBearBitch

Fixed it for you...
Posted by BestBanker
Member since Nov 2011
19987 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:08 am to
quote:

Meyers is 26 years old, 5-foot-11, 186 pounds. Three years ago he was delivering food and scraping together a hundred dollars for a tryout in another country. On September 13th, he'll be on an NFL field catching passes from Joe Burrow.

Hey! I'm 6', 187 lbs. It could've been me.
Posted by Teddy Ruxpin
Member since Oct 2006
41073 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:41 am to
quote:

Imagine waking up and knowing your goal for today was to go watch a CFL game and probably paid 6 figures to do it.


Whoa whoa slow down this is the Bengals. I seriously doubt they are paying that guy all that well.
Posted by High C
viewing the fall....
Member since Nov 2012
63345 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:44 am to
I love to hear these stories of hard work and sacrifice eventually paying off. I hope he can stick around the league long enough to never have to work DoorDash again.
Posted by VernonPLSUfan
Leesville, La.
Member since Sep 2007
18114 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:55 am to
Reminds me of the "Beer Man" for the Saints. Was a beer truck driver and the Saints picked him up.
Posted by High C
viewing the fall....
Member since Nov 2012
63345 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:58 am to
Yep, that’s who I thought of when I read the story.
Posted by teke184
Zachary, LA
Member since Jan 2007
105635 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:24 am to
quote:

The most fascinating thing about this whole story is the Bengals have someone whose entire job is to watch other pro leagues


Yeah, I’m surprised they will spring for it given how cheap they are.

Not like the Dodgers, who would send scouts all across Mexico and stumble across guys like Fernando Valenzuela when attempting to scout other players.
Posted by wilceaux
Austin, TX
Member since Apr 2004
13194 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 10:41 am to
Bengals are winning it all this year.
Posted by WestSideTiger
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2004
5663 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 10:56 am to
quote:

next week, he will accept an NIL offer at LSU

That’s why you posted it.

Posted by Sun God
Member since Jul 2009
54482 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 10:59 am to
What meat plant did you work at before you had to use disability
Posted by Boomdaddy65201
BoCoMo
Member since Mar 2020
4910 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 11:07 am to
quote:

NIL offer at LSU



No, but thought it was apropos since I was posting it here. Was actually going through the comments on X just to make sure of the validity of the story and I will admit it made me smile.
Posted by LSUTigKyl
Nashville
Member since May 2009
1978 posts
Posted on 9/1/26 at 11:30 am to
I was thinking the ineptitude of the Bengals would be the exact reason they are paying someone too much to do this role
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