Harry Posted December 9, 2010 Share #1 Posted December 9, 2010 Keith Fitzhugh just gave up his shot at the NFL to work on the railroad. 24-year-old Fitzhugh, who dreamed of an NFL career as a boy, had a chance to sign with the New York Jets as a free-agent safety. Instead he opted for the stability of his job as a train conductor on the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Fitzhugh said it's more important to support his struggling parents than to gamble on a chance at a Super Bowl ring. He lives in his parents' home in Georgia, where his father is disabled and can't work. The family depends on their son's railroad salary to make ends meet. "People say I may have had a chance to play in the Super Bowl, and I sit there and think, and I tell them -- hey, you only got one mom and dad!" Fitzhugh told ABC News. Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/keith-fitzhugh-shot-nfls-york-jets-railroad-conductor/story?id=12345139 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokkemon Posted December 9, 2010 Share #2 Posted December 9, 2010 So the millions in pay he'll potentially get aren't enough security? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted December 9, 2010 Share #3 Posted December 9, 2010 So the millions in pay he'll potentially get aren't enough security? No. Considering how at anytime he can injure himself while playing on the field ending his career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share #4 Posted December 9, 2010 So the millions in pay he'll potentially get aren't enough security? He's been cut by the Jets three times and has the potential to be cut again after the season ends and he knows it. If he were to rejoin the Jets he would most likely receive around $250,000-300,000 as a free-agent safety (my best guess). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomotion69 Posted December 9, 2010 Share #5 Posted December 9, 2010 The salary breakdown was something like $5k a week for the rest of the season plus a bit more for the playoffs. So just for this year it would only around $30-$35k). Like Harry said he has been cut 3 times, like Julio said you can get hurt so easily at anytime and my point being that there is a strong possibility of a lockout next season, the players union has advised to prepare for the lockout. NFL stands for NOT FOR LONG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share #6 Posted December 9, 2010 The salary breakdown was something like $5k a week for the rest of the season plus a bit more for the playoffs. So just for this year it would only around $30-$35k). Wow!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted December 9, 2010 Share #7 Posted December 9, 2010 So the millions in pay he'll potentially get aren't enough security? He's not going to get millions. He'll have to resign a good job with a pension and benefits just to try out for a chance to make a prorated $25,000 or so to finish the season. Then there is no guarantee he gets a job, or a contract next year nor is there any guarantee he doesn't suffer a severe injury which hurts his ability to make a living in the future in any line of work (not just football). Then when the season is finished, he is yet again out of work. Smarter to stay with the railroad. He keeps his benefits, maintains a steady income, and doesn't run the risk of injury. And he'll know he has a job next year and the year after and so on, as long as he continues to do it correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomotion69 Posted December 9, 2010 Share #8 Posted December 9, 2010 I never knew the freight trains had a conductor. I thought you had 1 or 2 guys in the locomotive engine as the engineer. http://www.american-rails.com/freight-train-conductor.html He is in training and his pay is $31,000 yr but he has a great chance in a few years to be promoted to engineer. I am sure those jobs are hard to get. One drawback is the travel and being away from home and being on call. NS operates in 22 states as well as the province of Ontario, Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted December 10, 2010 Share #9 Posted December 10, 2010 I never knew the freight trains had a conductor. I thoughtyou had 1 or 2 guys in the locomotive engine as the engineer. Per FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) regulations, a conductor is required on every train that runs in the United States. In short, with out the conductor, the train can not move. Even though the engineer is responsible for the train's physical movement of the train, a conductor is responsible for the overall operation of the train. In freight this includes keeping manifests and calling signals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East New York Posted December 10, 2010 Share #10 Posted December 10, 2010 I was offered a job with them yesterday. But there is no way in hell I'm moving to Atlanta! Totally out of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted December 10, 2010 Share #11 Posted December 10, 2010 I was offered a job with them yesterday. But there is no way in hell I'm moving to Atlanta! Totally out of the question. The training is in Atlanta, you don't work IN Atlanta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted December 10, 2010 Share #12 Posted December 10, 2010 Good decision. Finally a proper role model, quit the pie in the sky millionaire dream and get a real world job that you can actually get hired for no matter your athletic prowess. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted December 10, 2010 Share #13 Posted December 10, 2010 Good decision. Finally a proper role model, quit the pie in the sky millionaire dream and get a real world job that you can actually get hired for no matter your athletic prowess. - A He's only doing this because he won't make that much. I'm sure if he was picked up on a multi-million dollar contract, things would be very different. Why shouldn't those who are athletically gifted not try to get picked up by a sports team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted December 10, 2010 Share #14 Posted December 10, 2010 Working as a frieght conductor is 180 degrees different than working as a train Operator here in NYC Transit.You really bust your ass as a FC.Youhave to be truly physically fit,no 300+lb Behemoths like myself..None of this sitting on the board and doing nothing nonsense.You work untill you want to drop then you work some more. You have to learn to jump on a moving train,you have to lift 75-100 lbs frequently.Think putting on a handbrake on a 10 car train is work? Try putting handbrakes on 200+ freight cars. I could NEVER be a freight conductor,even when I was younger and lighter.I have a lot of respect for those that are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomotion69 Posted December 10, 2010 Share #15 Posted December 10, 2010 These guys have to work mandatory OT, sometimes 12 hr shifts 7 days a week. I read that there are guys with 20 years on the job who still can't get local or yard jobs. Also they have to work in all kinds of nasty weather as these trains run 24/7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOB2RTO Posted December 12, 2010 Share #16 Posted December 12, 2010 He seen how the Jets are performing, and said JETS?, nah I'll go work on the railroad instead........ If someone were offered a million dollar contract to play with the Mets for a season, or pick garbage up in the parks for the Parks dept., it would be more wise to pick up the garbage in the parks. It would be less humiliating too...:p........ Yeah, I went there, and what??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
553 Bridgeton Posted December 13, 2010 Share #17 Posted December 13, 2010 These guys have to work mandatory OT, sometimes 12 hr shifts 7 days a week. I read that there are guys with 20 years on the job who still can't get local or yard jobs. :eek: One of my friends dad works for CSX and his dad has no life, and when I say no life....I mean no life. I could never work in the Freight Industry. It looks really simple when you see them working. I say working for a railroad is worse then being a truck driver. Its bad enough dealing with transit jobs.... I also heard that samething where guys are on the job as long as 20 years and cant even get a local or yard jobs. Thats like working at mcdonalds for 5 years and still making a cheeseburger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted December 13, 2010 Share #18 Posted December 13, 2010 He seen how the Jets are performing, and said JETS?, nah I'll go work on the railroad instead........ If someone were offered a million dollar contract to play with the Mets for a season, or pick garbage up in the parks for the Parks dept., it would be more wise to pick up the garbage in the parks. It would be less humiliating too...:p........ Yeah, I went there, and what??????? You never know the two jobs might be related. If the Mets played in a governmentally owned park (the bailout of Citi was nearly a case for this) parks department or rangers might have to clean the garbage out of the stadium...meaning the Mets themselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomotion69 Posted December 14, 2010 Share #19 Posted December 14, 2010 He seen how the Jets are performing, and said JETS?, nah I'll go work on the railroad instead........ If someone were offered a million dollar contract to play with the Mets for a season, or pick garbage up in the parks for the Parks dept., it would be more wise to pick up the garbage in the parks. It would be less humiliating too...:p........ Yeah, I went there, and what??????? I hope they lose the rest of the way, that way they won't be embarassed on national tv in the 1st round of the playoffs,this team is pathetic. What is talking so long in firing that assistant coach who tripped the Dolphins player on the sideline? A suspension and a fine? that is all? WTF? Save the tears Sal Alosi and do the right thing... RESIGN! I am ashamed to be a Jets fan. :tdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokkemon Posted December 14, 2010 Share #20 Posted December 14, 2010 It's only a trip. It's not like he hunted the guy down and killed the guy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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