CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — Matthias Farley would be the first to tell you he’s experienced plenty of breaks throughout his entire football career.
“It’s pretty wild,” Farley smiles. “Everything that’s happened, the way it’s happened.”
Of all the places, the Charlotte Christian alum ended up back in Carolina.
“I wasn’t in OTAs anywhere,” says Farley. “I wasn’t in camp anywhere. I was just working out at my high school on a daily basis. Got a call Sunday before the Saints game to come in and work out.”
But the story doesn’t end there.
Though the 31-year-old was only supposed to be on the Panthers’ practice squad, he ended up getting to play for Carolina a few weeks later at Miami when Von Bell went down with an injury.
“It’s been kind of a whirlwind the last few weeks,” he admits. “I think it’s a dream for anybody to play in the city you grew up in.”
It was a dream that actually started out as a tragedy. Farley was a soccer player growing up and never intended to play football.
That was his older brother’s thing.
“Nathan played at Coastal Carolina. He had an injury end his career early,” Farley said. “He and I were always super close growing up. So he had a huge impact on my life and development.”
In an effort to honor that connection, Farley decided to give football a try as a junior in high school. It turns out he was a natural.
“So many memories being on that field, having no idea what I was doing,” he jokes. “Just the ebbs and flows of it all.”
Farley learned then to take the game as well as life as it comes to him. It’s how he’s been able to handle setbacks. And how seemingly this 8-year NFL vet always managed to bounce back.
“I can control my attitude and my effort and being in shape,” he explains of how he’s maintained a nearly decade-long career in the league.
Which is what he’ll continue doing, all while taking nothing for granted.
“I just try to stay ready and keep my nose to the grindstone,” he says.
This Queen City kid is back home. Hopefully for a while, but if not, well, just know, he’ll be just fine.
