La Vida En Black… Fernando Velasco

By MimiTVA posting from the DMV, Super Bowl Sunday February 4, 2018

Today as we watch the Super Bowl lets think the son of a Colombian man who played for the Carolina Panther’s in Super Bowl numero 50.

Velasco’s work ethic is a lesson instilled by his grandfather. Velasco credits this work ethic to have been in the NFL. Velasco left the NFL in 2016 and recently signed as a Player Relations Coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs football team.

Velasco’s career in the NFL had him bouncing from team to team even at the beginning of the 2015 season he was playing with the Tennessee Titans.  An undrafted free agent in 2008, Velasco spent most of that year and 2009 on the practice squad. Versatility — his ability to play either guard spot and center — helped him make the team’s “swing” guy,  a backup interior lineman who is active on game days for the Titans.  He played with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers before 2016 And the Titans released him in August.  And then on September 17, 2015, Velasco was signed by the Carolina Panthers to play center and be the back up to their 4-time Pro Bowl center, Ryan Kalil. After a ankle injury to Kalil, Velasco would start the week 8 contest against the Indianapolis Colts.

“The thing about that area, everybody’s just hard workers, so that’s the thing that I definitely know is the reason I’ve been in the league this long, especially being an undrafted free agent, is just that work ethic,” Velasco said. “You come to work every day ready to get better. You don’t get content about being on the practice squad. You can’t get content about being a backup. So you always want to get better. You don’t want to be content.”

“Growing up in the household with my granddaddy, he went to work every day until he was 80-plus years old,” Velasco continued, “so seeing that from him, I can’t be content with anything less than being the best I can be.”

Velasco’s grandfather would be up and out at the crack of dawn to spend the day “loading and stacking” working for a grocery warehouse. Velasco’s Granddad would work late and then get up and do the same everyday until he passed away during Fernando’s freshman year in high school, “but that’s what he did to take care of the family.”

Velasco’s father is from Colombia and immigrated to America. He met Velasco’s mother in New York but was incarcerated for most of Velasco’s childhood and is prohibited from returning to America. Velasco’s grandfather filled the void.

“I had my granddaddy there, so it was a good learning experience,” Velasco said. “Sometimes it was frustrating, not having a dad to throw the ball around with, but it was a blessing and the Lord does things for a reason. It made me be the man I am today.” Velasco has reestablished a relationship with his father, who lives in Sweden. They’ve communicated through social media like Facebook and Skype and talked on the phone. Velasco met his father in Canada and Jamaica during an off season.