GREEN BAY - Under the beating sun on a cloudless August morning in Green Bay, New York Jets quarterback James Morgan strolled across the Lambeau Field parking lot on his way to Ray Nitschke Field for joint practice with the Packers. Growing up in Green Bay attending Packers training camp, Morgan had walked the hallowed grounds of the stadium before.
But this time, the sound of hot pavement crunching under his cleats accented each step through the parking lot. This time, he wasn’t wearing Packers quarterback Brett Favre’s No. 4 — he donned his own No. 4 complete with shoulder pads. Instead of being the child behind a barricade pleading with players for autographs, children shouted his name, thrusting their jerseys and pens into his hands.
For the first time in his life, Morgan was at Lambeau Field for work, not for pleasure.
“I think back to two years ago when I was here watching practice in college and picturing being here someday,” Morgan said. “So to be on the other side of that fence, it was awesome. It's a cool experience.”