Nick Sundberg 'doesn't want to be done' in NFL originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
For the last 11 seasons with the Washington Football Team -- a time in which consistency was not common -- Nick Sundberg was a steady force for the organization. Maybe overlooked by some, the long snapper rarely missed games while providing stable play on the field and incredible character off it over a decade.
And while Sundberg provided consistency for Washington, the team did the same for him. He was able to build a route, relationships and a life while wearing Burgundy and Gold.
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Now, however, change has come. Sundberg was released by Washington in March as the organization decided to move in a different direction and get younger at the position.
It's adversity that Sundberg knows he will overcome, but for the time being, his new normal feels a little strange.
“It’s okay, it’s definitely different," Sundberg said on the Washington Football Talk Podcast.
“It’s definitely going to be weird for me, too. Like I wanted to finish my career in Washington," Sundberg said. "Retire there and never put on a different jersey, that sort of thing.”
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Sundberg admitted that dealing with the release has been a challenge. The absence of football is felt. Luckily for him, though, there has been plenty to keep him busy in recent months. Being a father is a full-time job, as is his rehab from tendon surgery -- an injury that had been bugging him since last August.
Still, not being a member of the Washington Football Team is weird. It means that for the first time in a very long time, he won't spend his days around the people that have become his family.
“I miss the people, man," Sundberg said. “Seeing all the guys every day and all that stuff. That’s the stuff that stung the hardest early on, for sure.”
He attempted to list a few names that he'll miss the most in Washington, but it ended up being a majority of the roster. In short, Sundberg made a lot of friends in Washington, and he'll miss them all.
In fact, there really is just one thing he won't miss in Washington: The commute.
“65 miles per hour limits on the freeway, that sucks," Sundberg said.
However, he'd be willing to sacrifice the speed on the open road for another opportunity in the NFL.
It's not something he's going to rush, as his recovery from surgery is still an ongoing process. Right now, the main priority is to get back to 100% before the focus shifts to finding a new team.
That is the endgame, though. At 33 years old he still feels he has the ability to play a few more years, providing a new city with a steady, reliable option on special teams.
“I’m just super focused on my competitive side. Like, I don’t want to be done," Sundberg said.
“Right now I’m challenging myself to not have that last playoff game be the last game I ever play," Sundberg said.
