ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, August 5, 1996 TAG: 9608050151
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: FROSTBURG, MD.
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
THE FORMER UVA football player is currently on the Washington Redskins' roster, but he's not sure where he'll be this time next year.
Don Reynolds graduated and played his last football season at the University of Virginia in 1991. Since then, he's been the property of five different professional football teams. He's hired an agent and fired an agent. He's been married. He's been divorced. He's 26 years old.
``I've been several places the last five years,'' said Reynolds, an alumnus of Laurel Park High School.
First came Atlanta, where he spent a couple weeks of the 1992 training camp with the Falcons. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle spent that season on the Detroit Lions' practice squad. The next year he was with the New England Patriots. In 1994, he went back to Detroit, and spent the next spring in the World League of American Football as a member of the Frankfurt Galaxy. The Washington Redskins signed him for the last four games of the 1995 season, took one look at his then 307-pound frame, and told him his future was as an offensive lineman, a position he's never played.
Reynolds instead decided there was a return trip to Frankfurt in his future. His coach was Hall of Fame defensive tackle Ernie Stautner, and Stautner loved Reynolds. Reynolds became one of the top defensive linemen in the World League last season and helped the Galaxy to a World Bowl appearance.
``It's funny,'' Reynolds said. ``When I'm there, I hate it. But I have peace of mind there. That's what I miss.''
Reynolds' NFL career has been a series of missed cuts. Ever since he left Charlottesville, his occupation has been ``professional football player.'' He has made enough money for living expenses, but he never has had that breakout year that can yield long-term dividends.
His best financial move came during his second stint with the Lions. He was injured, but they signed him without asking him to take a physical. When he was unable to perform, they cut him, but let him keep the money from his signing bonus.
Beyond the cuts and the disappointments, the saddest part is, after all the time and all the travel, Reynolds never has played a down in the National Football League.
``At this point, I'm content,'' Reynolds said. ``But I don't have the security in my life I can fall back on.''
His latest move has brought him back to the Redskins, but the coaches still are not letting him play his natural position. Because of a personnel shortage, Reynolds has been forced to move to defensive end. It didn't help that while most of Washington's rookies and free agents were learning the system in the spring minicamp, Reynolds was playing in Germany.
``All the things they covered in minicamp, I had to learn in one night,'' he said. ``That put me at a disadvantage right off. Then they put me at defensive end and another disadvantage. I kind of wonder if I'd be better off trying to go somewhere else.''
When he said that, he didn't necessarily mean to another team. Reynolds said he is thinking of making this his last year in football. After long practices, he winces as he gets on his feet and starts walking. He said he feels older than 26. ``By the time I get to the point I'm actually doing well, it will be time to retire.''
``It's been six years,'' he continued. ``I dealt with the hardest part a long time ago.''
Some people, including Reynolds' agent, Brad Blank, urged him to quit football a long time ago. Reynolds said he will be the one to make that decision.
``He was pushing me to give it up, and I told him, `That's not your job.''' Reynolds said of Blank, who still represents Lions All-Pro receiver and former UVa standout Herman Moore. ``Realistically, maybe he's right. But it's still not his job to tell me that.''
When Reynolds decides it's time to give up football, he said he'll do it without regret. He was a captain at UVa. Had he not injured a knee in his senior season, he may have been taken in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft, as was once projected. Washington's coaches say he is as good a physical specimen as they have in their camp. And while he very well may never appear on any NFL team's list of alumni, he has been a part of the league for half of a decade.
``I wouldn't say I'm disappointed,'' he said. ``Football has taken me a lot of places I'd never have the chance to go. I made up my mind that I would continue to play until I thought I couldn't play, or I just didn't have the drive.
``I think I'm reaching that point.''
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Reynoldsby CNB