The final pick of the round is in! #BanditBall pic.twitter.com/mXmRbfMG1b
— Tampa Bay Bandits (@USFLBandits) February 23, 2022
Philadelphia is the town of blue-collar workers and the rags to riches story of Rocky Balboa, or even a Vince Papale.
During the 1976 season, a then 30-year-old Papale earned a spot on Dick Vermeil’s Eagles roster with no prior NFL experience.
That story turned into a Hollywood movie centered around Papale’s journey, and now decades later, his son is writing his own story.
Vinny Papale played wide receiver at the University of Delaware, and after a solid senior season, the Eagles invited him to their local Pro Day back in 2019.
Now Papale is taking his talents to the USFL, becoming the final pick of the Tampa Bay Bandits in the 17th round on Tuesday.
The clubs which reside in NFL cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Houston, will begin their inaugural 10-game regular season in Birmingham, with the playoffs set for Canton, Ohio.
As a Senior, Papale Jr. had 36 catches, for 618 yards and six touchdowns.
In May 2020, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL), but his initial season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he was released in October.
