In April, 32 players will hear their names called in the first round of the NFL draft—bestowing fame and fortune on them before they've even played a professional game.
Toledo kicker Michael Denning will in all likelihood not be one of those players—and yet he is undeterred.
On Friday morning, Denning posted a hilarious graphic to social media in which he announced his intent to "enter unemployment"—in the glossy style of graphics players use to declare for the draft.
"It is obvious that many NFL GMs and executives may be surprised by this decision as I am widely favored to be a first-round pick," Denning wrote. "With this, I say, especially to (commissioner) Roger Goodell, you may breathe a sigh of relief my friend. But remain vigilant."
Please respect my decision.@ToledoFB @DaytonFootball pic.twitter.com/RGhqaLiZnf
— Michael Denning (@michaeldenning9) January 10, 2025
The Sidney, Ohio, native then pledged to "begin gracing covers of male modeling magazines and Hollywood big screens."
Denning played three years at Dayton and two years for the Rockets, mostly seeing action on kickoffs. His Toledo bio says he wants to enter politics; when he does, he can serve as his own social media manager.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Toledo Kicker Sends Message to NFL Teams by Farcically Declaring for 'Unemployment'.
