Tynes proud to kick off for Scotland
CLAYMORES kicker LAWRENCE TYNES has expressed his delight and pride on the eve of becoming the first Scot to play in the NFL regular season.  |
| Lawrence Tynes |
And after winning the honour of becoming the Chiefs starting kicker this season, the 26-year-old Greenock born former Claymore will also gain the distinction of becoming the first Scot to play in an NFL regular season game when Kansas City kick off against rivals the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium this Sunday (September 12).
Claymores' recently retired veteran wide receiver SCOTT COUPER was the first Scot to suit up for an NFL team when he played a pre-season game for the Chicago Bears against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997, however, Tynes will be the first to run out for an NFL team in the season proper.
Speaking from Kansas City's headquarters in Missouri, Tynes, whose brother and extended family still live in Greenock, described his pride at becoming the first Scot to start a regular season game in the NFL and the debt he owes the Claymores for getting him into position to challenge for a starting job.
Said Tynes: "Obviously it's a huge source of pride for me to be the first Scot to take this step and I'll always have that feeling. But the strangest thing is I'm not even nervous about Sunday's game.
"When I signed for Kansas back in February I opted to come here because I felt this was my best shot at getting into the NFL. Thankfully it's all worked out the way I hoped it would."
And Tynes added: "Obviously the Claymores experience was a help to my career and it was great to get back to my birthplace and spend time with my family in Greenock. I know they will all be thrilled that I have made it.
"My mum is back in Greenock right now visiting my grandmother and I know my brother has let her know I've finally made it into the NFL."
Tynes, who attended Troy State University in Alabama after emigrating to the US with his family in the 80s, faced the prospect of having to boot out legendary NFL veteran Anderson during the Chiefs month-long pre-season preparations to land the starting job in Kansas City, but the plucky Scot admitted that he was always confident of succeeding.
He said: "I pretty much knew a couple of weeks into camp that the job was mine to lose. I was kicking off well, and I made a long field goal, which helped settle any nerves.
"I always felt I had a chance this year even though I was going up against Morten, who is the best there is at his position.
"That's the strangest part of training camp. You spend every day working alongside someone whose job you're trying to take but we're both professionals and we dealt with it in that way.
"I definitely feel I deserve this chance because I've gone the long way round to get it.
Journeyman Tynes, who has now played in three professional gridiron leagues added: "I played ten games with the Claymores in Europe in 2002, I've played 26 or 28 games in the Canadian Football League and now I've made in into the NFL. I've served my apprenticeship.
"I set pretty high standards for myself so the fiercest criticism will come from within. I'm excited about this but not nervous, I'm confident I'll do well."
09 Sep, 04 | 9:00 am