Casey Kreiter, Denver Broncos long snapper, was a teacher just a year ago. Now, he is snapping the ball for the defending Super Bowl champions and is ready to make the most of this opportunity.

After playing six games in the 2014 and ’15 preseasons for the Dallas Cowboys, Kreiter signed a one-year deal with the Broncos.

The 25-year-old University of Iowa alum was a first-team All-Big Ten choice in 2013. Kreiter was perfect in all of his long snaps in the three years of being a full-time long snapper for the Hawkeyes. He is excited to be back playing football.

“I’m just so blessed to be here,” Kreiter told Press Box Insider with Josh Davis on Mile High Sports. “I’ve spent the last two years back in Iowa just trying to stay ready for an opportunity and this year I’m just so blessed. My family and I are excited and definitely excited for this week.”

While waiting for the chance to make it back with an NFL team Kreiter was living the life of any other normal person, trying to make a living for him and his family. He was beyond thrilled when he found out who was calling him with the opportunity.

“It was funny, when I got the call, I was actually teaching at the time,” Kreiter said. “You hope for a call from anybody and then when you realize, holy cow, it’s the Denver Broncos that just won the Super Bowl, you get a little more excited. Then you just have to calm down and realize, they just called at this point. You have to go in and have a good workout and let’s become a member of the team.”

Going into the workout with the Broncos, Kreiter knew the routine and wanted to make sure he remained focused on the goal: Making the team.

“In my career, I have had three workouts and they have all been a little different. Workouts are the most strange things in the NFL,” Kreiter said. “You go into the facility and you don’t really talk to anybody. You see the guys you’re competing against. For long snappers, you snap some punts, you do some sets to make sure you can get back in protection and block some people and then you snap some field goals. Once the workout is done you kind of chat with the other guys there since the workout is over. Then they either come and get you and say ‘Hey, we’re gonna get you for a physical,’ which is a good thing or they say ‘Hey, thanks for coming, we’ll be in touch,’ and they put you on a plane and send you home.”

Since 2013, Kreiter’s main support system came from his faith in God and family. Kreiter wants student-athletes to know that if they never give up they can accomplish anything.

“You have to have a great support system and a lot of faith,” Kreiter said. “I’ve got to thank God for this opportunity because I am finally getting a chance to show what I can do. Secondly, my wife has been just unbelievable. I want students and athletes to know, they can do whatever they want to do. I was a kid who couldn’t start on my sophomore high school football team. Now I’m playing for the world champion Denver Broncos. It wasn’t a smooth road. There is definitely a lot more downs then ups along the way. There were times I sat down with my wife and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got to make a living for this family.’ Having her support was probably the biggest thing.”

To listen to the whole interview with Casey Kreiter, including his preparation week to week, click the podcast below…

https://soundcloud.com/milehighsports/9-21-16-casey-kreiter-tells-pbi-what-its-like-to-go-from-teaching-to-playing-for-the-broncos

Catch Press Box Insider with Josh Davis Monday-Friday from 8p-10p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.