There is at least one NFL alum with a special interest in the USA’s win-or-go home World Cup game tomorrow against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
Former Packers veteran wide receiver Antonio Freeman will be in attendance to watch his son Alex perform on the field for USA in the knockout stage of the month-long competition.
Antonio is a nine-year veteran of his own high-profile competitive matches played before record-setting television audiences in this country. He starred in consecutive Super Bowls with the Packers in the 1996 and 1997 seasons. His 81-yard touchdown catch from Brett Favre in Super Bowl XXXI put the Packers ahead of the Patriots for good and clinched Green Bay’s first Super Bowl title in 29 years. It was the longest TD reception in Super Bowl history at the time. He also had 9 catches for 126 yards and 2 TDs the following year when the Packers lost in a high-scoring 31-24 game to the Broncos. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2009.
Yes, Antonio Freeman has been to the top, but he is over the top enjoying his son’s performance.
“It’s still kind of like an out of body experience,” the proud father recently told The Athletic. ”When I made those plays for the Packers back in the day, I scored for a team. Alex scored for a country in that 2-0 win over Australia. To see the shots of people celebrating outside and all over the country, it’s a lot to take in. I’ve never cried that much in my life. For him to be the youngest kid on the team, and be ready for the moment, it’s exciting to watch.”
Derrick Mayes, Antonio’s friend and former Packers’ teammate, was with Antonio when young Alex scored his first World Cup goal.
“Alex has had a meteoric rise but it’s not a surprise,” Mayes says. “When you watch him, he’s got a differentiator. He’s the one out there who moves like a football player. He plays differently. His hips move like a receiver running a route. His footwork is different. It’s in his blood.”
We at NFL Alumni will be rooting for the Freeman family tomorrow night as the American team looks to advance in the tournament. We salute our brother Antonio Freeman and his son Alex and wish only the best for them.
