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White gets a chance with Kansas City
Chiefs offer free agent tryout at rookie camp
Jay C. Upchurch
(2005-04-28)
NORMAN — Jason White took a step, albeit a small step, in the direction of furthering his football playing career today. White has accepted an invitation for a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 2003 Heisman Trophy winner, who rewrote the passing record book at Oklahoma during his two seasons as starting quarterback, is scheduled to catch a plane this afternoon and will meet with Chiefs officials later today. The invitation gives White an opportunity to put his skills on display at the team’s three-day rookie camp, which begins Friday in Kansas City.
If White performs well during the camp, the Chiefs could sign him as a free agent. As of now, the offer is only for a free agent tryout.
A good performance by White could also open the door to other teams around the NFL.
“We’re excited Jason has an opportunity to pursue his goals and know that he’ll make the most of this opportunity,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “He has proven time and again that he can succeed at the highest level. He earned this shot at professional football and I like the fact that Carl Peterson, Dick Vermeil and the Chiefs recognize that too.”
Two knee surgeries that cost White parts of two seasons were considered the main deterrent for NFL teams. And even though the Tuttle product had played both the 2003 and 2004 campaigns without any further knee problems, he is still considered a high risk.
Ironically, Vermeil, Kansas City’s head coach, made comments after White was not selected in the NFL Draft over the weekend that pro scouts had not seen in White what they look for in potential NFL quarterbacks. That was countered by Peterson, the team’s general manager, who said he felt White would get an opportunity to play somewhere in the league.
Evidently, Peterson decided Kansas City could offer White his first chance.
“In getting to know him so well and in watching him go about his business here, there is nobody that I have been associated with during my career that I respect more or am more proud of than Jason White,” Stoops continued.
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