By STEPHEN MONAHAN

Sports Editor



After his first year as an NFL football player, a former Gainesville Leopard already has experienced the highs and lows of being a professional athlete.

Darcel McBath, a 2004 graduate of Gainesville High School, began his professional football journey on April 25, 2009 when he was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos after finishing his college career at Texas Tech.

For the former Red Raider, that rollercoaster ride ended with an emotional high.

“I actually wasn’t paying attention,” McBath reminisced about that day. “My phone rang and it was (the Broncos) and two seconds later (the NFL) called my name.”

It was a surreal moment. It’s something you wait your whole life for, so you really don’t know how to act. It was extremely emotional though.”

Playing with the likes of all-pro cornerback Champ Bailey and veteran safety Brian Dawkins in the secondary, McBath was the backup safety for Denver, but had to make his name elsewhere — special teams.

“I’ve worked hard really all of my life to get there and make an impact in some shape or form,” McBath said. “I wasn’t starting this year because I have some great guys in front of me. I took it upon myself to make an impact in another area and did that on special teams. When I got into the game on defense, I made plays. I’m happy with my performance, the opportunities that I had. I think I made the most of them and took advantage of everything.”

His most opportunistic moment came on Sunday, Dec. 13 against the Indianapolis Colts.

After starting safety Renaldo Hill went down with an injury, McBath stepped in to fill the void and made a play that every young boy dreams of — catching a pass from an all-pro quarterback.

Albeit the quarterback was Peyton Manning who plays on the opposing team, that ball McBath took away from the Colts is now a prized possession.

“I got it painted and I made sure I put his name on it to let everybody know I got an interception off of him,” McBath said of his takeaway from the current league MVP. “At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about it, but after the game it set in and I realized I picked off Peyton Manning who probably only threw six or seven of those this year and I was one of the people to pick him off. So, that’s definitely an accomplishment, especially not starting and just coming in the game and making plays for my team. I was just more proud of myself in a big situation and having the coaches trust me to put me in their to make plays to try to help my team.”

However, his season came to an abrupt halt later in that same game when he injured his forearm, knocking him out for the rest of the season as the Broncos placed the rookie on injured reserve.

But the injury hasn’t dimmed McBath’s outlook on 2010, promising a full recovery for his sophomore year.

“You gotta do something worse than that, like cut my leg off or something,” McBath joked. “It’s a minor setback and I’ll be ready next year.”

Minus the injury that ended his season early, the past year has been the ride of a lifetime for the former Leopard.

“It’s been fun,” McBath said. “Going to the next level is what you dream of, so it’s been a ton of fun. I’m taking it all in stride, taking it one day at a time. I’m definitely blessed and happy that I’m at the next level.”

McBath was in Gainesville late last week for the Harlem Ambassadors’ basketball fundraiser as a celebrity member of the opposing team, the State Farm Ambassadors.

At the game, McBath was greeted by many members of the community, old friends and new fans. After the game, McBath signed authographs, including one where a young boy asked the Broncos safety to sign his McBath jersey — a first for the former Leopard.

Coming back to Gainesville after attending Texas Tech and now as a member of the National Football League, McBath said it’s always a joy to return to his stomping grounds.

Now though, more than ever, he believes his role as an influential person to the youth in the community becomes more important.

“It’s the same to me,” he said of Gainesville. “I love it here, but I think people look up to me more. I gotta be cognizant of what I’m doing. A lot of kids look up to me, so I have to be a role model even more than I was in college, and I’m definitely aware of that.”

Of course, being in Gainesville meant a trip to the Super Bowl in Miami was not on his agenda, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t cross his mind.

“I was going to go to Miami, but I’m not big on watching people play in something I want to play in,” he said.

McBath finished the season wtih 15 total tackles, including 11 on special teams, two interceptions and three pass deflections.

Now that the 2009 season is over with the conclusion of Super Bowl XXLV Sunday, McBath has some time to visit family, friends and recollect on his first year as an NFL player and his time in Denver.

“It’s a lot different,” he said of the Mile-High City. “I loved Lubbock, but I’m growing to love Denver. It’s a little cold, but it’s a great city. There’s a ton of things to do, the people are great. The fans are great and the team is awesome.”

But for now North Texas will be home, sweet home.