ARLINGTON, Texas — Few things are cooler about the NFL than seeing a family's legacy unfold.
The more well-known in that category carries the last name Manning, but there's more going on in the league in that respect outside of Archie's sons. To a lesser degree, there are those trying to fight their way into an NFL roster seat to carry on the last name of their father -- who once made a name for himself at the professional football level -- as Vincent Testaverde, Jr. can attest. Unlike dear old dad, Testaverde, Jr. wasn't a heralded first-overall pick in the draft. Instead, he's a rookie undrafted free agent getting a crash course in how difficult it can be to make an NFL roster. He tried out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in rookie minicamp, but left without a deal.
He was then signed during training camp, but released roughly 10 days later, only to be re-signed on Aug. 24 following a shoulder injury to backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Testaverde found himself immediately thrown into the flames when he took the field against the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason finale, in what was his most poignant chance at proving he belongs on someone's roster -- even if it's the practice squad.
"[It was] fun!" he said of his battle with the Cowboys. "Describing the whole night -- shaky at first but I thought I bounced back. I felt I did a lot of good things. I made some mistakes, but it's just some stuff to learn from and some stuff to build off.
"At the end of the day, we won. I can't complain. I'm happy."
Testaverde was sacked twice as he navigated pressure to deliver an unimpressive stat line -- going four for eight for 41 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in a backup capacity -- but he didn't let it damper his spirits.
"I just want to keep my confidence level up," he said. "The coaches, after I was in, told me they though I did a really, really good job. They are happy with the way I handled myself and went about playing the game. That definitely made me feel great.
"It got my confidence up a little bit. If it's my last one, it's my last one. I'm not living with any regrets. I'm leaving the field knowing I did all I could."
His father was the first-round selection of the Bucs in 1987 and played for the Cowboys in 2004, which created quite the surreal moment for the young QB on Thursday evening.
"It was not necessarily butterflies," Testaverde said. "Just like 'Wow, it's finally here'. It's one thing to be practicing with the team, but it's another thing to play in an actual game, and to be in [AT&T Stadium]. It's one of the nicest stadiums in the league.
"It was really cool. I enjoyed it a lot."
It's unlikely Testaverde did enough to warrant a team giving him a closer look as he likely hits waivers this weekend, but the fact he's standing in the tall shadow of his father isn't lost on him, nor does it make him emotionally shrink in the moment.
"I'm just happy to have my NFL opportunity whatever team it was. It being my rookie year with the Bucs, and his rookie year [having been] with the Bucs -- I think that's pretty cool."
Time will tell what the future holds for the Odessa, Florida native, and son of a collegiate Hall of Famer that went on to play 21 seasons at the NFL level. One thing is for certain, though, and it's how the younger Testaverde -- like his father before him -- refuses to walk around with his head hung low; no matter what happens or doesn't happen next.
