Former NFL lineman enlists in Army National Guard

A former NFL lineman announced on Twitter Tuesday that he has enlisted in the Army National Guard.

Daryn Colledge was sworn into the Army National Guard and will serve for eight years, ESPN reported. The first six years of his commitment will be on active duty and the last two years he will be in the reserves. The 34-year-old said he will probably choose to remain on active duty for the final two years.

“I’ll do what I did in the league: I’ll grind my butt off and I’ll show that I have a commitment,” Colledge told ESPN.

Colledge spent his NFL career as an offensive lineman for the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. He said his goal is to become a Black Hawk crew chief, which is the door gunner and cable operator for rescue missions.

Within the next month, Colledge is scheduled to begin his 10-week basic training. Should he make it through, he will begin to work a helicopter mechanic for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters based in Boise, Idaho.

Colledge said he nearly retired from the Cardinals two years ago to join the Army. However, it was two months ago when he consulted with his wife and daughter that he finalized the decision to enter the military. He said he had dropped some weight and gone through background checks and testing.

Colledge, who has earned $24.6 million in his career, told ESPN that he felt like it was the right thing to do.

"I get to give the National Guard here in Boise all the time in the world," he said. "I get to give them as much as they need and hopefully some more time than I want, and I think that's a rare opportunity.

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