Every kid growing up has a dream to play their sport professionally, and it usually starts by idolizing their favorite player. It's one thing to follow in their footsteps and make it professionally, but receiving a message from your hero is an unforgettable experience you will never forget.
On Tuesday, Fanatics released a video of some of this year's NFL rookie class being surprised by some of their heroes before they take the gridiron for their first professional season. This included three New York Giants rookies — Jaxson Dart, Abdul Carter, and Cam Skattebo — who had the opportunity to hear from their favorite players.
The rookies were left with a heartwarming message from players they looked up to, along with advice for their first season in the league, and were gifted a signed jersey with a personal message from these legends. This left some first-year players emotional, as they will never forget this and were inspired to pass it on to the next generation.
Before they were legends, they were rookies.
— Fanatics (@Fanatics) August 5, 2025
We welcomed the rookie class to the @NFL with a special surprise from some of the game's biggest stars. pic.twitter.com/6m98AOMupP
Giants rookies will one day pass the torch on to the next generation
In the video, Dart receives a message from former Ole Miss quarterback and Giants legend Eli Manning, who welcomes the rookie to the NFL and tells him how cool it was to see him break all of his records in college.
Carter received a heartfelt message from a fellow Penn State alum, Micah Parsons, who congratulated him on accomplishing his goal of being a top-five pick and making the NFL.
Lastly, Skattebo received a surprise message from legendary Oilers / Titans running back Eddie George, who told him to begin this journey with the end in mind, and he'll be just fine. The Giants' running back was emotional and left in tears, calling it an honor to see how much George cared about him and his career.
The message behind this video was that before these players were legends, they were rookies. This is just the beginning for players like Dart, Carter, and Skattebo, and hopefully, they will take the kind words and advice that were left for them throughout their careers and use them as motivation to build their legacies.
It will be awesome to watch these current rookies become legends of the game and pass the torch on to the next generation of players entering the league, and do the same as the players who came before them.
The NFL is a fraternity; it's a tight-knit group of players, and only they know what it's like to be a rookie and use their experience to relate to them on what it's like to start their professional careers.
I think football fans wouldn't mind seeing this become an annual tradition with Fanatics for every rookie class entering the league, as it reminds us all why we watch this game and love it so much.