8:1 A Cinderella Story

Long shot was an understatement for this player on the Redskins very diverse roster. He was an absolute nobody before the first snap this year. But now teams are scheming against him as he has turned in better performances than some 1st round draft picks. At wide out, Anthony Armstrong has sneaked out of the basement and practice squads onto the big stage and has not disappointed. Shanahan was criticized for holding onto him as opposed to some more popular wide receivers such as Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, but he has failed to disappoint. No one is complaining now.

Anthony Armstrong grew up in Carrollton, Texas as a Dallas Cowboys fan and a wide receiver at Newman Smith High School. His quick speed made him a star on the school's track and field team. It would not be the last time his speed would be a factor. After high school, Armstrong moved on to West Texas A&M, a Division II college. He lettered all four years in football and was the school's fourth all time leader in receiving. He also graduated with a degree in marketing. The NFL seemed an unreachable goal for Armstrong, who began his career in the Intense Football League, playing for the Osedda Rednecks and making $200 a game. He caught what seemed to be his biggest break of his career when he was signed to the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League. Armstrong shined within the walls of Arena Football enough to be noticed by the Miami Dolphins, who signed the player to their practice squad.

After Miami no longer needed their practice helper they released him on waivers to the Washington Redskins. Destined to be a practice player for all of his career, Armstrong spent the 2009 NFL Season catching passes as practice against the starting defense. After the Redskins posted a horrible 4-12 record in '09, change swept through Washington. While many players worried about the change, Armstrong embraced it. He put 110% into the practice reps, which caught the eye of the Redskins new head coach Mike Shanahan. He offered the player an opportunity to compete for a roster spot - something the young wide out had never had before.


The rest is history. Armstrong now starts games along side the veteran Santana Moss. He now catches passes from Donovan McNabb. On October 10th, Armstrong's incredible 48-yard touchdown paved the way for an unlikely come-from-behind win. His route running is now schemed against by the best defenses in the country. Only time will tell if this Cinderella story has a fairy tale ending.