Football, much like life, is about controlling what you can control.
That mantra is harder to follow when you are unemployed with your first baby on the way, as New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye learned this offseason,
"We found out we were pregnant in February, then March came around and free agency obviously didn't go as expected for me," Slye told Patriots.com on Wednesday.
"It was definitely a whirlwind trying to plan our life with a baby on the way and not knowing where I was going to be."
Slye has jumped around the NFL since 2019 when he signed on with the New York Giants. Even for a seasoned journeyman, used to being long-distance from his now-wife Brittaney, the last year has been as hectic as ever.
The couple wed in April of 2023 after a few seasons with the Washington Commanders, and not long after learning they were expecting, Slye signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars just to be released a month later.
Slye knew what needed to be done after signing on with New England this past May to try and win a kicking battle with Chad Ryland.
The job security was no longer just about him, but his new family.
"The time my wife and I had between OTAs and training camp was really big for me and her to spend that quality time together before the season started and with the baby coming in the fall," Slye said.
"I didn't think it was a 100 percent chance we would be staying here, but I just felt the expectations I set for myself, and with the process and the results I've been getting, that I should be here."
Ultimately, as of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, he was correct. His hard work paid off. Still, it's been a long week.
While playing in the Patriots preseason finale in Washington D.C., Slye found time to visit his wife at their home just 45 minutes from Northwest Stadium. They've been apart during her pregnancy as he tried to make the team.
With a long break for Labor Day, he'll return home to Brittaney this weekend with much to celebrate.
"It's nice to have some things you can plan for," Slye said.
"The unknown is sometimes stressful, especially if the circumstances were different and I had to fly around to different teams and work out. The fact that I have a little more solidified ground to stand on here makes things a little bit easier."
With the kicking job locked up in New England, there's only one more unknown to face this fall.
Fatherhood.
