Tag: Niles Paul

Two Huskers elected to Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame

A pair of former Cornhuskers have learned that they have earned their spots in the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.

A pair of former Cornhuskers have learned that they have earned their spots in the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame. Wide Receiver Niles Paul and Kicker/Punter Alex Henery will join other recent inductees such as Super Bowl Champion Danny Woodhead, former Husker I-back Damon Benning, and current Nebraska football coach Scott Frost in the honor.

Niles Paul played at Omaha North High School before heading to Lincoln for college, where he was Parade All-American who caught 48 passes for 814 yards and 13 touchdowns in football. He wasn’t just known for his play on the football field either, he also excelled in basketball and track and field. Paul averaged a double-double his senior year in basketball and in track and field, he won four individual state titles in his junior season with championships in the 110m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 4x100m relay, and the 4x400m relay. He would repeat as the 110m hurdles champion his senior year.

He had 103 receptions for 1,532 yards and 5 touchdowns in four years at Nebraska and was second-team All-Big 12 in 2010. He currently sits 9th in all-time receiving yards for the Cornhuskers. Washington drafted him in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft as a Tight End and he spent eight years in the league with Washington, Jacksonville, and San Fransico before retiring from football in 2019.

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Henery attended Omaha Burke High School before walking on to the Nebraska football team in 2006. He was a two-sport high school athlete, excelling in football and soccer. In four years at Nebraska, Henery was 193 of 194 kicking extra points and was 68 of 76 kicking field goals. In addition, he spent two years as the Cornhusker’s punter and averaged 42.2 yards per punt. The Lou Groza Award semi-finalist was also first-team All-American in 2010 while somehow being second-team All-Big 12 the same season (long-time Dallas Cowboy kicker Dan Bailey finished ahead of Henery for that honor).

However, Henery is best remembered for November 28th, 2008, when he made a 57-yard field in Lincoln to help defeat the Colorado Buffalos 40-31. He was eventually taken in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft but lost his job during training camp in 2014 to Cody “double doink” Parkey (ask Chicago Bears fans) and was released. Henery then caught on with the Lions but was released in October of 2014 after missing three field goals in a 17-14 loss against the Bills. After that, he never played in another NFL game.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The two former Huskers will be honored with the other athletes, coaches, officials, and contributors to Nebraska High School athletics on September 25th at Lincoln East High School.

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Former Redskin Niles Paul is having a tough time with retirement

Niles Paul retired this past year after seven seasons in the NFL, and he’s struggling to cope with the norms of every-day life.

For many former players, the transition from the daily grind of an NFL season to that first year of retirement can often be tricky. For former Washington Redskins tight end Niles Paul, it’s been a tough road to navigate.

A profile on the 30-year-old who spent six years with the Redskins was recently released by the Omaha World-Herald, and it detailed the demons that Paul has encountered since hanging up his cleats a year ago. After spending seven years living through the ups and downs of an NFL season, the veteran TE is now left with a lot of time on his hands, and he’s struggling to cope.

The profile details Paul’s Thanksgiving this past year, where he had plans to spend the holiday with his family for the first time in years. However, just hours before his flight to Omaha, he decided to cancel his plans and stay home in Florida.

“What am I supposed to tell them?” Paul asked. “Oh, I’m battling depression. I’m seeing a therapist. I’m supposed to tell them that? I’m ashamed to tell them that. I’m ashamed where I’m at. I gotta shake this.”

It’s been a tough road for Paul since he threw in the towel. After building a career based on hard work and dedication, he can’t seem to get back into the groove of a “normal life” off of the field.

“People think, oh, you got it made. You’ve made millions of dollars. You can have any girl you want. You living the life. How do you tell them it ain’t really the life? I’m fighting some demons.”

It’s a story that we’ve often heard; the first year without football is always the hardest for vets that have dedicated the bulk of their lives to the game. For Paul, it’s another challenge in his path. He was once a fan-favorite for the Redskins, and although he no longer sports the Burgundy & Gold on Sunday’s there is a fanbase in Washington who wants nothing but the best for him.

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