Manti Te'o might have had a rocky ending to his college football career, but his professional career is off to a relatively quit start. The San Diego Chargers are doing everything they can to keep the rookie linebacker away from the media as he regains his footing and it gets back into the football mindset. As the team begins OTAs, and other veterans get their first look at Te'o, he is slowly earning the respect of his fellow teammates.
Considering Te'o's somewhat embarrassing past, many believed that he would be a locker room target for the veteran players. However, as Te'o continues to impress during workouts, he is avoiding the typical rookie hazing. Fullback Le'ron McClain has nothing but respect for Te'o.
"I don't think there will be anything like hazing. The guy came in, and he's been working since he stepped on the field, stepped up in the weight room. He's caught everybody's eye to see that he's a great player. I just think him handling this situation, everything that was down on him, he was still showing faith. He just wants to play football and be the best player he could be. I don't even think about the hoax no more," McClain said.
McClain stressed that the team has done all they could to make the linebacker feel as comfortable as possible. Te'o was aware that hazing was something that he might face as part of the backlash from the fake girlfriend scandal. Instead, San Diego has removed a lot of the pressure from Te'o, allowing him to focus on football.
"The sky's the limit for him. I look forward to seeing him on Sundays," McClain said.
During the NFL Combine, Te'o said he was simply going to focus on the things that he could control when it comes to professional football. He knows he can control the way he plays on the field, but cannot control the way players treat him. The Chargers have admitted to being very protective of the linebacker in hopes of keeping him out of the spotlight as long as possible. As of now, their method seems to be working, but Te'o cannot go one forever without addressing reporters.