Former Bulldog Sylvester signs with Falcons

Former Marianna Bulldogs football star Philip Sylvester has signed a contract with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, and will participate in the team’s training camp in hopes of making the final 53-man roster.

Sylvester, who spent the last four seasons playing for the FAMU Rattlers, wasn’t selected in the April NFL Draft, but was offered a free agent contract by the Falcons on Monday, and then left for Atlanta on Tuesday.

Efforts to contact Sylvester were unsuccessful, but the speedy running back’s former high school coach Don Dowling said he couldn’t be happier to see the mild-mannered former Bulldog get his shot.

“It’s a big deal. Someone mentioned to me that he was my first former player to sign an NFL contract, which I thought was pretty cool,” said Dowling, now the head coach at Sneads. “He’s one of those kids who deserve it. He has worked hard his entire career, and he’s a great kid. Back at Marianna, you wouldn’t have even known he was some big-time running back in the hallways. He’s just a regular kid.

“But this is a big deal and I’m proud for him. His parents must be real proud of him, and I know they are. I think he’ll make it. It might not be with the Falcons, but I think he will. He’s got his shot, and that’s all you can ever ask for.”

Undrafted free agents aren’t typically good bets to make NFL teams, but if Sylvester does make the Falcons roster, it wouldn’t be the first time he has surprised skeptics.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound running back wasn’t even the starter on his varsity team at Marianna until a preseason jamboree in 2005 in which the first-team tailback fumbled twice, allowing Sylvester to step in, rush for two touchdowns, and never look back.

Sylvester got off to a strong start at FAMU, rushing for 1,575 yards and 15 touchdowns in his freshman and sophomore years combined, but got derailed by injuries in his junior campaign.

But Sylvester finished his career strong, putting together six straight 100-yard rushing games to finish 2011 with 902 yards and 10 touchdowns despite not being the full-time starting tailback until six games into the season.

“That’s the kind of kid he is,” Dowling said. “I’m really hoping he does that with the Falcons too. You look at him and see a short little kid, but then he busts out of the phone booth and goes from Clark Kent to Superman. He did it at Marianna, at FAMU, and I hope in Atlanta.”

Dowling said that if character plays any part in Sylvester’s fate, he’ll be a Falcon soon enough.

“You get a kid like that, you don’t have many of them. They do everything they’re supposed to do as far as the weight room, the classroom, everywhere,” he said. “He’s one of those kids you pull for. I look at him the same way I do (former Marianna star and current Los Angeles Angels catcher) Jeff Mathis. They were similar kids in high school.

“Philip is just a great kid. I know his mom and dad are real proud of him, and they should be.”

The Falcons will open their doors to the public for the start of training camp on Friday, and will open up the preseason with a game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 12 in the Georgia Dome.

Atlanta will also play in Jacksonville against the Jaguars on Aug. 19.