Mostly because that’s all he did during his first season in the NFL.

The former University of New Mexico linebacker spent all of the 2012 season on the eight-man practice squad of the Detroit Lions after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in April.

Messina was released Aug. 31 after not making the Lions’ 53-man active roster, but was signed to the practice squad the next day after clearing waivers.

After that, the 6-foot-2, 236-pounder spent each week of the season just like any other Detroit player: watching film, working out and practicing. Only there was no game-day reward for Messina at the end of the week.

“I did the same thing as all the rest of the players,” Messina said. “The only difference was when it comes to game time, I put on a jumpsuit instead of pads. But pretty much I do exactly what everybody else does.”

All that work and no play might have led Messina to rant and rave like Iverson famously did during a 2002 news conference. But to Messina, practice is not a game.

“It definitely gets frustrating, but I’ve been through it before in college with a redshirt season,” Messina said. “You put in all the work, you practice hard but you know you can’t play; it’s frustrating. But I know that overall this experience is definitely going to make me a better player next season.

“It was great. It was a learning experience; I definitely learned a lot. It was like being a freshman in college all over again. I’m looking forward to taking what I learned this year into next year.”

Next season will again be spent with the Detroit Lions, who on Jan. 1 signed Messina to a futures contract that pays the league minimum of $480,000 in 2013 and $570,000 in 2014.

Messina is the all-time Mountain West Conference leader with 454 career tackles — 12 more than Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher had during his time at UNM — and now, after a full season of preparation, he is ready to show what he can do in an NFL game.

“I was able to learn a lot and get used to the speed and pace of the game,” Messina said. “I think it’s definitely going to help me in the long run. Everybody is a lot stronger and faster, but that makes it more exciting and more of a challenge. I’m looking forward to it.”

Messina, who was an all-state running back and linebacker at Addison (Ill.) Trail High School, found a way to make the daily grind of practice a little more exciting by doing scout-team work.

“Sometimes I’ll practice with the offense when they need extra guys, so I’m picking up some time at tight end and fullback,” Messina said. “That gives me a chance to kind of learn some offensive strategies and some offensive tendencies, which in the long run will help me be a better defensive player. But I’m scoring touchdowns in practice, which is kind of fun.”

Obviously, Messina’s NFL future will be on the defensive side, and he says he is working to ensure that his future involves less time talking about practice.

“The one thing I’ve learned about in the pros is the amount of hours you need to put in and all the work you do,” Messina said. “Every time I do have spare time, I find myself in the gym or in the meeting rooms watching film and trying to get better. I’m just trying to get on the field any way I can.”
— This article appeared on page D6 of the Albuquerque Journal