ALAMEDA – Marquel Lee insists he won’t be nervous before Sunday’s game at Tennessee, dream realization be damned.
The Raiders rookie middle linebacker will be juiced. That’s unavoidable. He’ll make his regular-season debut on the road, in the starting lineup, for a team with lofty expectations.
That won’t induce anxiety. Lee has been preparing his whole athletic life for this moment. He knows that studying hard helps pass the test and calm the nerves.
“It’s my first NFL game,” Lee said Wednesday. “I’ll be excited, but you have to find a way to channel it. It’s important I stay focused this week on everything.