Where there's a will, there's a way.
Ryan Quigley, who punted 284 times for a 40.2-yard average during his four years at Boston College and led the ACC as a junior, had the will to play in the NFL.
And even though he wasn't one of the two punters who were chosen during the 2012 Draft, a modest perseverance would help him find a way to do so.
Beginning as a rookie free agent who spent time during training camp with Chicago.
"When I left college, by no means was I a prospect that teams were chasing," Quigley said. "And when I was released by the Bears, the phone did not ring the rest of the season. So I ended up going to a showcase with a lot of free agent punters and kickers in Arizona during the 2013 offseason.
"There were a lot of scouts there and one of the Jet scouts saw potential in me. Two weeks later, they brought me and some other punters in for a workout. I ended up having the best day and was signed to compete during training camp that year."
Going up against fourth-year veteran Robert Malone during the preseason, Quigley more than held his own and was with the Jets up until the final cuts.
"It was a great battle. Rob Malone was a great guy to compete against and an incredible talent. His punts were some of the biggest balls I'd seen at that point. We both had really good camps and he was coming off of a solid season. It was no surprise they were going to continue with him," Quigley said.
"And honestly, going into camp, I knew it might be my last opportunity to show other teams I was ready to be the guy. For most players, timing is just as important as anything else, and I knew this was my shot. Obviously, I would have liked to have won the job, but I understood the direction they went.
"Ben Kotwica and Louie Aguiar were the special teams coaches, and they told me to stay ready. I had a good enough preseason where they told me I would get another opportunity. That gave me the confidence to keep going and belief that I was ready if I was given another shot."
Kotwica and Aguiar were not only coaches, they were prophets. After two games, the Jets released Malone and re-signed Quigley, who would make his NFL debut in New York's Week 3 game against Buffalo.
After all he'd been through to take the MetLife Stadium field that day, was he nervous, excited, both?
"Yes, I felt every emotion," Quigley said. "At that point, it was a dream to play in even one NFL game, so I told myself, 'You have nothing to lose.' The goal I set out on was accomplished.
"Each week, I felt so grateful for the position I was in and did not take it for granted. I knew that especially as a young, unproven player, I had to prove myself week in and week out to keep the job. I went in with a nothing-to-lose mentality and did my best to be in the moment and control what I could control.
"I had the honor of playing with (long snapper) Tanner Purdum and (placekicker) Nick Folk, who took me under their wings and helped set me up for success on and off the field. I could lean on them and look up to them and see first-hand what it took to be pro. Starting my career working so closely with Nick and Tanner ended up being a real blessing."
In 2015, his third season with the Jets, Quigley was given the opportunity to be successful elsewhere on special teams when he became punter/placekicker/kickoff man in New York's Week 9 game against Jacksonville after Folk suffered a quadriceps injury during pregame warmups.
"That was a roller coaster ride," Quigley laughed. "But honestly, through high school and into college, I had every intention of being a kicker instead of a punter. Starting out I had the dream of being an NFL kicker, but my abilities were much better suited for punting. So when I was told I would be placekicking on the NFL stage, my eyes got really big. And, of course, being a young kid, I thought, 'Oh, I can't believe I really get to kick in a game.'
"I remember (head coach) Rex Ryan approached me and said, 'Let's see a couple of kicks.' My first kick missed badly and went into the stands to the right. And then the next one, I missed to the left into the stands. Didn't even hit the net. Missed by a mile. Rex simply reacted by saying, 'Now just put it down the middle,' and I ended up making the third practice kick. He then said, 'Alright, we're good to go.' Classic Rex, kind of joking but gave me confidence that I'd be kicking in the game.
"I ended up kicking four extra points. I went four-for-four, but I think one was off the upright and went in, and the other one was a low line drive that somehow snuck its way through. So let's just say it was humbling, but I was proud of myself. We got the job done.
"I didn't let Folk live down that he got hurt minutes before kickoff. We had a good laugh about it. It's something that I always knew could happen and was cool to think about, but never thought it would. It was a very cool experience and we got the win, so I'd say it all worked out."
Besides the four PATs, Quigley punted nine times, with five inside the 20, and put all five of his kickoffs in the end zone. The Jets won, 28-23, and he was named as the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
With the Jets for three years, Quigley would finish his career by spending one season each with Arizona and Minnesota.
"I think what makes me most proud about my NFL career is the perseverance I developed and lived by. I knew that each week, there were punters on the street battling to make a roster and replace an active player, just as I was sometimes on the street doing the same," he said. "When I was with the Jets and on an active roster for the Cardinals and Vikings, I worked hard every single day and focused on controlling what I could control. And when I was in between teams, I didn't lose belief in my abilities and kept working at it.
"That's helped me in my journey post-NFL. You're going to have good days. You're going to have bad days. It's about taking each experience and growing from it. Looking back on my Jet days, I am incredibly grateful for the organization and coaches for giving me an opportunity and seeing something in me. I was able to achieve my childhood goal of playing in just one NFL game, and then kept it going for many more.
"Also, I'm from South Carolina where things are much different than in New York. Being able to spend three years living in the New York area when I was with the Jets was really special for me. The Jets involve players in so many charity events, networking opportunities, and chances to build relationships with all different types of people. So the Jets enabled me to grow as a player on the field, and a professional off the field."
Completing his only pass attempt – a 38-yarder to tight end Zach Sudfeld – on a fake punt in New York's 2014 Week 17 victory over Miami, Quigley scored a touchdown three years later when he, Sean Flaherty, and Kerri Shields, founded Playeasy, a company that connects event organizers, venues, and businesses across the country.
"It started with running kicking and punting camps in the offseason. Finding a venue for the camps was brutal. There wasn't anything online to help, so we spent a ton of time Googling, calling athletic directors, and just hoping someone would get back to us. That frustration is what sparked Playeasy – we wanted to build something that made it easier for event organizers to connect with venues. From there, it took on a life of its own and turned into something much bigger than we ever expected," Quigley said.
"The turning point was COVID. Tourism departments in cities all over the country were desperate to bring visitors back, and youth sports were one of the only things that could still happen and drive overnight stays. They started adopting our platform and we went from a few hundred venues in a handful of cities to more than 12,000 venues across 200 cities in a year.
"That's when it clicked that we weren't just a sports venue company – we were a tourism company. Now we help destinations not only bring in new events but also create the full experience for visitors — hotels, restaurants, deals, and even AI to help plan the whole trip. As a former athlete who traveled a lot, the moments off-the-field with my friends and family are what I remember most, so it's pretty cool to be able to help make those experiences better for other people."
Making their home in suburban Philadelphia, Quigley and his wife, Morgan, have a 2-year-old son, Louie, and his baby brother is due next month.
