Reality show winner gets opportunity to try out with Cowboys
The finale of Michael Irvin's Spike TV show "4th and Long" aired last night and the winner was Jesse Holley, a wide receiver who played his college ball at North Carolina and had brief stints with the Bengals and British Columbia Lions of the CFL.
"I didn't give the show much thought at first," Holley said in an interview with Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News. "But it was a chance and the more I thought about it..."
Holley, a native of Roselle, New Jersey, who was also a member of the Tar Heels' 2005 national championship basketball team, was honorable mention All ACC his junior season after leading the team with 47 receptions and 670 yards.
Holley, 25, is 6-3, 215 pounds and runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash. For his efforts on Irvin's show, he was awarded the 80th and final roster spot at Cowboys training camp, which begins one week from today in San Antonio.
Said Irvin about Holley: "He'd pick up things immediately. If I am a coach and I see him implement something right away, I know I have a player."
Holley will be the 11th receiver at camp, so his chances of actually making the team are slim at best.
"This is truly, truly a blessing," said Holley, who was working for a security monitoring company and selling cellphones. "I have been given a wonderful opportunity to resurrect part of my life I thought was over. I am really going to take advantage of it."
-Chris Mascaro








