His name is Tony Washington and the Calgary Stampeders have offered him a contract. And if he can gain approval from Canadian Immigration officials, if he can arrive here in time and show that he can still play the game at high level, then maybe Washington will be a Stampeder.
That's a lot of what ifs but it's as much as Washington can hope for given his past, one the Stampeders checked into before signing the 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive lineman from New Orleans.
Washington, 25, is a registered sex offender. As a 16-year-old, he had sex with his 15-year-old sister. His story - their shared story - includes a fractured upbringing in a dysfunctional, abusive home. Police questioned the siblings and Washington eventually pleaded guilty to having consensual sex with his sister.
He was prosecuted as an adult, spent a month in jail then released as a registered sex offender. The sister has said the police made her say things she didn't want to during her interrogation. She has forgiven Washington. Not everyone else has. Washington was ignored by the National Football League, which failed to draft him or even extend a free-agent contract.
Stampeders' head coach John Hufnagel spoke with Washington during a recent free-agent camp in Florida and is convinced a second chance is in order. However, Hufnagel insisted the matter was in the hands of immigration officials.
You can read a detailed ESPN magazine story on Washington at this site: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5497517