Jake Funk entered the NFL more than two years ago through the depths of the draft, ringing in at pick No. 233 with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
The University of Maryland product has the early makings of a journeyman, having already been with three teams. His new role as the third running back with the Indianapolis Colts gives him another shot at sticking in the league.
The Gaithersburg native will make the trek to the East Coast for a Sept. 24 showdown against the 2-0 Ravens in what will serve as Funk’s homecoming, a trip he always keeps marked on his calendar.
“M&T Bank [Stadium] is obviously a place where I have a lot of memories, from high school to coming back and playing there in 2021 when I was with the Rams,” Funk said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 20.
Nothing is guaranteed for Funk, who has already experienced two whirlwind seasons in the league. He has only totaled 15 yards in four total plays from scrimmage, but he’s made up for it through special teams contributions.
Funk won a Super Bowl ring with Los Angeles during his rookie year, but he was waived by the Rams in October 2022 and now finds himself in Indianapolis. He has a lot more perspective than most at the age of 25.
“The last couple years have been a little different for me. Obviously, I’ve bounced around a little bit,” he said. “It definitely does give you a greater appreciation for the game, and the business side of the NFL, honestly. It stands for ‘Not For Long’ for a reason, and I’m super thankful I’ve been given another chance with the Colts, and that they want me here.”
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound running back out of Damascus High School impressed during five years at Maryland, averaging 7.2 rushing yards per attempt and 8.6 in his senior season. That caught the eye of the Rams, who picked him up in the seventh round of the 2021 draft. Though he didn’t start any games that year, he still entered the offseason a champion after the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in Super Bowl LVI.
After a quick stint in New Orleans last year, he’s approached his first full season with Indianapolis as someone ready to take on a “neutral mindset,” willing to ignore external factors in favor of what’s within his control.
“I think it’s from what I learned in college, going through injuries, not exactly playing as much as I wanted to early on, and even toward the middle of the career,” he said. “I’ve learned how to handle, in my opinion, adversity within this game.”
Funk is a good fit with the Colts, a team looking for anyone to fill the production left by starting back Jonathan Taylor. He identified Indianapolis as an “under-the-radar team” that could sneak up on any team with its guard down.
“We’ve known that people have written us off for a while, but inside the building, we know that we’re a team that can come in and compete,” he said. “We believe in our quarterback, we believe in our team, we believe in our defense. … It’s hard to win games in this league, and it’s something that we take pride in every single week trying to just be 1-0 that week. We’ll see where the chips fall at the end of the season.”
While he argues for the viewing public to give his squad a chance, Indianapolis’ hopes of improving to 2-1 will be tested against the unbeaten Ravens.
Funk is team-first but will be sure to keep an eye out for former teammate and current Raven Odell Beckham Jr. as well as any locals looking to say hello.
“Any time people are able to come see me play in person, people that have been such an instrumental part of my life … so I’m sure I’m going to have plenty of people at the game cheering me on,” he said.
See Also: Rams RB Jake Funk Thought About Former Terps Teammate Jordan McNair During Super Bowl
For more from Funk, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts