That continues with his footballing family at the Cardinals.
“Off the pitch I would say he is a team guy and on the pitch I would say he is a team guy,” said coach Jonathan Gannon. “He puts himself behind the team, and I like that in him. That’s to be expected, but to be honest he did that.”
In the pre-season final against the Vikings, Luketa did it all.
It’s very common to see No. 43 in defense and special teams. What’s new is seeing the fullback play at 6-foot-3, 253 pounds.
He told the referee that playing all three phases earned him the honor of being named team captain for the match.
“I love the game of football and that is whether I get a chance to go after the quarterback or block my Pro Bowl on James Conner,” says Luketa. “I just want to be able to help my team and give my best.”
Luketa’s first-team reputation brought him back to his Penn State days. Seeing him play multiple roles for the Cardinals came as no surprise to Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter.
“Jesse is like that here,” said Poindexter. “He played D-end, midfield, special team. I think he’s going to be in the league for a long time. He’s the kind of guy you watch and (play) 10 years, 12 years and make a real career.” That.”
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