Anthony Bronzo thought his football career was behind him, that earning MVP of the 87th annual Turkey Bowl after leading Fordham Prep to a 17-7 win against rival Xavier on Thanksgiving Day was the fitting end of the road.
Instead, The Post’s Bronx/Manhattan football Player of the Year will be heading to Tulane with the hopes of walking on to the Green Wave and follow in David Skehan’s footsteps. Skehan also was a walk-on, but was a two-year starter and among the leaders in tackles.
“Let’s hope lightning strikes twice,” Fordham Prep coach Pete Gorynski said. “There are tremendous parallels between them. They both have the same speed profile, both very bright, both played in the secondary. Anthony, though, is probably a more serious athlete. I’m certainly going to be pulling for him, he’s one of the best I’ve ever coached.”
Bronzo’s mother is from New Orleans and a few of his cousins went to Tulane, so he knew all about the city and the school.
“I’ve been to New Orleans a million times,” he said.
Bronzo went on a visit, spoke to the coaches and then, under the suggestion of Fordham Prep defensive coordinator Pat Deane, sent a highlight tape to New Orleans.
“He thought I’d have a pretty good chance playing if I tried,” Bronzo said of Deane. “I probably would have been bored my first semester anyway, so I’ll try and walk on and see what happens.”
Bronzo initially thought he’d just have a chance to punt, but he said the Green Wave coaches were more interested in him as a safety.
“It will be a lot of fun,” Bronzo said. “I’ll get to meet a lot of kids who play football and just keep playing football as long as I can. That’s the goal.”
Bronzo was the heart and soul of a Fordham Prep team that enjoyed its first 10-win season and trip to the CHSFL Class AAA semifinals. The senior did a little bit of everything – he was a standout receiver, a lockdown defensive back and one of the league’s top punters.
But Bronzo was ready to put that all behind him, until he started playing some pickup ball.
“After we had such a good season, I didn’t think I was going to play anymore, but then just throwing the ball around, I just want to play,” Bronzo said. “I understand there’s a lot of guys ahead of me, but having a chance to keep playing, either on the practice squad or just special teams, would be great.”
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound Bronzo said he received some interest from programs like Stony Brook and Amherst, but he had a different philosophy when it came to his choice of colleges.
“I just didn’t want stay in the north, I kind of wanted to go down south to begin with,” Bronzo said. “I wasn’t going to let football choose my school. I was going to choose a school I wanted to go to academically.”
Bronzo earned an academic scholarship to Tulane, making him even more valuable to the coaches.
“It’s going to be a really good time,” Bronzo said. “I’m around all my family down there, so that will be fun too and the winter is a lot easier.”
Bronzo’s last taste of high school football came last week when he played in the Empire Challenge.
“I’ve been working out like I’m in season for the upcoming Tulane season because it’s going to be such a physical challenge so to finally put on pads again was a lot of fun,” Bronzo said. “I thought I played pretty well considering I was playing corner instead of safety. It was a lot of fun, too, to see where some of these guys are going and to compare.”
Bronzo knows the odds are against him, but he’s happy to just get a chance and he’s got the work ethic to make it work.
“Overall I just want to acquit myself the best I can and if a year or two down the road get on some special teams, maybe play some defense for them would be great,” Bronzo said. “Playing in the Superdome would be a lot of fun.”
Gorynski, for one, wouldn’t be surprised if it happens.
“If anyone can do it, he’s the kid who could,” Gorynski said.