Does the name Terrell Barnes ring a bell?
Probably not. That's because Barnes is a 24-year-old equipment assistant in his first season with the Minnesota Vikings. Normally, his duties would be overlooked, but Barnes does his job with a level of energy that's impossible to miss, according to ESPN's Ben Goessling.
"I don't slow down," Barnes said, via ESPN. "If I do, it either means that I'm hurt or I'm dead."
Barnes' main duty is to chase down loose balls at practice. ESPN tracked his movements one practice with a GPS sports watch and was able to extrapolate that he covers about four miles during a two hour practice, reaching a top speed of 21.1 miles per hour.
Barnes' tireless effort has to rub off on the rest of the Vikings in a positive way.
"Every single ball I dive for," Barnes said, per ESPN. "I get mad when I mess up trying to run after a ball or even on the inside when I get a player's size wrong, I take it to heart. Sometimes I put my head down, but it's just me trying to evaluate myself and trying to get better every day so I can help these guys win. That makes my job easier when we win."
If everyone else plays and coaches with the heart and hustle Barnes displays, the Vikings will be a pretty tough team to beat in 2015.
(h/t ESPN)
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