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In a turn of events that seemed almost too good to be true, Drew Biber, an undrafted tight end from Minnesota, found himself packing his bags for Green Bay on a Monday night after receiving a life-changing phone call from his agent. The Cedarburg, Wisconsin native had grown up cheering for the Packers, and the opportunity to join his hometown team was a dream come true.
Biber's journey to the NFL was anything but straightforward. After a modest college career that included stints at Purdue and Minnesota, he went undrafted and unsigned. He had tryouts with the Vikings and Titans but failed to secure a contract. As the months dragged on, he kept working, fueled by the support of his family, girlfriend, and agent, who urged him to keep pushing forward.
The Packers, already thin at tight end, were dealt a further blow when RJ Maryland and Luke Lachey suffered injuries. This opened the door for Biber, who had previously impressed during a workout with the team on July 27. When his agent called on Monday with the news that he might be heading to Green Bay, Biber was overwhelmed with emotion.
"I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, this is insane,'" Biber recalled. After a tense two-hour wait, his agent confirmed the deal with a twist: the bad news was that he had to drive to Green Bay that very night. Biber immediately called his parents, Julie and Joe, who were skeptical at first. "They're like, 'This better not be a prank,'" he said with a laugh.
Upon arriving in Green Bay, Biber made his practice debut on Tuesday, experiencing the surreal moment of riding a little girl's bike to practice, a Packers tradition he had never been part of. "It was just a surreal moment," he said. "I got to ride a little girl's bike, and she was really excited."
Biber's career stats are modest—33 catches and one touchdown—but his determination never wavered. "Football has always been a dream, and there's always just been hope," he explained. His faith and the encouragement of those around him kept him going through the long months of uncertainty.
Now, Biber finds himself in an ideal situation. With Tucker Kraft and Josh Whyle leading the tight end depth chart, and Luke Musgrave sidelined with a neck injury, there is a genuine opportunity for Biber to earn a roster spot. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, a Marshfield native, expressed excitement about having a local player join the team.
"Me being from Wisconsin, this is really cool to have local guys come in and play for the Packers," Stenavich said. "I can only imagine how excited he is to be here."
Despite the whirlwind of activity, Biber remains focused on the task at hand. "At the end of the day, it's football," he said. "Just block out all the lights and go in and work because, at the end of the day, it's a job."
As he prepares for Family Night on Friday, Biber is ready to embrace the moment, even asking his parents to bring his old Clay Matthews jersey. "I literally had a Clay Matthews jersey in my closet," he said. "I'm like, this is a sign from God."