Auger pursues love for the game in professional ranks

Tommy Auger has loved football for as long as he can remember. From watching games on television with his dad to playing catch in the yard to being the ball boy for St. Cloud Cathedral High School, football has always been a big part of his life.

And at age 28, it still is.

While most guys his age have distant memories of their football-playing days, Auger is still at it, playing professionally for the past several years including stops in Mexico and most recently in Japan. While colleagues talk about games they played years ago during their glory days of football, Auger talks about the game he played last week.

“I didn’t originally plan on playing after college,” said Auger. “That is part of the reason I went to St. John’s instead of taking a PWO at a bigger school. I figured I only had a few years to play the sport I loved.”

Auger was an All-American tight end his senior season at St. John’s. He followed in his father Andy’s footsteps. Andy was also a tight end and a punter for St. John’s and has since coached at both St. Cloud Cathedral and for the Johnnies.

But coaching will have to wait for Tommy. When his senior season ended, he decided he didn’t want to be done with football and as a Division 3 player, he wasn’t being scouted by NFL teams, so he had to look for other options.

“I really felt I could compete at any level and still had the passion to play so I gave it my all and pursued that dream,” Auger said.

His first opportunity came in Austria. He had gotten in touch with the league through SJU Coach Jim Mader, who had previously coached there and still had connections. Another coach, Josh Bungum, had played there five years earlier. Auger had originally agreed to a contract with a team in Germany, but instead signed with Austria through those connections.

“The experience over there was great,” Auger said. “It gave me a chance to see different parts of the world and continue doing what I loved.”

After his Austria experience, Auger eventually landed with the Orlando Guardians of the XFL, but was released when a new offensive coordinator went to a spread offense. He was contacted by Monterrey (at the time called the Fundidores) and signed a contract to play in Mexico from 2023-2025. The Fundidores were purchased by an ownership group of former and current professional athletes, including NFL players George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey as well as former NBA star Blake Griffin. Sam Darnold, Julius Peppers, Jonathan Stewart, Ron Rivera and Ryan Kalil are other members of the ownership team, who changed the name to the Monterrey Osos.

Auger put up impressive numbers and was named a First-Team All-Pro. In fact, each season he has played he has been an All-Pro, which doesn’t differ from his accolades leading to his professional career. In high school he set the state record for receptions with 90 and earned All-State honors. In college he was an All-American, so it was no surprise he rose to the top when he began playing at the next level.

“The challenge for me has been the same at each level,” said Auger. “I am always feeling I am a bit undersized for tight ends. Even though I set the record for receptions I still wasn’t highly recruited  by big schools. However, everywhere that a team has given me a chance and believed in me I have proven them right by getting the highest award for my position in each league.”

The best part about playing for the Osos was he got to train with the likes of Kittle and other successful NFL tight ends.

“It’s been a huge honor to train with the best in the NFL,” he said. “It really gives you a good sense of the way these guys work and how they train. One thing I have picked up is the intensity and focus that they take into every rep.”

Playing professional football outside of the NFL isn’t a lucrative endeavor, and Auger has supplemented his income by working a professional job in the offseason as an accountant. He received a degree in accounting and finance at SJU.

This past season he was able to work remotely so carried his job into the season at a reduced time.

“This way I was able to have two incomes during the season and really save up,” he said. “It is all work from home and the hours are flexible which is super helpful.”

His routine is to get up early and go to the gym and get a lift in before he clocks in for work. He works in the morning and then at lunchtime gets treatment at the facility, either preventative or something that is hurting. He generally returns home to get more work done and then studies film before practice and meetings in the evening. He loves everything about the football-playing process.

“I love competing in everything, but what makes football special is the team aspect and camaraderie,” he said. “There is just something more special about the selflessness of football and giving up your body to do your job for the betterment of the team.”

His journey has since led him to Japan of all places where he is suiting up for IBM Big Blue in the X League. The team is located just outside of Tokyo in Chiba, Japan. As of Sept. 29 they were three weeks into their season and Auger once again was proving his worth by leading all tight ends in receptions, yards and touchdowns. He was second amongst all receivers in receptions, fifth in yards and fifth in touchdowns. The season goes until December and leads up to the Rice Bowl played in the Tokyo Dome.

He’s also married and he and his wife, Bailey, have been able to be together during his football journey. She currently has a visa to be in Japan and live with Auger. She also was with him when he played in Europe.

“We got to see a lot of places together when we were there,” he said. “When I played in Mexico she came down to visit for extended periods of time.”

Auger isn’t sure where his football journey will take him, but his passion for the game still burns as bright as ever.

“Overall my goal is to play at the highest level,” he said. “I understand that a lot of that is not in my control. But what is in my control is playing as well as I can for whatever team I am signed to and continue to have success. Each individual season I just have two goals – win a championship and be the best at my position and win All-Pro tight end.”

The NFL hasn’t called yet, but Auger will continue to do his best to keep playing the game he loves. At 6’3” and 240 pounds, he is a bit undersized compared to NFL tight ends. George Kittle is 6’4”-245 and the Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson is 6’5”-248.

“At 6’3” and 240 I am not out of the question undersized, but it is certainly on the smaller side of NFL tight ends,” he said. “I think not having above average size and coming from a smaller school is probably not working in my favor. I’ve had a little bit of contact with NFL teams in the past and I am not sure I would ever get a team to bring me in but I do think I can compete at that level.”

Even though every kid’s dream since they played catch in the backyard with their dad or watched the Vikings on TV is to play in the NFL, Auger will let those chips fall where they may. In the meantime, he will focus on helping his team win football games and enjoy the sport that he has dedicated his life to and that has given him so much in return.

“I think I have proven at every level that I can be the best at my position,” he said. “Every opportunity I have gotten I believe I have made the most of. I do believe that if I could get one team to give me a shot they would see the type of competitor I am and what makes me a successful player.”