Dream Come True: Former Panther Stirgus signs NFL contract

Stirgus had worked hard even after his high school and college careers. Graduating from Missouri Western this past December, Stirgus went to Texas in mid-January to train for two months before his pro day on March 17, which he said he received some good recognition from NFL scouts. He also had a pro day with the Kansas City Chiefs, which he said was a good experience. 

After that, though, Stirgus said it was a waiting game as he did not hear from many scouts, working out while stressed from the lack of communication. Then came the NFL Draft on April 27 where he was at his house in Jonesboro surrounded by family.

“We get up to draft day,” Stirgus started. “Day 1 and Day 2 I’m on edge. Day 3 was probably the worst day because I knew I would be going somewhere (not necessarily getting a contract) … I wasn’t myself that Saturday, I couldn’t eat much, I was nervous and my anxiety was through the roof.”

Stirgus’ name was never called in the draft, but it wasn’t long after when he got a call from the Chiefs and then the Buffalo Bills, both offering invitations to their rookie mini camps, but no contract offer. 

“After that I was standing, walking around,” Stirgus said. “I went to the kitchen because I knew I needed to eat, but I just sat down because I knew I couldn’t eat.”

Then came the call he was waiting on an hour or two after the draft.  

“My agent had called me and he was like, ‘How you doing?,’” Stirgus explained. “The way he worded it I thought there was no way I got something. He said he had just got off the phone with the Commanders and said they want to offer me a contract. The moment he said that, my smile was so big … I started crying. I hugged my mom. It was a dream come true. Everything fell on me at once, like all my hard work paid off. I still have work to do because it’s only the beginning, but I was just proud of everyone who was a part of my life.”

Stirgus was also finally able to eat after the celebration.  

“I got my appetite back so fast,” he said. “My girl was like, ‘Can you eat now? I could tell you couldn’t eat.’”

Benton Coach Brad Harris was happy hear the good news. 

“That’s awesome,” the Panther Coach said. “DJ has been one of my favorite guys that we’ve coached. He’s a great young man. So excited for him to get the opportunity to continue playing football after he was at Missouri Western in college. It’s awesome for DJ. He wasn’t drafted in seven rounds, but it gives him an opportunity to get into mini camp.”

Ultimately, it was Harris who made Stirgus a defensive back after he transferred to Benton from Jacksonville, where he was a wide receiver, before his junior season, which was when the former Panther said the work really started.

“The hard work probably started my junior year in high school,” Stirgus said. “The transfer to Benton … in my opinion I wasn’t really where I needed to be to play at Benton because Benton was a higher level than Jacksonville, no disrespect to them. That summer I was actually going there as a receiver and then Coach Harris, a defensive guy, moved me to corner. It was 7-on-7 I had to guard somebody and I did a good job, and ever since then I played corner.

“Me and my dad were like we wasted a whole summer working on receiver drills. He was like, ‘Well, whatever gets you on the field.’”

The move would pay off as Stirgus earned All-State honors his senior season and was also named the 6A West Defensive Back of the Year with 32 tackles, five interceptions, seven pass breakups and an 89-yard fumble return for a touchdown. 

From Benton, Stirgus would play his college ball for the Missouri Western Griffons finishing his career with 81 tackles, four for loss, two interceptions, a sack and 30 pass deflections. He was a 2022 All-MIAA First team selection and was the on the D2 Football Elite 100 First Team his senior season. 

But just like he knew he had to up his game for the Panthers after transferring, it was another level up at Missouri Western, where he started his next journey. 

“I ended up at Missouri Western as a little pup,” Stirgus said. “I was small, 160 (pounds), maybe 6-foot. I was just a little guy and had two guys basically help me out, Sam Webb and Brandin Dandridge (defensive back teammates). Throughout this process (leading up to getting his contract) alone they’ve been a big help. Throughout college they were even a bigger help. Brandin left and I picked up the starting position and I knew something had to change because I was way too light. I played in eight games as a freshman and got pushed around. 

“I dedicated myself in the weight room to gain as much weight as I could and also keep my speed. My junior and senior year I stayed at 200, 205, and I knew that was a good weight for me and I gained speed. I was the biggest corner in the conference that year.” 

“That dude is about 6-1 now, 200 pounds,” Harris said. “He’s grown since he graduated high school. He’s really long. He’s always been able to run, of course, but he had a heck of a college career and it’s paid off. He’s getting an opportunity to play professional football now.”

Though it was his junior season in high school when he really went to work, Stirgus remembers he was much younger when he dreamed of playing in the NFL. 

“The earliest I could remember was fourth grade,” he said. “Fourth grade was probably the first time it was set in stone I wanted to play in the NFL. I had a diary my fourth-grade year and I had a little funny looking picture of a football and it said I wanted to play in the NFL.”

It still seems surreal to Stirgus he’s getting the opportunity now.  

“The summer before my senior year (at Missouri Western) I was getting calls from agents and that’s when I knew it was getting real,” Stirgus said. “NFL scouts were coming to practices, coming to games and were trying to meet face-to-face. It was jaw-dropping and even right now, the position I’m in doesn’t seem real.” 

His next journey starts today when he begins rookie mini camp with the Commanders, and from there he will be in rookie development until June 21.

“He’s an awesome kid and I’m glad to see him get an opportunity,” Harris said. “That’s what I told him, ‘You’ve got your foot in the door, man, just make the best of the situation right now.”

And just like changing positions to get on the field with the Panthers, Stirgus plans to play anywhere the Commanders can use him. 

“I do not care where I play,” he said. “Safety, corner, I’ll play wherever they need me. I just want to be on that field.”