NFL Draft prospect survived Colorado's movie theater massacre in 2012

By foxsports
Published

Jordan Murphy hopes to make the NFL, despite the odds stacked against his favor. But Murphy, a former Colorado fullback, is used to beating the odds after surviving the Aurora Massacre in 2012.

Murphy was in the Colorado theater showing "The Dark Knight Rises" when shooter James Holmes, dressed in a movie-themed costume and wearing tactical gear, took a dozen innocent lives. Over 70 individuals were injured in the tragic shooting.

Murphy knows it's a "real long shot" for him to make the NFL despite a lack of on-field production during his collegiate career. But he recently said he learned he had "plenty of time to do things" after that fateful evening, which he only narrowly survived. Here's what he told ESPN about the experience: 

"[Holmes] comes in to the right, my front right -- we were in the fourth row. I can see his weapons. I can see him pretty clearly. He's dressed up like Bane, you know, the character in the movie, so you're thinking, 'Oh, it's opening night, this is some cool stunt to get people going.' But then he launches the tear gas and right then I knew it was real. ....

We ducked down, we waited a few seconds. I heard his gun click that he was out of ammunition, so we crawled as fast as we could and then stood up at the end of the row to run. I think I attracted his attention because he turned his head to me, took a shot. Don't know if it was a shotgun or his AR-15, but the bullet hit right over my head, drywall exploded, sprayed on my face, the dust went in my eyes. At that point I'm thinking I'm not getting out, but I'm running along the way, we were getting ready to turn the corner and the bullet just smashed the drywall. They always said the reason I couldn't play Division I as a linebacker was because I wasn't 6-2. I'm 6 feet. If I was 6-2, I'd probably be dead because that bullet is in my head."

Murphy's quote about his height, and how if he were any taller he wouldn't be alive today, offered particularly interesting life perspective. 

While Murphy failed to record a carry for the Buffaloes during college, he feels he can provide great value to an NFL team on special teams or any other personnel grouping a professional team sees fit for him. 

Bryan Kalbrosky produces digital content for FOXSports.com. For more, follow him on Twitter @BryanKalbrosky