NFL workout for Arizona Cardinals is a Wolfpack family affair

Joe Thuney knows enough about what Jim Ritcher did on the football field, both at N.C. State and in the NFL, to call him, “Mr. Ritcher.”

Ritcher was a two-time All-American and the Outland Trophy winner at N.C. State in the late 1970s. A first-round NFL pick in 1980, he went to the Super Bowl four times, and the Pro Bowl twice, with the Buffalo Bills in the 1990s. In all, the former guard logged 16 years in the trenches of the NFL.

So “Mr. Ritcher” it is to Thuney, an All-ACC left tackle and N.C. State’s most recent NFL hopeful.

Thuney’s smart enough to listen to the Wolfpack legend’s advice. So after a recent workout for the Arizona Cardinals at N.C. State’s indoor practice facility, that’s just what Thuney, fellow N.C. State teammates Alex Barr and Quinton Schooley, and Ritcher’s son, Nick, who played left tackle at the University of Richmond, did.

The four players hoping to get into the NFL listened after the workout while the elder Ritcher, 57, offered his wisdom.

“Just enjoy every minute of it,” said Ritcher, a commercial airline pilot who lives in Raleigh. “It goes by quick, no matter if it’s 16 years or if you’re there for a cup of coffee.

“You’ll never be as free as you are on that football field. What you can do out there, and in the locker room, the rest of the world isn’t like that. Enjoy it while you can.”

If Ritcher had told Thuney to jump off a cliff, he would have at least considered it.

“Every time in (Carter-Finley) Stadium, I’d look up and see his retired No. 51,” Thuney said. “He set the standard at N.C. State and is the epitome of what you want to be.”

The workout for the Cardinals was more than just a job interview for Thuney and his Wolfpack teammates. There were two generations of Ritchers and four generations of N.C. State offensive linemen.

John Ritcher, who is a scout for the Cardinals, conducted the workout. Arizona general manager Steve Keim, a former N.C. State lineman, was also there.

When Keim, an All-ACC guard, was in school in the mid-1990s, he would work out in the summers with the elder Ritcher at N.C. State.

To see that part of his football life come full circle, with Ritcher’s son working for him, to boot, means a lot to Keim.

“It’s great to come back to Raleigh, because I love the community, love the area, love the school,” Keim said. “And it’s great to be able to spend some time with Jim, who was one of my idols when I played here.”

Although the trip down memory lane was a big part of Keim’s visit, there was still work to be done.

Thuney, who will probably play guard in the NFL, went through a variety of drills with Barr, Schooley and Nick Ritcher for about 30 minutes.

John Ritcher, who played fullback at N.C. State in the early 2000s, had the unenviable task of evaluating his brother, who was a three-year starter at Richmond and played his high school ball at Ravenscroft.

“It was kind of weird,” Nick Ritcher said.

Odd, but it gave big brother a chance to help out.

“I try to give Nicholas constructive criticism as a scout would see it and what he needs to work on,” John Ritcher said.

When the players were done, the elder Ritcher, who played center in college and helped running back Ted Brown set the ACC career rushing record, actually took a few shotgun snaps.

There were some creaks – at 57 there will be a few – but Ritcher looked as though he was ready to find Howard Ballard and Kent Hull and get the band back together.

“It’s fun to see guys like this who are so passionate about the game,” Keim said.

Fun? Shouldn’t there be a few nerves? After all, the players don’t know what the future holds.

“It has been a lot of fun,” Thuney said. “I appreciate the process; not a lot of guys get to do this.”

Thuney is a quick study. Ritcher would be proud.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 4:20 PM with the headline "NFL workout for Arizona Cardinals is a Wolfpack family affair."