Cayden Burger Jake Silva interview on HX Bulls and Wheeling

In the Cayden Burger Jake Silva interview, the center said he signed with the HX Bulls after an All-Pro season with the Wheeling Miners, whose championship loss came down to two points. Burger also described losing more than 100 pounds to return to football and his goal of reaching the United Football League, then the National Football League.

What did Cayden Burger say about offensive line technique?

Cayden Burger said a center must identify the defense, direct the line and react quickly when a linebacker blitzes. In both run and pass blocking, he prioritizes balance, a strong base and keeping his eyes up. The difference is whether he is driving a defender off the line or giving ground to protect the quarterback.

Reading the defense before the snap

After the quarterback calls the play, Burger runs to the line, gets into his stance and scans the linebackers and defensive linemen. He looks at their alignment and how much pressure a defender has on his hand. Burger then tells his teammates where to go, a responsibility that requires him to know their assignments as well as his own.

On a double-team, a defensive lineman may move one way while a linebacker comes through another opening. Burger said the blocker responsible for that linebacker must come off the double-team at the right moment. His call can be as short as “off off” during the play. The decision happens quickly, so he stresses staying square to the line of scrimmage and keeping his eyes up.

Run blocking and pass protection

For a run, Burger said his job starts with the snap, a first step and getting two steps into the ground as fast as possible. He aims to get inside a defender, drive him and, when the assignment requires it, move on to a linebacker while the guard takes over.

In pass protection, he described sliding backward at a 45-degree angle, moving his feet and getting his hands into a defender’s chest. Leaning too far forward can leave a blocker vulnerable. Burger said balance and getting his hands on an opponent early matter in either type of block.

What did Cayden Burger say about Jason Kelce and the tush push?

Cayden Burger studies Jason Kelce for his athleticism, footwork and command of the center position. He also sees why the Philadelphia Eagles’ tush push worked particularly well with Kelce, while emphasizing what the play asks of a center buried beneath much larger players.

Why Burger watches Kelce

A play against the New York Giants first drew Burger’s attention: he recalled Kelce using one arm and leverage to put a much heavier defender on the ground. Burger admires how quickly Kelce moves his feet and how well he understands the game. He said technique and knowledge are essential when facing exceptional defensive athletes.

The center’s role in the tush push

Burger cited a 92 percent success rate on plays needing a yard or less as the tush push’s advantage. For the center, he said, the drawback is snapping the ball and driving forward from the lowest position while a group of roughly 300-pound linemen piles on top. He believes a team’s quarterback also affects whether the play will work.

What did Cayden Burger say about his arena football career?

Cayden Burger’s route to arena football included leaving a Division III program, losing more than 100 pounds and moving between teams before finding a full season with Wheeling. He said those stops taught him about preparation and showed him the level of competition he needed to meet.

His college team played North Central and lost by 50 points, Burger recalled. He spent one year in the program, stepped away from school and began working. Before returning to football, he weighed 427 pounds; he said he weighed 325 at the time of our conversation. Burger put the effort plainly:

I had to lose all that weight

Orlando and Washington

The Orlando Predators invited Burger to camp, and he made the team, but he said it folded a week later. He then played a game for a team in Washington. Burger said he was still young and making mistakes; he was cut after arriving late to a breakfast and a lift. He took time away to train.

Pueblo and Nashville

With the Pueblo Punishers, Burger spent about two and a half weeks working at guard against players with experience at Alabama and in the Canadian Football League. Coming from Illinois, he said training at Colorado’s elevation improved his conditioning. Before a game against the Colorado Spartans, his uncle died, and Burger stepped away from the team.

He later went to camp with the Nashville Kats. Burger said the competition helped him believe he could play at that level, though he was released with an experienced arena player ahead of him. Nashville was also where he was moved from guard to center. He drove from that camp to Wheeling.

What happened to Cayden Burger with the Wheeling Miners?

Cayden Burger said the Wheeling Miners gave him an opportunity at center when the team needed one, and his first season at the position ended with All-Pro honors. Wheeling reached its championship game but lost by two points. Burger also found an unusually vocal fan base for an offensive lineman.

He arrived unsure what he could do at a position he had only recently begun playing. The Miners faced teams including the Columbus Lions, and Burger felt his work improved as the season went on. He said he became an All-Pro in that league and received offensive lineman of the year recognition.

Burger credited Wheeling quarterback Darrell Clark, a former Penn State player, with helping him learn. Away from the field, fans made shirts for Burger and cheered his name at games. He said the reception was one of his favorite parts of playing in Wheeling.

Why did Cayden Burger sign with the HX Bulls?

Cayden Burger said he signed with the HX Bulls after connecting with the team’s owner over a recommendation for food in Chicago. The owner then invited him to talk and offered him a contract. Burger views the new organization as a place to keep developing while pursuing opportunities in higher leagues.

Burger said the conversation began when he replied to an online post and recommended Portillo’s. The owner liked what Burger could bring as a young player, both on the field and in representing a team. Burger said the owner discussed a two- to three-year plan with him as he works toward moving up from arena football.

He named veterans on the Bulls roster and said Kenny Vicario was the head coach. Burger has also spoken with coaches at a St. Louis showcase who wanted to see more from him. His stated goal is to reach the United Football League and, eventually, the National Football League, while recognizing how difficult that path is.

How did Cayden Burger adjust to switching from guard to center?

Cayden Burger said the move from guard to center was difficult at first, even though the close quarters of arena football made aspects of the positions feel similar. Snapping left him with one hand available at the start of a play, while his blocking assignment required him to stay square against a defender directly in front of him.

At guard, Burger had been accustomed to protecting the edge. At center, he had to snap and then move left or right without losing his position. He said the early work did not go well, but repetition gave him a feel for the role. Once it did, he felt able to drive defenders off the ball and protect his quarterback.

The Wheeling season was his first full season playing center. Burger said he hopes to spend a full Arena Football One season with the HX Bulls and will accept whatever role the team gives him.