TEMPE, Ariz. — It turns out that professional football players really aren't that different from the rest of us.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jesse Luketa was just trying to get to work (a.k.a the game vs. the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium) on Sunday when trouble struck.
"I’m hitting the highway, all of the sudden I get a notification: tire issue," Luketa said on Monday. "So, I’m like, alright, cool, I think it’s a situation where I can put in some air, make it to the gas station. (It) wasn’t working."
Luketa's left front tire was going flat. His 2019 BMW didn't have a spare tire and Luketa knew he couldn't drive the car to the game.
At that point, Luketa started to get worried about being late for work. The Cardinals are required to be at the stadium by 12 p.m. Luketa was 30 minutes away and said if he waited for someone from the team to leave the stadium and come pick him up or for roadside assistance, he wouldn't have made it on time.
"I’m thinking, my heart starts beating, I’m about to be late," Luketa said. "I’m calling who I need to call to let them know this is the situation."
But then, Luketa looked to his right and saw a man wearing a Cardinals #2 Patrick Peterson jersey pumping gas with his wife and kids, who were also wearing Cardinals gear, in the car.
"It looks like they’re going to the stadium, so I’m like, I have absolutely nothing to lose," Luketa said. "(I) put my window down, I just yell out, 'Are you guys going to the stadium?' He looks at me a little crazy, he’s like, 'Yeah.' I’m like, 'I’m a player. I’ve got a flat tire, can you guys help me out? I need a ride to the stadium.' (He) walks back to his car, talks to his wife, he’s like, 'Heck yeah! C’mon!'"
Luketa hopped into the front passenger seat in the family's Infiniti, leaving his car at the gas station, and they drove to State Farm Stadium in enough time for Luketa not to be late.
"We made it happen, had a great, great drive over there. We were talking ball, talking about my college experience going to Penn State."
Luketa said the family is a godsend and that this is something he will always remember.
"It’s definitely one for the books," Luketa said. "This is the type of stuff that only happens to me. Like, I don’t know anyone else who it happened to. But, extremely grateful and forever indebted to them."
Luketa added that he is no stranger to car trouble. He's gotten flat tires four or five times before and is well-versed in how to change a tire, and has even developed a reputation for having car trouble with his teammates.
"They laughed at me," Luketa said. "One thing about me, they always know there’s always a situation with my car, so it’s like, for it to happen on gameday and then for the outcome to be to get there with fans, it’s crazy."
After the game, Luketa found the family and was able to pictures with them. To thank them for helping him out, Luketa said he is going to get them tickets to the Cardinals' home game on December 17 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Luketa was also able to go back to the gas station for his car after the game, but it needed to go to the shop. So, how did Luketa get to work on Monday?
"Uber," Luketa said. "I didn't have a choice."
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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