I recently acquired this game-used jersey of former NFL player Margus Hunt.

Hunt had a ridiculous path to the NFL. He was born in Soviet-era Estonia and was a standout track and field athlete. He enrolled at SMU to further that career but by the time he arrived on campus, SMU shut down their track program. So what’s an athletic giant to do? Play football, of course.

Hunt began playing football for SMU and earned the nickname “The Eastern Block” due to his talent for blocking kicks. His size and ability was put on display at the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.60 40-yard dash and bench pressed 38 reps at 225 lbs. Worth mentioning that he did all this at 6’8” and 277 lbs. The Bengals nabbed him in the 2nd round of the 2013 draft.

This jersey is from Hunt’s best season, which was 2018 with the Colts. He started 15 games and the jersey has battle scars from four of them. In this jersey he sacked Andy Dalton twice and Deshaun Watson once, also stuffing Joe Mixon and Leonard Fournette. Very happy to have the Eastern Block in my collection.

9/9/18 vs Cincinnati Bengals

2 sacks, 3 tackles

Photomatch: Getty Image 1030867028

9/30/18 vs Houston Texans

1 sack, 3 tackles

Photomatch: Getty Image 1043889922

10/21/18 vs Buffalo Bills

1 tackle

Photomatch: Getty Image 1052751794

11/11/18 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

2 tackles

Photomatch: Getty Image 1060924750