Atlanta ( CNN ) -- Keith Fitzhugh could have spent this weekend at New Meadowlands Stadium , being regaled by some 83,000 fans as a member of the New York Jets . Instead , he chose to keep his day job , working on the railroad . No spotlights , no television cameras , no adoring throngs . The only waves that he could get -- seconds of attention , in between long stretches of quiet -- will be from kids standing alongside the tracks , asking the unnamed engineer to pull the horn . And he 's not complaining . `` That was always my childhood dream , '' said Fitzhugh of playing pro football . `` Driving transit was always my second childhood dream . '' For months , the Hampton , Georgia , resident -- like millions of Americans -- was living more of a nightmare , unemployed and struggling to get by . A star safety at Mississippi State , he had three stints over the past two seasons in the National Football League with the Baltimore Ravens and twice the Jets . But each time , Fitzhugh had been released . For someone who , for years , had lived and breathed football , rejection was not easy . What was even harder , he said , was living without the paycheck and without any clear prospect that NFL stardom and dollars were in his future . What he was certain about , though , was family . The 5-foot-10 , 210-pound Fitzhugh was in the prime of his life healthwise , but not bringing home any income . His father disabled and unable to work , his mother was the only family member with a regular paycheck . Fitzhugh said he was used to getting such support , emotionally as much as economically . His parents had cheered him while he played football , encouraged him to think of life after football , took care of him . When his sister died after contracting West Nile virus while he was in college at Starkville , his mother held off on telling him until he played a key spring football game . She , his father , his grandmother and other family members were always like that : thinking and taking care of everyone else , all while keeping their heads up , said Fitzhugh . His sister 's loss especially , he said , made him realize that while football was a game , family was everything . `` They were there for me , when I went through some of the lowest times of my life , '' Fitzhugh said . `` And I needed to be there for them , also . '' So he was thrilled when he recently got a full-time job with Norfolk Southern , a position that allowed him to run trains around the country and also bring home regular income and benefits to help support his family . But his suddenly stable life got turned upside down Tuesday , when his agent called to tell him about the Jets offer . Fitzhugh was off and at home , his father resting in bed . His agent told him the 9-3 team wanted him , right away . Could he make a 2 o'clock flight ? Not , said Fitzhugh , without checking with his new employer first . `` My heart started racing , I started sweating immediately , '' he recalled . `` This is not happening to me . I 'd just got this new job , and I do n't want to let them down ( so they think ) every time I get a phone call , I 'm going to run away . '' He 'd learned that professional football jobs were fleeting . He knew his railroad job was not as glamorous , it might not pay as much , but it was stable and allowed him to help his family long-term . So , before he 'd even found out from Norfolk Southern if he could take a leave of absence ( he later learned that he could have ) , Fitzhugh made up his mind . `` I just felt that the best decision at that time , for me , was to keep my job , '' Fitzhugh said . `` Because the economy is so bad right now , jobs are very scarce . Once you have a good job like this , I ( thought ) that I should just keep it . '' Money , fame , and the thrill of competition on the gridiron are great . And Fitzhugh says that he has n't closed the door on pro football totally , not if the time is right . But he said that he 's comfortable with his decision to stay off the sidelines and stay on the tracks . Doing so will be different than battling the Miami Dolphins on Sunday , but Fitzhugh believes he will still get a rush and he 'll still have the support of family and `` fans . '' `` You have families that go outside in their yards or go by the tracks , and just wave at the conductors and engineers as they are riding by -- that feeling is really good , '' said Fitzhugh . `` Like the experience in the NFL , you still have fans out there . ''
Keith Fitzhugh is a new employee with Norfolk Southern railroad . On Tuesday , the New York Jets offered to fly him so he could join the team . Fitzhugh turned down the Jets ' offer , choosing a stable job near his family . Score: 6