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Outlaw: ‘I know what I am capable of and can bring to the table’

By: Justin Felisko

PUEBLO, Colo. – Chase Outlaw looked up toward the ceiling of AT&T Stadium, let out a big sigh and wiped the sweat and dirt out of his eyes.

Outlaw’s bid to win The American’s $1 million bonus this past March had come up short when he was bucked off in the long round, and it had come with another major price for Outlaw.

He had spent most of The American and the prestigious rodeo’s qualifying rounds competing with a torn left groin that first occurred in a practice pen session in January.

In pure Outlaw determination and form, though, he refused to quit, throw in the towel, or pick up his bull rope and head back home to Hamburg, Arkansas.

The 29-year-old knew the severity of his injury when he showed up at AT&T Stadium, but one thing was certain.

“Man, I can feel my groin muscle halfway down my leg, but for $1 million, nothing is going to hold me back from trying to give my all,” Outlaw said.

The American was the last time Outlaw stepped foot inside the arena this year, and he ultimately had to undergo two surgeries to repair his groin since then.

Outlaw could have attempted to return to the arena sooner rather than later and make a desperate push for a ninth PBR World Finals qualification, but he instead elected to shut down his regular season with an eye on the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter, on May 23.

“I am just waiting until Teams to come back,” Outlaw said last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I am waiting for the draft, and I won’t be getting on any practice bulls. That is what has put me out with the last four surgeries.”

In the past three seasons, two reconstructive left shoulder surgeries, a right knee surgery/hip injury, and this recent left groin surgery have limited Outlaw to only seven Unleash The Beast events and 12 PBR events in total.

Outlaw, who has had five shoulder surgeries since 2015, admitted earlier this year that his latest injury to his groin was his own mistake as he got on a practice bull at home in January in freezing temperatures. Even so, Outlaw returned from the injury in five weeks to nearly win his home state event in Little Rock, Arkansas, when he rode Big Black for 91 points in the championship round. It was Outlaw’s first 90-point ride since he had ridden Big Black for 91.5 points at the 2019 PBR World Finals.

 
Now, the biggest question for Outlaw is where he will end up among the eight teams selecting from Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas, in two weeks.

Three years ago, Outlaw would have easily been a Top-5 draft selection following his career-best 2019 campaign that ended with him third in the world beyond two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood and now two-time reigning World Champion Jose Vitor Leme.

Outlaw was expected to be a 2020 title contender until he learned he needed reconstructive left shoulder surgery following the 2019 World Finals.

Now Outlaw will be one of the most interesting names to keep an eye on come draft night.

There is no question Outlaw’s career has been muddied by injuries – he has only had two seasons since 2015 not interrupted or delayed because of surgeries – but there is also no doubt he could be the ultimate warrior and leader for a PBR Team Series team looking to create a culture of toughness and no-quit attitude.

Outlaw is also adamant he will be 100% ready for the PBR Team Series season-opener on July 25-26 at Cheyenne Frontier Days – the same site where he rallied back to win Last Cowboy Standing in 2019, a year after he shattered 30 bones in his face in a massive wreck.

The man willing to ride with his groin hanging off his bone at The American would do the same thing for his teammates if they were riding for the inaugural PBR Team Series Championship on Nov. 4-6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Look no further than Outlaw’s presence for Team USA when the Eagles won the 2019 Global Cup in Arlington, Texas. Take a poll of riders in the PBR locker room today, and there is no doubt Outlaw would be at the top of the list of who they would want on their team, even though he has been essentially gone the last three years.

But what coach feels the same way? There is a good chance all eight coaches will want Outlaw, who is still only 29 years old, but only one will pull the trigger and select him.

Outlaw is confident he has nothing to prove to any of the eight teams, their front offices, or the coaching staffs. He is not worried about what he will bring to a team. He knows his resume and character speak for themselves and that passion and love for the sport are things his teammates will buy into. He knows teams will regret passing on him once they see him return to his prior form.

“I know it is a business decision, and I have been hurt a lot, but hey, I know what I am capable of,” Outlaw said. “Everybody is talking about whether I should be a high pick based on if I can hold up. I know what I am shooting for. I expect I should go high because I know what I can bring to the table. I know what my worth is.

“I don’t want to be the last guy picked, like playing kickball at recess as a kid. If I am, that would have a lot of people scratching their heads when I do come back healthy. I just have had a string of bad luck.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media

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