Inside the Tasty Rookie Duties of Cardinals OL Paris Johnson

Life is tough for a first-timer in the NFL. Just ask Arizona Cardinals OT Paris Johnson. 

The adjustment to the professional level of speed, power and intelligence is only surface level for what rookies must endure in their transition. That's been covered in every interview known to man and can sometimes be clearly seen on the field.

What's not broadcasted are the other adjustments rookies are asked to make away from the field, especially when it comes to duties to please veterans. The days of old school "hazing" are far removed, though veterans are finding other ways to ensure first-timers earn their way into the locker room.

Team comedian and starting left tackle D.J. Humphries told reporters at training camp Johnson has been tasked with finding obscure snacks for the offensive line room.

"It's more so been the orders for the snacks that we want in the room. I've been hitting him with like old school, nostalgia stuff just to see if he can find it and just kind of watch him scramble a little for it," said Humphries. 

"He's very cool and calm, so sometimes you ask him to get something and he's like 'What is that?' and he'll figure it out. Eventually I'll say, 'Oh okay, I see you man. Good job. I didn't really want it but thanks for going to get. Thanks.' I think I'm gonna him on a Cheerwine scavenger hunt. They don't even make Cheerwine on the West Coast, so I'm gonna see if he can figure it out. I think that'll be the next one for sure. 

"I had him getting a lot of sour straws for me lately, but it's a specific flavor that I want. And it's like, you gotta look for it to find it. He found a whole box of them so I'm like, alright, this kid is [smart] I see where he's going with this. We got to elevate to Cheerwine now, it's time to go."

After right tackle Kelvin Beachum noticed their fridge was empty, Johnson was quick to point out that there were six more Amazon boxes waiting to be opened and said on one order, they racked up a bill of $800. 

"Canadian bubbly, they want straight sparkling water. Yeah, they're fancy. I'll give you the request next time I have on my phone on me. They want everything imported. They went everything made fresh," said Johnson. 

"Me and Jon [Gaines] gotta make little sandwiches and cut them into triangles. But it's part of the job. ... everybody else in this locker room had to do it too. So to think about it like that, being grateful, being in the NFL - it's fun."

The line doesn't just stop at food, however. Drinks are just as important, especially at one of the largest coffee chains in the country.

"We had to get - in the middle of our day - we had to go to Starbucks. We had a rental car and I think we rode in Jon's rental car ... We're worried about trying to damage the seats because we had to get like 22 Starbucks drinks, all individually thing [customized] sitting in the backseat and I told him drive slow, turn slow, I'm holding it all in backseat. If they were to spill everywhere. That would have drained the rest of our day. That was quite a trip to spend our little break in the middle of our day at Starbucks," said Johnson.