Hard work, determination lands Caschetta with first pro football contracts
Lowell native Cedric Caschetta has always been a hard worker. Caschetta clawed his way through the ranks of college football – even going so far as playing the American game in the United Kingdom at the University of Herfordshire. He also is the first Red Devil alumnus to play for an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), having first played at Virginia University of Lynchburg and then at West Virginia State University.
Now, Caschetta has taken his game to the next level. Three times.
On February 24, the Pennsylvania Union of the American Indoor Football League (AIF) signed Caschetta for the remainder of the season. Then, on March 20, the Mishawaka Iron Bulls of the Gridiron Developmental Football League signed the Red Devil standout for their Spring 2027 season. Not only that, Caschetta recently also signed with the Detroit Bandits of the Midwest Developmental Football League for the Fall 2026 season.
Three leagues. Count ’em: Three.
After an opportunity to play arena football in Alabama fell through, Caschetta moved to Michigan to play for the AIL’s North Michigan Muskies, but the team folded shortly after he got there. Upon the Muskies’ demise, he reached out to several other teams in hopes of catching on with another team. Caschetta said some of his former teammates signed with the Union like he ultimately did, some went to the West Michigan Ironmen and some went to the Cedar Rapids Titans.
“We just tried to get somewhere,” Caschetta said.
The Union initially told Caschetta they were set on their roster when he first reached out to them. However, the Union’s coaching staff had already watched video clips of the running back not long after he returned from the United Kingdom. Needless to say, Caschetta caught their attention. The Union’s brass reconsidered and decided to bring him aboard for the remainder of the season.
Playing on a traveling team in 2026 is quite different than one might imagine. Since the players live in various places around the country, Caschetta explained they actually have their team meetings through Zoom calls several times a week. He said they go over their plays during the calls and then workout independently.
“We have checkups with the coaches,” Caschetta said. “They go through what they think that you should be doing compared to you showing them what you got going on. It’s all accountability. They’ll notice that you missed practice, or that you missed working out in the first quarter of the game. You’re out there and you’re huffing and puffing and you don’t know what’s going on playbookwise, they know you’re not in. Get out.”
Arena football is a different game for Caschetta. He explained there is more of an emphasis on passing, which means he had to slide into more of a receiver’s role to play indoors. Caschetta also noted there only eight players on a side with arena football.
And not only are the walls in play, the clock doesn’t stop either.
“Every 15 minute quarter, it doesn’t stop,” Caschetta explained, “so when the play gets up, you don’t have that 40 seconds to go back to the huddle. No, you’re running it because the time’s going down. It’s a lot faster pace than in some ways. It took me a game or so to kind of just understand that aspect.”
Although Caschetta is grateful for the opportunity to be playing arena football and is making the most of it, he still prefers the traditional 11-man per side game. Like many other teammates he has with the Union, and in the next two developmental leagues, he still has his sites set on making it to the NFL.
Family first
In September 2024 while en route to a 2,000-yard season in the UK, Caschetta’s father, Larry, passed away. Football became secondary and he came home to be around his family during the difficult time.
“I had to come home a little bit early,” Caschetta said. “I always say I’d rather be able to be able to sign to a new football team than to sign to a new father. When my Pops passed, that changed and rocked everything. For a little bit, I didn’t even think I was going to play again. Truly, one of the last things he got to tell me was that he was so bummed that he couldn’t get to see me play pro. Bro, I’ve got to make it happen. We’re gonna make it happen. I’ve got to find my way in. My brother, Thomas, says, ‘You always find a way.’”
And now with his first game coming up April 11 against Cedar Rapids, it’s become abundantly clear Caschetta is finding his way. And he knows Pops is looking down proudly on him.
“I know he’d be just as pissed as I am that I’ve been thrown around a couple teams,” Caschetta said with a tinge of emotion in his voice. “I know that he would be upset that teams are not given a true chance, but he would know that at the end of the day, that out of anybody, I’d be the person oversee, overcome and figure a way.”