MOUNT VERNON — For any football player, fall is the ultimate season. Three months of pure gridiron bliss. Imagine that being swept away and being left standing on the sidelines, watching the game go by. That’s where Utica native Todd Londot found himself.

The former Miami of Ohio offensive lineman graduated college and went through training camp as a free agent with the New York Giants, only to be cut the beginning of September. Londot spent the prime time of year for a football player wondering what his future held. He continued to train and spent time watching his brothers, Ted and Travis, play football at Wittenberg University and at Utica High School, respectively. He also got to watch his sister on the volleyball court, and spent a lot of time with friends and family

While that was nice, Londot’s heart couldn’t find contentment, and he was left wondering. That changed on Oct. 31 when the Giants came calling. The Giants signed Londot to the practice squad, where he has spent the last six weeks.

“It was a huge relief,” said Londot. “Being at home was really nice because I got to watch my brothers and sister play. My girlfriend and my family are there so on one hand, it was good to be home, but on the other hand there was a part of me that didn’t feel right. It was the first time in I don’t know how long that I wasn’t playing football in football season. It was an odd feeling and something was missing. It was good to be home, but it was a huge relief when I got the call to come back up.”

Londot looked for other opportunities while playing the waiting game, but nothing seemed to work out.

“I worked out down in Houston for the Texans and it went really well,” Londot said. “I was just waiting to hear from them when I got a call from the Giants. They wanted to bring me in right away for the practice squad. With the Giants, it was just a matter of a spot opening up. When LaVar Arrington got hurt, it opened up a spot on the roster. They thought highly of me during camp, but it was a numbers thing and they told me that. When that roster spot opened up, they wanted me back in here.”

The practice squad is not where he would ultimately like to be. It was simply his chance to get back out onto a football field and continue his career.

“It is not much different, really. I’m doing every thing the same, but I’m just not playing on Sundays,” said Londot. “I’ve been here for a little over five weeks.

“I don’t really feel pressure. I just like to go out and play football. The attitude I take every day is that it could be my last. It is a crazy business and you never know when your last day could be, so I just want to go out and play every day.”

Londot knows he is now just one step away from playing on Sundays. He is working to solidify his spot on the roster, though he knows no guarantee exists.

“I am competing and getting better every day,” Londot said. “Hopefully, that is enough to earn a spot on the active roster eventually. ... I approach this the same way as if I was playing because you never know. A few weeks ago, we had a guy on the practice squad and a guy got injured. They told the guy on the practice squad on Friday that he was playing in the game on Sunday. It can happen that fast. You are always only one play away and one player away from being on the active roster. You just have to be prepared.

“As a player, I love to go up against the best competition and that is what I am doing here,” Londot added. “To get better, you have to compete every day. There is no better way to improve your game than to go up against the best players in the world. That’s what I’m doing. I’m getting better and progressing.”

When Londot got back to New York, he had been gone for 12 weeks and the team had played seven regular-season games, but he didn’t miss a beat. Everything he had learned over the summer came rushing back when he stepped off the plane.

“I really have felt as if I never left,” said Londot. “When I got back up here, all of the guys have been welcoming. They were glad to see me and I was glad to see them. It is if I hadn’t left. As far as getting around the city and living here, it is definitely an adjustment, but it is one that I started to make when I was here before. I am continuing to get used to it. I don’t have a lot of time to enjoy the city or even think about it right now with my busy schedule, but that’s fine.”

This holiday season, Londot is thankful for a lot of things, among them his second chance. With Thanksgiving just past and Christmas just ahead, Londot is counting his blessings.

“It is a very special thing for me because I have experienced being home and being released from a team — two things that a lot of players don’t,” said Londot. “I was just thankful to get a second opportunity. That is what this game is all about — opportunities and taking advantage of those opportunities. My opportunity came once and I was released. I felt as if I let that one slip away and you don’t know how many you are going to get. To have another opportunity to come back and be a member of this team is an honor. There are not too many people in the world that can say they were on the Giants’ roster. I’m very grateful for everything — from football to family and everything in my life.”

The Giants are 7-6 on the season after Sunday’s road win over Charlotte. The win, which broke a four-game losing streak, kept the Giants’ playoff hopes alive. As a member of the team, Londot is aware of his team’s recent struggles.

“We do the same things that everyone else does during the week,” said Londot of his practice squad. “We attend team meetings; we are practicing and doing the same drills. Just because I am not on the active roster doesn’t mean that I don’t feel what the team is going through. I am not out on the field playing, but I am preparing them during the week. You feel maybe you could have done something different to help. I feel the frustration of the losses that everybody in this organization feels. We all take the losses to heart.”

With the regular season winding down, the Giants, Londot included, are reevaluating their goals and making their postseason push.

“I personally want to continue to get better and compete every day,” Londot said. “As a team, our ultimate goal is to win the division and get in the playoffs. Hopefully, we can move through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl. That’s our team goal, but individually, I want to continue to get better and prove to everyone that I deserve to be here. I am going to be someone who competes every day and gives it my all every play.”