Professional athletes live a charmed life.

Well, at least most of the time.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kyle Williams and Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff would probably disagree after living a nightmare on Sunday in their respective conference championship games.

On a punt return, Williams fumbled away his team’s season in overtime. The blunder paved the way for a 31-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal and sent the New York Giants to the Super Bowl.

Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal in the closing moments of the AFC Championship that would have sent the Ravens and New England Patriots into overtime.

Would have. Could have. Should have.

Once upon a time, I dreamed of being a professional athlete.

Then reality hit — I wasn’t that good.

Unfortunately, my athletic career peaked in eighth grade, so I’ll never truly know the pressures of an NFL championship game.

The biggest game I’ll ever play in was for my 1998 Pop Warner Junior Midget football team. I was a two-way starter for the Derry Demons, an underdog team that won the New Hampshire state title.

Three games later, we beat the Massachusetts state champions for the New England crown in a thrilling overtime contest I’ll never forget. The improbable triumph sent us to the Pop Warner Super Bowl, held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida.

I remember coaches and parents told us it was a “once in a lifetime experience,” but I didn’t believe them, because obviously, I was going pro.

In the semifinal, my Demons held a 14-13 edge at halftime over New York’s Mo Better Jaguars — seriously, that was their name — until our quarterback snapped his leg and one of our running backs separated a shoulder. We eventually lost 27-14.

To this day, I wonder how that semifinal would’ve turned out if the team had avoided injury.

Would have. Could have. Should have.

Luckily, the defeat didn’t rest squarely on my shoulders.

If I had dropped a game-winning touchdown pass or missed a tackle to lose the game, I can’t imagine my disappointment.

Williams and Cundiff felt that pain Sunday — multiplied by a million — and it will likely haunt them forever. To make matters worse, athletes are targeted for their miscues by misguided fans with threats upon a player’s life and family.

Those aren’t really fans, though. Those are sad, pathetic freaks.

Anyone who’s played sports at any level — even Pop Warner — knows Williams and Cundiff would do anything to have another shot at delivering in the clutch.

Not only because they let down their fans, but more importantly, the other 52 guys in the locker room with Super Bowl aspirations.

For the most part, professional athletes live a charmed life, but it’s not a perfect one.

We all make mistakes in our respective professions, so if I made a typo in this column, please don’t send me a death threat.

Like Williams and Cundiff, I’m just trying to do my job to the best of my ability.

Jason Orfao is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.