1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:13,039 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, fourteen 3 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer and Enius Williams. 4 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to the nfl a Legends Podcast. I'm 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: a Nius Williams. Today we sit down with the incomparable, 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: and I can testify to it. I was the victim 7 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: of one of his ships. I promise you I'm in 8 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: this guy's highlight reel. It's none other than a guy 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: that I've walked from a distance and have got to 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: know just a little but highly respect his story. And 11 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: that's none other than Michael Vick, who I believe today's 12 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: quarterback is really uh Michael uh in the year two 13 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: dollars and twenty. When I think of Pat Mahomes, I 14 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: think of Watson Jackson in Baltimore. When I think of them, 15 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: I think of Michael Vick. The ability to night just 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: run with the ball, but the ability to throw the 17 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: ball with precision and depth. So, as we discussed Michael's 18 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: personal journey how it led to his involvement with initiatives 19 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: geared towards combating recidivism, I'm so excited Mike played fifteen 20 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: season at quarterback with the Falcons, Eagles, Jets, and Steelers. 21 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: It was a four time Pro Bowler and the recipient 22 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: of the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 23 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: his groundbreaking career forced all of pro football to rethink 24 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: the quarterback position, and his work today continues to challenge 25 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: conventional thought. I'm so excited to have you on, Michael Welcome, 26 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: Thank your niggas. I will say this, man, I always 27 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: judge your interview, you know, at the end by the 28 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: introduction and uh, so far, so good. I really appreciate 29 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: those kind of words. And you can always alleviate the 30 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: juke move um that I put on you and my 31 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: rookie season. You know, you always find a way to 32 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: bring that up, and I appreciate that, man. You helped 33 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: keep me relevant. But hey, look, then is to be 34 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: able to do that against it a great player such 35 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: as yourself. You know, I know you was, you know, 36 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: respectfully older at that time and I was younger. And 37 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: you know how it is when you get them young 38 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: guys in the league and they're fresh man, because I 39 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: was a victim of it when I got older. You know, 40 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: those you never know what could happen to you, man, 41 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: So I appreciate you always paying respect to that moment 42 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: because I don't know if it would happen if if 43 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: men you would have been playing against each other and 44 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: maybe a year two or three of your career, then 45 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: that that would have been a conversation. But thank you well, Michael, 46 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: Happy but lated birthday, by the way, you celebrate birthday 47 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: on and that's my son's birthday as well. He turned nineteen, 48 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: just graduated from high school. Glad he has the same 49 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 1: birthday with you. So happy but lated birthday. And you 50 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: you've turned forty man, I turned forty. Yeah, so it's 51 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: hard to believe Michael Vick is forty years old. Yeah, 52 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: I know, I know, And when I think about it, 53 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: I feel very proud. Um. You know, I look back 54 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: at my life over the last twenty years. You know, 55 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: that's just that interval it's been. Um, it's been an 56 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: amazing journey and uh to find myself at this point 57 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: where you know, I look at life and it's just 58 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: not all about me anymore. You know, It's about my family. 59 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: It's about the people that I can help, the people 60 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: that I can have an effect on. It does have been, 61 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: you know, my legacy as well as the people around 62 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: me who helped me get there. So you know, I'm 63 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: just I'm thankful that I made it to see forty, 64 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: you know, because you know that's a mouth stone within itself. 65 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: And what did you do to celebrate your birthday? Michael? 66 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: I just had family and friends come over. I was 67 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: down in Virginia visiting my mom and my sisters, and 68 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: I've been down there for the last three and a 69 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: half months during the COVID. You know, I wanted to 70 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: be close to my family. Uh so my mom, my sisters, 71 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: you know, family and friends, people that I had a 72 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of love and respect for. I 73 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: was invited over and I kept the group real small. 74 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: You know, still wanted to stay conscious of not not 75 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: wanting to be around a lot of people and invite 76 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: everyone into space. So uh still thinking about you know, 77 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: the pandemic that we in so but so it was 78 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: a nice crowd, man. It was just good to have 79 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: you know, my loved ones over and celebrating a special 80 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: day with me. So there's a question at the age 81 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: of forty, and you mentioned, man, not thinking about yourself 82 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: as much and thinking about family, thinking about your children. 83 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: Does that mindset come with age or does it come 84 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 1: with experience? M I said, it comes with a little 85 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: bit of both. Um I say, I say age because 86 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: you know, every year you grow older. At some point, 87 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: I think any individuals to look at this age and say, okay, 88 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 1: at this age, you know, it's it's no set barrier 89 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: for what I should be doing in my life. But 90 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: I know I should be growing in a lot of 91 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 1: different areas. Like when you turn thirty, you don't do 92 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,239 Speaker 1: the same things that you did when you was tween 93 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: five or you know, we turned thirty five, you're looking 94 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: at thirty like, man, I was a little while and 95 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: out of control then. So you know, I do say 96 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: age player player factor. And then experiences like everything that 97 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: you go through within those you know, five year innivals 98 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: or however you look at your life, so many things 99 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 1: that you're gonna that's gonna happen to you're good and bad. 100 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 1: You know, ups and downs and mistakes are gonna be made. 101 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: So as you grow older, you know, because of those experiences, 102 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: I think you should kind of create your life story 103 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: and chronicle everything to get better. Um And and That's 104 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 1: what I've been able to do over the last, you know, 105 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: twenty years, but still knowing that I have another twenty 106 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: years to go. God bless me. I gotta continue to 107 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: grow and get better. So um, yeah, it's it's aging 108 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: experience both, you know, combined. I think, what would forty 109 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: year old Michael Vick tell Michael Vick when he was 110 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: a rookie? What's one thing if out of anything you've 111 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: learned and experience, what's maybe one thing that comes to 112 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: mind that you would say too Michael Vick when he 113 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: was a rookie. Well, I tell you what. I would 114 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 1: have gave him an earful um, but I don't know 115 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: if he wouldn't necessarily listen. You know. That's the thing. 116 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: I was hardhead, you know, at the age of twenty 117 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: and then you know, we're talking about age and experience. 118 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: When I turned twenty, I really thought that I was wrong. 119 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: And I wasn't even twenty one yet, you know, so 120 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: you know, but you couldn't tell me anything. I thought 121 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: I had all the answers, um, And you know, like 122 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: I turned twenty five and I'm looking back at twenty like, man, 123 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: I really thought I knew something about life, and I 124 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: really didn't, you know, So you know, right now. I 125 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: would just tell Michael Vicker the age of twenty years 126 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: old one and you know you're you're not grown, you know, 127 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: respect your elders, continue to you know, rely on the 128 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: people who you know guided you throughout the last five 129 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: or six years of your life, whether that has been 130 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: high school coaches, college coaches, coaches that I had in 131 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: the NFL, because I knew they all had, you know, 132 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: my best interests at heart, and I think it would 133 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: have took me down a different path. And um, you 134 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: know also to to to be real conscious of the 135 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: people that you hang around. You are what you eat, 136 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: so to speak. And uh, you know I would have 137 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: just drilled that into him and hopefully he would have listened. 138 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: I will say this, I did. I respect people who 139 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: wanted to give me advice in life. I never just 140 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: kind of like gave him the cold shoulder. You know. 141 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't that stubborn or or you know, that ignorant. 142 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: I would say, you know, I gave him that respect, 143 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: and I tried to listen to take bits and pieces 144 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: of what they gave to me. But I still was 145 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: just young with a lot of money, and uh, it 146 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: just kind of made me look at life different, you know, 147 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: like I had all the answers, but I really didn't. 148 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: How would you help today's player, And I know we're 149 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: talking later about mentorship that that you do. How would 150 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: you help them understand how to go forward as a 151 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: professional athlete with the friends that they have. How do 152 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: you help them understand the necessity what needs to happen 153 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: when it comes down to their friendship when they've been 154 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: having friends their boys for a long time. Yeah. Yeah, 155 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: What I learned at the age of forty is, and 156 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: I stopped using that as a reference as I grew older, 157 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 1: is that my real friends don't really ask me for anything. Um, 158 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: my real friends, you know, we go out and we 159 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: have dinner. You know, we can split it four ways 160 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: if I decided to pick up the tad and that's 161 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: what I decided to do. But the friends that I have, 162 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: my real friends that I had since I was younger, 163 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: they pick up the tab for me, or they won't 164 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: allow me to pay that bill, you know, just because 165 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: they know I got it. It was a it's a 166 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: respect level and the respect you know, it's labeling ourselves 167 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 1: as friends. You know, we don't owe each other anything, 168 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: you know, we owe each other respect and loyalty, you know, 169 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: if that's a week and provide. So you know, I've 170 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: learned that those people in my life, you know, are 171 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: the ones that I want to continue to be around 172 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: every day because the relationship, the friendship don't come with 173 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: any strings attached. It's like, I know what drives you 174 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: and what motivates you, and what you like and what 175 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: you don't like and and vice versa, and we can 176 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: kind of keep it at that and just have fun 177 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 1: and enjoy life. And and you know, those are your 178 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: real friends. And that's a word that comes to me 179 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: having listen to you describe the type of friend you 180 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: want around you. It's it sound like it needs to 181 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: be mutual. Yeah, yeah, like an understanding, like, um, every 182 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: time we go somewhere, I shouldn't be happy the one 183 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: And you know, I know it's not all about money. 184 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: But I've learned through my experiences because of who I 185 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: was and what I had, that you know, some people 186 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: are just aren't your friends. They're around just to get 187 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: what they can get, you know, and friends have come 188 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 1: and go, but you know who the real ones are. 189 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: And I just tried to stay in that space. Um, 190 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: and I had to learn that over time. You know, 191 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: I think throughout this whole conversation, we'll talk about age 192 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about experience, and that's just another example 193 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: of it. You know, I had to find out who 194 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: my real friends were, and the majority of them was 195 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 1: the ones that I grew up with, you know, from 196 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: the age of seven to eleven. You know, they understood 197 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: me better than anybody else. They knew me, I knew them, 198 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: and Uh, we can be grown and and have that 199 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: same kid relationship in a sense, but being grown man, 200 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: you know, so to speak. So it's even better now. Yeah, 201 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: I churched those friendships now even more as we shifted 202 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: now and some of the work that you're doing as 203 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: a as a result, some of the experience you have. 204 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: I find it's fascinating when we talk about recentivism, we're 205 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: talking about the tendency of those released from prison to 206 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: re offend. For those formally and coarcerrated, their release is 207 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: a second chance at life. Michael, what are your thoughts 208 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: on release being a second chance to do things differently 209 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 1: for those formally incarcerated. Uh, it means a lot. It 210 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: means so much to me to have a second chance, 211 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: Like over the last ten years more than people will 212 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: ever know. You know, I was trying to take the 213 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: time to thank Tony Dungee and Roger Goodell and Andy 214 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: Reid and author Kevin Winston from the Atlanta Falcons because 215 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: they cared about me as a person, as a as 216 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: a man more than anything. Um. I didn't even come 217 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: back and play for the Atlanta Fiul because I went 218 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: and play for the Philadelphia Eagles. But author blank was 219 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: there every step of the way. Um, And that that 220 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: was my second chance. Like so if you know, if 221 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: I would have been just like the average um, you know, citizen, 222 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: which I was, you know, when I came home, I 223 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: I came home to nothing. I had no money, I 224 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: was in bankruptcy, and I knew I had a long 225 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: walk and a you know, a journey ahead at me. 226 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: So you know, they have a chance to you know, 227 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 1: have people in my corner. Was that was my second chance, 228 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, And and I thank god I had a 229 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: platform before that second chance, and that was my re 230 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: entry was back into you know, society, my family, and 231 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: then the National Football League, which was my profession that 232 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: I really loved. You know, it was a dream of 233 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: mine growing up. So it meant a lot to me. 234 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: Those people was there to help me. That was my 235 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: second chance, and I had that platform. When ninety of 236 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: men and women come home from prison, they don't have 237 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: an opportunity. They don't have a chance to exhale through 238 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: their re entry, you know, mainly because of the things 239 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: they have to go through. One if they have a 240 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: felony on their record, and and to you know, you 241 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: perceived different. You know, you your stereotype and that's just real. 242 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: You know. What I want to do is create change, 243 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: create an opportunity for you know, men and women coming 244 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: home to have a second chance. They have a second 245 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: chance to to have no excuses and to do it 246 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 1: right through the program that we're in the preliminary works 247 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: on building. Um this is gonna be amazing. Um. I 248 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: found out what the root of the problem was. You know, 249 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: talk to a guy who had just been released from 250 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,319 Speaker 1: prison after a crime he didn't do for twenty six years, 251 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: didn't come out better. Are the ones it was a 252 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: chance opportunity met him over the last three months and 253 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: we've been able to come up with what the root 254 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: of the problem is. And and that's housing in transportation. 255 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: You know, when they do have that, they have a 256 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,559 Speaker 1: chance that making every entry and success. So we kind 257 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: of stopped right there, and I looked at that as 258 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: them having a second chance, and what would that look like, Um, 259 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,559 Speaker 1: if we can create a program centering around that. So 260 00:13:57,920 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 1: I found out that that was the root of the problem. 261 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: I when continue to talk about and you might have 262 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 1: some more questions, but I get excited when I talk 263 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: about it because I look at the amount of people 264 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: that we're gonna have an effect on, and this is 265 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: something that can last a lifetime. As it stands now, 266 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: most current second chance efforts aren't aimed at African Americans. 267 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: Michael talk about the just a system you're involved in 268 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: and how your second chance was a driving force pairing 269 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: you with it. Well, I feel like my second chance 270 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: wouldn't have happen without certain people, and those people know 271 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: who they are. And the great part about it was that, 272 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: you know, I had a platform. But in today's time, 273 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: you know, just realistically, everyone don't have that platform. And 274 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: for the last forty fifty years, we don't have that platform. 275 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: You know, I think somewhether black or white, predominantly black. 276 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: We just don't have resources and we don't have people 277 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: who can reach in and pull us out of the 278 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: situation that we're in. So know, I found out when 279 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: doing some research that you know, when most inmates come 280 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: home man and women, did they come home to um 281 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: no form of housing and no phone transportation. But what 282 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: it happened is that they'll go through the entire process 283 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: of passing courses and curriculums whilet andconcerated. I know because 284 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: I did it myself. You come come home with with 285 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 1: a lot of accolades and a lot of certificates, but 286 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: it don't equate to you know, the change that's necessary 287 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: and need it needs to be made. So what they 288 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: do is they end up, you know, after about a month, 289 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 1: when they feel like they don't have anything or they 290 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: don't have any hope, they end up going back and 291 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: you know, just regressing into the person that they was, 292 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: not the person they came out as when they was 293 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: rented back into society. It's because the housing, the transportation, 294 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: you know, that they don't have a chance to carry out, 295 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: you know, what their dreams may they become because now 296 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,000 Speaker 1: they're worried about what they're gonna stay and how and 297 00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: how they're gonna get there. And I just felt like 298 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: I was a great starting point, man. Um. You know, 299 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: I was forcing enough to come home and have people 300 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: in my corner, and it's just the zillion people who don't. 301 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: And uh, if I can help, you know, fifty sixty 302 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: people a year, you know, create some type of platform 303 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: for themselves where they can believe that, you know, the 304 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: system actually works. You know, we take these classes, we 305 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: go through these courses. You know, we come out, we 306 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: can become come, We can come out better because we 307 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: have people who are going to reach in and help 308 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: us get to where we need to go. I think 309 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: that's very important, man, because it'll it'll keep the crime breakdown. 310 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: People won't be with repeat offenders, and you know, those 311 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: people can go off and teach other people how to 312 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: you know, become successful in life. And then they'll just 313 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: get assistance, you know, whether that assistance come from the state, local, 314 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: the Bill of prisons, you know, transitional programs, things that 315 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: we're getting involved in, people that we're gonna be you know, 316 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: in direct connection with to help us to make sure 317 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: our program and can sustain for years. We want to 318 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: as a program, go out and buy property, create housing 319 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: situations for it, and make create transportation opportunities. For the inmates, 320 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: whether it's through you bood Counts, whether it's through partner 321 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 1: with with the local car dealership, whatever it may be. 322 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: Like I said, everything is still in the work says 323 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: it right now. But this is something that hasn't been done. 324 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: The surface hasn't been scratched. And I know that you know, 325 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,680 Speaker 1: inmates come home and they come home to nothing, They 326 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: come home to no opportunity. Uh and you know they 327 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: end up going back to prison. Uh and and it's 328 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: proven fact um. So you know, I decided to create 329 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: this program where people don't actually look into you know, 330 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,679 Speaker 1: helping people when they re enter it, when they re 331 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 1: enter back into society, because it's so important. Like these 332 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: are the same people that you walk past in the 333 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: grocery stores and you might see, you know, at the 334 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: local gas stations, and you know they might be sitting 335 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: there thinking about doing some crazy because their life is 336 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: in a bad mental state. You know, they don't know 337 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: who to turn to, they don't know where to go, 338 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 1: they can't find a job. Okay, this has been such 339 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: an important issue that we're going to make it a 340 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: two part Stay tuned for part two of our podcasts. 341 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: This has been the NFL Legends podcast. To provide feedback 342 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: or request the topic for discussion, email us at NFL 343 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: Legends at nfl dot com.