WEBVTT - 27. NFL Draft - Man of the Year Panel 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:01.680 There's a man who's going to take the stage to 0:00:01.840 --> 0:00:05.600 lead our next panel that needs no introduction, as the 0:00:05.920 --> 0:00:09.239 m C. Cliche goes, but it is kind of true. Uh. 0:00:09.240 --> 0:00:12.000 He is one of the best of all time on 0:00:12.039 --> 0:00:16.600 the field and off the field. The old cliche was 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:20.480 he only caught touchdowns, but that was far from true. 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:25.400 He had over eleven hundred regular receptions to his Hall 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.720 of Fame career, and he was also a man who 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:33.159 has inspired change for decades through his platform as an 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:38.120 all time NFL great. He was the nine recipient of 0:00:38.200 --> 0:00:41.120 the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented 0:00:41.159 --> 0:00:44.040 by Nationwide. And he will introduce the rest of the 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:48.239 panelists as he moderates this one on social justice and 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:53.400 inspiring change. I leave you in the absolutely capable hands, 0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:59.520 all time great hands, Chris Carter, Chris, good to see you, buddy. 0:00:59.840 --> 0:01:06.120 Get a man, Thank you many, thank you, thank you 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.680 very much. Now joining me on the stage, a star 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:13.200 in his own right, and a guy that single handedly 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:19.120 has helped lead NFL players and their voices. Welcome to 0:01:19.160 --> 0:01:28.600 the stage. Ramon Jones, CMO of Nationwide. Nice little track there, 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:37.240 I like that. Always impeccably dressed welcome, welcome, welcome. Next 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.440 to the stage, a very very dear friend of mine. 0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:42.360 I have to apologize for that. Two thousand and two 0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:50.760 Award winner, Executive Vice President NFL Football Operations, And I 0:01:50.800 --> 0:01:52.480 scored a couple of TVs on this guy. You don't 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:56.400 want to admit it. Troy Vincent. When they came to Philly, 0:01:56.760 --> 0:02:05.040 we beat their Backsage Next, two thousand fourteen Award winner, 0:02:05.120 --> 0:02:11.720 fifteen year NFL veteran, mostly with Carolina six Todd. I 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:17.160 know my Mike was going out polize. Check out the shoes. 0:02:17.240 --> 0:02:22.640 He's dressed like a wide receiver. Former linebacker Thomas Davis. Yeah, 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:28.519 I guess now true. You played fifteen right, Thomas? You 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:32.639 played six team with You played six team? Come on down, 0:02:32.680 --> 0:02:39.960 big fellows, Mr Good Looking, Mr Clean, two thousand award winner, 0:02:40.160 --> 0:02:43.800 Captain of the defending Super Bowl champ, The Ultimate walk Off. 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:47.160 He's been working on his tan Is golf game. His 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:49.960 wife told him find something else to do. That's right. 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:53.600 These are the finest of the finest that we have 0:02:54.560 --> 0:03:01.200 and players. First of all, um, starting with TV, kind 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:04.120 of explain some of the programs that you're currently doing 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:07.600 in the communities, because you've got a couple of different programs, 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:10.800 sometimes in Virginia, sometimes in New York Jersey. Yep, so 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.640 just real briefly, just my wife, Tommy and I. We 0:03:13.760 --> 0:03:18.320 began our community work back in our hometown, Trent, New Jersey. 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.160 We started off which we still do, which is the 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:26.080 bedrock of our our foundation is supporting domestic violence shelters 0:03:26.120 --> 0:03:29.080 and families and women that have been impacted by sexual 0:03:29.080 --> 0:03:32.320 assault UM in the city of Trent, New Jersey. And 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:35.640 then as we moved to northern Virginia, we began to frankly, 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:39.720 just make sure that we are we're impacting every city, 0:03:39.840 --> 0:03:44.320 every state because violent against women is rampant. And then 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:46.760 most recently in the in the last ten years, our 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:50.840 efforts have been around elementary education and really focusing in 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:54.800 on bridging the gap between UM young men and women 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:58.400 again K through five as our concentration UM, just building 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:02.200 that educational divide. Are some of the things that you're 0:04:02.240 --> 0:04:06.280 doing currently, Yeah, so we're currently. I started my foundation 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:09.120 in two thousand and eight, and you know, as the 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:12.240 years go on, my goal with my foundation has always 0:04:12.280 --> 0:04:15.560 to make it bigger and better than the previous year. 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:18.720 And that's something that we've been able to do. And this, ironically, 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:21.920 you're working with K through five. I started the Leadership 0:04:21.960 --> 0:04:25.680 Academy that works with six seventh and eighth grade kids. UM. 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:28.000 And the reason why we chose six seventh and eighth 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:30.599 grade kids we know and we started to learn that 0:04:31.320 --> 0:04:35.040 kids at that age they make a decision what direction 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.240 they're gonna go in. So we wanted to start working 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.440 with them or being productive leaders and not being followers, 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:42.920 because if you can catch them early before they reached 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:45.880 those high school years, UM, we understood that we can 0:04:45.920 --> 0:04:48.680 have a huge impact on their future. And UM we've 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:51.280 been able to be a part of some kids becoming 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:55.039 first generation in college grass UM through our programs. So 0:04:55.080 --> 0:04:56.760 that's one of the things that I'm most proud of 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:58.919 what we do with I know you're still doing some 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:03.479 amazing things, but I want you to tell the story 0:05:04.800 --> 0:05:09.400 about the team you previously played for and one game 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:15.120 being surprised because someone came across the field and you 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:19.320 were a little apprehensive about that situation. Yeah, it was unbelievable. 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:20.719 It was one of those things when you're playing in 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:22.680 the game, you have TV time out, so you've played 0:05:22.680 --> 0:05:25.080 against guys throughout your career and you know you might 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:26.720 dab him up, you might get him little head nod. 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:28.440 It might be somebody you don't like that much, and 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.200 you make a little eye contact. All these things happen, right, 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:33.640 but you know how many smiles and every now and 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:35.360 then this guy as you really know and there's a 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:37.440 little bit of talk. But in this game, I kept 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:39.719 seeing this young kid just staring at me every TV 0:05:39.839 --> 0:05:42.479 time out and just like made me think of my 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:45.440 own kids, Like just the excitement in his face. I 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:48.119 was like, he has something to say and he won't 0:05:48.120 --> 0:05:49.880 say it, and so I just kept like, you know, 0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:52.480 give him a little way, a little nod. And the 0:05:52.520 --> 0:05:55.840 game ends and I see him running for me after 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:58.000 the final whistle, and I'm like, oh, man, all right, 0:05:58.120 --> 0:05:59.719 how do I know this guy? Like I'm trying to 0:05:59.760 --> 0:06:02.840 think through l s U buddies, Like did somebody text 0:06:02.880 --> 0:06:04.560 me this week and say, you know, look out for 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:06.920 my boy, like an agent or something, you know, somebody 0:06:06.920 --> 0:06:08.880 tell me to look out for this guy. And he 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:10.240 walks up and it was so cool. It's like he 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:11.960 could see it in my face, like man, he is 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:14.960 not know who I am. And he's like, hey, calm down, 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:18.480 like you're not gonna know me. He's like, but I 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:21.320 just I wanted two things, one to tell you thank you, 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:25.040 and to to tell you I made it. And he 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:27.440 ended up telling me he's like, my name's Derek Barnes. 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:30.440 He's like, you used to throw the football, hang out 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:32.919 me on the steps, and just chill with me on 0:06:33.120 --> 0:06:35.919 NFL Tuesdays in the NFL when you were a rookie 0:06:35.960 --> 0:06:38.280 in Cincinnati. I was one of those kids at the 0:06:38.320 --> 0:06:40.360 Boys and Girls Club, whether you realized it or not, 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:43.040 that you were spending your time with and hanging out with, 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:45.360 and it meant the world to me and I have 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:47.920 waited for this moment when I saw the schedule come out, 0:06:48.160 --> 0:06:50.000 to be able to come tell you I made it, 0:06:50.920 --> 0:06:53.200 and it was it was honestly, it was like I 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:55.000 blocked out after that, I really I went back. I 0:06:55.400 --> 0:06:56.960 texted me next week like, I don't know what I 0:06:56.960 --> 0:06:59.960 said to you after you told me that, but thank you, man, 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:04.480 appreciate your sharing it with Now we're moan for you. 0:07:04.480 --> 0:07:08.640 You've had a very very special relationship with the National 0:07:08.640 --> 0:07:15.440 Football League. You've grown the partnership that was starting. Tell 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:20.440 us how that partnership has helped you nationwide as a 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:25.760 company and then on a personal standpoint, hearing these stories 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:28.400 and getting to know the men that win this award, 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:30.760 type of effect that's had on you. Sure thing, Chris, 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:33.760 so first and foremost as an honor to be up 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:36.640 here with these gentlemen. It is an honor. One of 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.480 these people don't belong here. It's the insurance guy, you 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:43.040 know what I mean. I'm just kidding, Uh, it's it 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:45.360 is an honor to be here and to listen to 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:48.840 these stories. It becomes really really obvious why this is 0:07:48.880 --> 0:07:52.400 important to nationwide. We describe our company as being more 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:57.800 than a business. And yes we're fortune. Yes, you know, 0:07:57.960 --> 0:08:01.040 we look to drive sales and and grow revenue as 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:03.920 all of the partners do. But this is more than 0:08:03.960 --> 0:08:07.560 a business to us. Uh. It's important that we give 0:08:07.560 --> 0:08:10.280 back to the communities in which our associates and our 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:13.440 our members are policy holders, live in, work. Uh In 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:16.640 The partnership with the NFL actually helps us do that. Uh. 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:18.920 There's lots of ways that you can partner with the NFL. 0:08:19.400 --> 0:08:22.960 We leaned into and couldn't be more proud to be 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:25.400 associated with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:30.000 because again a substantial part of our effort goes into 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:32.600 giving back. I mean, there's a hospital in Columbus called 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:35.600 the Nationwide Children's Hospital. That's just an example of how 0:08:35.600 --> 0:08:38.280 it's important that we give back. To be able to 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:40.920 shine a light on a work that these gentlemen do 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:43.760 U and the other nominees every year, the work that 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.920 they do, the nonprofits that they support, to be able 0:08:46.960 --> 0:08:49.319 to support that financially, to be able to put our 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:52.360 brand behind that, it just it means the world to us. 0:08:52.600 --> 0:08:55.200 But it's really important to our partners, to the people 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:57.440 that sell our products. It is important to the people 0:08:57.480 --> 0:09:00.240 that purchase our products, you know, consumers today and in 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:01.920 the future. They want to make sure that they're doing 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:04.600 business with a company that cares. And we'd like to 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:08.839 describe ourselves that way. Lastly, personally, UH, it is an 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:12.160 honor to be able to play a role in shining 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.640 a light on role models for the next generation. And 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:19.960 so there's plenty of opportunities to see UH men and 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:23.080 black men showing up poorly in the media. There's plenty 0:09:23.080 --> 0:09:26.080 of opportunities to do that. There's plenty of opportunities to 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:28.800 bash sports in the bash the NFL, as I heard 0:09:28.840 --> 0:09:31.520 in one of the videos it's important for us to 0:09:31.640 --> 0:09:34.640 show the good work that you guys are doing when 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:37.160 your helmets are off, when you're not there, and so 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:41.120 to be able to use my position and have the 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:43.200 support of my company to shine a light on that, 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:45.439 there's no higher honor, and so that might be a 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:46.960 little bit more than what you were looking for, Crystal, 0:09:47.360 --> 0:09:49.240 this is a big deal for us. It is, and 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:51.040 we're proud to be part of it. You guys have 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:53.559 made it a big deal. You made it very very 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:58.080 important from a corporate standpoint. You're talking points are very 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:02.720 very consistent, and you empowered our players to do even 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:08.560 greater things. This is such a prestigious award, Thomas. Let's 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:12.320 talk about the prestige of the award inside the NFL 0:10:12.400 --> 0:10:16.679 circles amongst our six players, and then give me maybe 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:20.080 one or two players that might have been a good 0:10:20.120 --> 0:10:23.160 example or even a coach as far as you're getting 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:26.720 out and being involved in the community. Yeah, so this 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:29.520 is definitely, without a doubt, the most prestigious award that 0:10:29.559 --> 0:10:33.080 you can win because if you look at wars that 0:10:33.160 --> 0:10:35.200 are being given, like if you look at the Defensive 0:10:35.240 --> 0:10:38.960 Player of the Year, that's an award that you win 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:42.480 as an individual player, but you win it because you 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:44.880 have other great teammates that are around you that are 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:48.319 doing great things. Same thing with the m v P Award, 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:52.000 the Most Valuable Offensive Player award. Those are all awards 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:54.920 that you can win because you have people that are 0:10:54.960 --> 0:10:57.400 around you that are supporting you, that are helping you. 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:00.040 When I look at the watching Paton Man that a 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:03.720 year award, the same thing though. We have a lot 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:06.120 of great people that are around us that are doing 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:09.480 a lot of great work, whether it be board members, 0:11:09.520 --> 0:11:12.839 whether it be people within the community just coming to 0:11:12.920 --> 0:11:15.839 help out. So that's why this award to me is 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:18.360 the most prestigious award that you can ever win as 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:23.200 a player. UM's only given to one player yearly, and 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.240 there are so many people that are so deserving for it, 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:28.680 so we're all competing, we're all doing great things. But 0:11:29.160 --> 0:11:33.000 I think for me, it's always been about just going 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:36.560 out and doing the work, doing the work, not looking 0:11:36.559 --> 0:11:39.160 for in the war, not looking for the attention UM 0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:41.600 or trying to gain notoriety. And I know I'm getting 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:45.000 a little bit off topic, but I'm extremely passionate about 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:48.640 making the space that I'm in better. I learned that 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:51.280 at a young age, and I knew at a very 0:11:51.320 --> 0:11:55.000 young age that I wanted to dive deep into this 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:57.760 community because I watched my mom struggle day in and 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:00.640 day out. I watched her struggle to raise me and 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:02.360 my sister, and I knew that there are a ton 0:12:02.400 --> 0:12:05.200 of parents, a ton of mothers that were dealing with 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:08.600 some of the same things. And for me, I would 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:10.800 be remissed if I sat there as an NFL player 0:12:10.880 --> 0:12:14.240 making millions of dollars and not using it for good. 0:12:15.360 --> 0:12:19.199 So literally, nationwide, I'm gonna talk about you all a 0:12:19.240 --> 0:12:22.600 little bit too ramon the the award and the money 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:25.400 that they gave the players went up astronomically after I 0:12:25.480 --> 0:12:33.920 won for whateverse but but listen, but literally literally um 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.400 And I said that to say this, like literally, probably 0:12:36.520 --> 0:12:39.640 eight of the money that has been donated over the 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.079 from two thousand and eight to two thousand and twenty 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:45.679 two to my foundation and the work that we do 0:12:46.320 --> 0:12:48.520 has come for me. And I'm fine with that. Like 0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:51.120 I'm not saying that to to sound like I'm complaining 0:12:51.160 --> 0:12:54.080 about it. But for me, it's all about it's all 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:57.240 about giving back and having that that feeling of knowing 0:12:57.320 --> 0:12:59.839 that you just made a difference in somebody's line, somebody 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:03.640 who on an uneven playing field. When you look at 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:07.120 certain kids that go to school and they don't have 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:10.800 school supplies, like something that's simple as just having a 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:14.160 backpack that has school supplies. We started doing that and 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:16.560 giving it to him, and then we learned that, Okay, 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:19.160 in two weeks those supplies were done. How can we 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:21.880 do this so these kids can sustain this throughout the 0:13:21.880 --> 0:13:24.680 whole year, So we started picking up particular school and 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.720 doing the entire school for the entire school year. I 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:32.240 think that has a greater impact on a parent who's wondering, 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:34.040 you know how am I gonna do this for my 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:37.560 kid or a kid that's wondering, you know how am 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:40.120 I gonna have, you know, just a pencil or paper 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:43.040 or just the basic things that we take for granted 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:46.240 day in the day out. That's what my foundation is 0:13:46.440 --> 0:13:49.560 therefore in the Carolina's and um and also in Georgia 0:13:49.600 --> 0:13:53.200 as well, and that's what UM continues to drive me 0:13:53.280 --> 0:13:56.360 to do those things. Andrew, You've always given back UM, 0:13:56.360 --> 0:14:01.280 you and your wife from from Louisiana, You've always had 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:04.160 that part of what you wanted to do. UM went 0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:10.880 to Cincinnati, carried that on to Los Angeles, And what 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:15.199 was in your heart to make you want to give back? 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:19.960 Because we all have a story of the catalyst, So 0:14:20.040 --> 0:14:23.520 what was yours to giving back? And explain to the 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.880 fans out there after you've been through this long, long career, 0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:31.560 you had one of the best moments all time, a 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:37.680 mic drop walk off home team, home game, my team 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:41.920 wins and I quit. Wait, so not only that, don't 0:14:41.960 --> 0:14:44.240 leave out the fact that it was against your former team. 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:47.680 So I wasn't gonna throw that in there, Thomas, He 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:51.960 was trying to Um, you know, it's one of those 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:55.040 things to me, I think growing up, Um, I think 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:58.000 it's hard to pinpoint exactly the moment that I realized it, 0:14:58.040 --> 0:14:59.640 But I think as I grew up as a kid, 0:15:00.600 --> 0:15:02.840 I had big guys and and and big ears, Like 0:15:03.120 --> 0:15:05.920 I saw and I listened and I observed, like and 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:07.520 I think the word to me that always comes to 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:11.200 mind is you can think of things like you know, sympathy, 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:13.120 Like you can think of somebody went through something You're 0:15:13.120 --> 0:15:15.240 gonna comfort them in a tough time and say, hey man, 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:16.680 you're gonna be okay, You're gonna make it through this. 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:19.200 But that's not the word. To me that that really 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:23.160 I realized I had a special empathy to where I 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.520 see somebody going through something. I'd walk through a grocery 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:28.120 store and just see like their life looks different than 0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:31.200 mine does, or my life looks different than their's. They're 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:33.160 getting their their baskets all the way full, they look 0:15:33.160 --> 0:15:35.920 like they're getting everything they want, and just in general 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:38.080 in life. And so it gave me this ability that 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:41.120 I started just pay attention, like I'm listening to conversations 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:43.720 and listening to people's struggle and seeing it and it's like, 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:45.320 oh man, I don't want them to feel that way. 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:47.120 So I don't want to just tell them they're gonna 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:49.160 be okay. I want to find a way to make 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:52.040 it better for him. And so to me, it became 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.640 that's what drove me, and that was my driving force. 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:57.720 Every time I signed a contract the NFL, I thought of, 0:15:57.800 --> 0:15:59.560 all right, if I can get to this number, I 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:01.680 bet we can donate this during the season, or we 0:16:01.720 --> 0:16:04.560 can make this difference. Like these steps, I'm gonna they're 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:06.560 gonna grow as I grow, We're gonna grow in the 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.040 community together. And so I think, to me, it was 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:11.800 all about finding out. And I would say this to 0:16:11.840 --> 0:16:14.400 the sponsors and to companies in the businesses when when 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:17.240 you want to make a difference, don't tell people what 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:22.040 you're gonna give them, find out what they need, create 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:26.440 a relationship in a conversation and an interaction where you 0:16:26.480 --> 0:16:29.400 meet people where they are. And I always say this 0:16:29.800 --> 0:16:32.400 the greatest attribute to the greatest thing that I try 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:35.880 to always keep myself humbled to. I'm gonna meet people 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:38.960 where they are all the way in life and every instance, 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:41.760 in every room and every conversation, I'm gonna find where 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:43.720 they are, and I'm gonna try and help be with 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:45.840 them right there in that moment. And if there's a 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:47.600 way I can help them get to the next moment, 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:51.280 whether that's all the things I listened in that speech, smiles, investments, 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:53.600 all those things, I'm gonna help them get there. And 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:55.520 I think if you're a company sitting out there to 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:59.000 exactly what Nationwide's doing and it's continued to do, is 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:01.840 say what is it that people need, not what I 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:04.240 want to give them, and find a way to meet 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:07.240 him in that space. And that moment of sharing that 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:09.920 I had at the Super Bowl, to me is really 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:16.200 accumulation of success on the football field and success off 0:17:16.200 --> 0:17:19.159 the football field. In this awesome moment that I think 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:20.760 of all the times I might would have quit, I 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.480 might would have given up, and I think of the guys, 0:17:24.359 --> 0:17:28.760 the communities, the kids, the soldiers, to all the people 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:31.919 that were a part of all of those years. And 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:34.480 really the greatest thing I walked away with it from 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:37.680 is super Bowl trophy is awesome, Walter pay Man. Your 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:41.679 trophy is amazing, it really is. But those relationships that 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:44.679 will last forever and those impacts that change people for 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:47.840 the better, those will be what will leave with me 0:17:47.920 --> 0:17:50.400 and be in my heart forever and nobody will ever 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:53.040 change that. And not only that, but the moments like this, 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.640 sitting on the stage with people that I know how 0:17:56.680 --> 0:17:59.359 special they are as human beings and their hearts for people. 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:02.760 And to give one quick thing, I'm gonna share an 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:05.280 example of that. We talked about Derek Barnes and me. 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:08.920 There's a guy on this stage that made a comment 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:11.320 to me when I was a rookie that literally led 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:13.960 to a lot of my career, and as Troy Vincent, 0:18:14.080 --> 0:18:17.280 I met him at my rookie symposium and he probably 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:19.880 doesn't even remember this, I was telling him. At that time, 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:21.920 I took it for granted playing the league. I was 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:24.560 like I had drafted in second round. Cincinnati has Willie 0:18:24.600 --> 0:18:27.120 Anderson and all these great players, like I'm never gonna play, 0:18:27.200 --> 0:18:29.879 but I'll figure it out. He pulled me the side. 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:32.520 He said, hey, man, let me tell you something. You're 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:35.800 a moment is right around the corner. It takes one 0:18:35.960 --> 0:18:37.800 play and all of a sudden, you're got me on 0:18:37.800 --> 0:18:40.440 the football field. So you've got to drop that attitude 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:43.320 and attack it like it's yours. He told me that 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:45.720 in my rookie symposium. I've never forgot it, and I've 0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:48.520 shared it with guys every year in my career. And 0:18:48.560 --> 0:18:50.199 I don't even know if he remembers that moment, but 0:18:50.280 --> 0:18:52.159 it changed a lot for me in my attack to 0:18:52.240 --> 0:18:54.320 going to Chase to be in the NFL and be successful. 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:58.480 He listened, Thomas didn't. I just had to say that, 0:18:58.520 --> 0:19:02.440 Thomas Awesome tv UM TV is a dear friend of mine, 0:19:03.119 --> 0:19:05.720 and I want you to give us a thirty thousand 0:19:06.040 --> 0:19:10.200 square foot look because executive vice president of the NFL, 0:19:11.520 --> 0:19:15.680 tell me what you've seen from the modern day athlete. 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:20.440 That's kind of surprised you. And from a corporate standpoint, 0:19:21.240 --> 0:19:26.119 can you talk to corporations and let them know the 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:29.200 power that they give the league and the players for 0:19:29.240 --> 0:19:32.320 the things that they're involved. Well, I'll start with the 0:19:32.440 --> 0:19:36.600 current athlete, and it really extends to our partners. I'm 0:19:36.680 --> 0:19:41.160 never amazed just young people who they're so encouraging. Um. 0:19:41.200 --> 0:19:44.240 Young people guide us through the most tumunctuous time. And 0:19:44.280 --> 0:19:47.399 at least in my time on this earth, the last 0:19:47.720 --> 0:19:50.440 say five say, the last decade, it was young people 0:19:50.520 --> 0:19:58.920 that carry this this country through tough times. And then, frankly, partners, 0:19:59.680 --> 0:20:01.320 I saw all the best and the worst in people. 0:20:01.480 --> 0:20:04.000 I think we all did over the last few years. 0:20:05.320 --> 0:20:08.119 But I was reminded there are so many good people. 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:12.199 They're more good than bad, more good than evil. And 0:20:12.240 --> 0:20:15.240 frankly I saw that with the players, um, and we 0:20:15.359 --> 0:20:17.359 just look at I use an example of my cause, 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:22.479 my cleats, and just thousands of players just given. And 0:20:22.520 --> 0:20:26.040 also are the partners who, frankly you only see them 0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:29.639 the commercial side, but the partners are right there, standing 0:20:29.720 --> 0:20:32.320 right next to the player. And if we as players 0:20:32.320 --> 0:20:35.879 have that opportunity to share what our visions are or 0:20:35.920 --> 0:20:38.480 the things that we would like to get done. What 0:20:38.560 --> 0:20:40.720 I found out was that the partners have those same 0:20:40.840 --> 0:20:44.919 visions and those same values to want to extend to 0:20:45.000 --> 0:20:48.639 the broader community, to want to make a difference. My 0:20:48.760 --> 0:20:51.919 view is that we're uh. We got the power of 0:20:52.880 --> 0:20:56.400 our sport, the power of our partners, that we can 0:20:56.440 --> 0:20:59.359 just do so much human good, and we can do 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:02.679 human good together. I know you didn't ask me this question, 0:21:02.720 --> 0:21:05.800 but you know what my objective. My aim is to 0:21:05.840 --> 0:21:10.000 die empty. I think about that every day. I want 0:21:10.000 --> 0:21:14.240 to die completely empty. I want to give more than Thomas. 0:21:15.160 --> 0:21:16.760 I want to give more than Andrew. I want to 0:21:16.800 --> 0:21:19.560 give more than you. I also want to partner with 0:21:19.600 --> 0:21:22.680 these individuals. And one thing as as recipients of the 0:21:22.960 --> 0:21:27.320 of this great honor, is that these men continue to 0:21:27.400 --> 0:21:30.879 keep doing good with you all as partners. You know, 0:21:31.000 --> 0:21:34.040 I e War done in the houses two hundred homes, 0:21:34.640 --> 0:21:36.720 and he's doing that with you all his partners. It's 0:21:36.760 --> 0:21:40.560 two hundred home this past Super Bowl. I look at 0:21:40.640 --> 0:21:43.280 what Derrick Brooks is doing in Tampa with the school. 0:21:44.480 --> 0:21:46.639 But this is what these men have committed to, and 0:21:46.680 --> 0:21:50.000 they've committed to it with frankly, with your assistance, your help, 0:21:50.840 --> 0:21:54.840 and I think I'll be remiss if I again I 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:58.359 through this time, I've I've I've come into contact with 0:21:58.440 --> 0:22:03.520