1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, four 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: teen year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer Anius Williams. Hello, 4 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: and welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast. I am a 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: Nius william I am so excited about today's podcast because 6 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: it's a one oh one. What a farm opponent of 7 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: mine on the field as well as a fellow member 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the incomparable Jerome Bettis, 9 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: And I indeed was just a speed bump on long 10 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: of his road trips to the end zone and is 11 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: how are you, sir? I am doing fabulous, Jeron, thanks 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: so much for participating this podcast. We're gonna talk about 13 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: your career, your commitment to community, the NFL Walter Payton 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: Man Over the Year award, and the stuff you have 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: going on right now. But first and most importantly, come on, 16 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: do you remember any of the tackles uh, any of 17 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: the three career tackles I had against you in my 18 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: NFL career? No, I don't. I think all of them 19 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: were from behind. I don't remember any of them being 20 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: head now, I'm just joking. Uh, you were you were 21 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: on the smaller side, So I look forward to to 22 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: kind of button up against you guys as cornerbacks, uh 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: and the and the smaller safety. So I was always 24 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: enjoying because I usually have to deal with the d 25 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: lineman in the linebacker, so I gotta I gotta a 26 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,639 Speaker 1: breathe when I got a chance to run up against 27 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: your cornerbacks. Come on, man, when you saw a cornerback 28 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: two hundred pounds or less, soaking wet, five years down 29 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: the field trying to tackle you at two d and 30 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: fifty plus pounds, what went through your mind? Well, I 31 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: knew I had the advantage. So what what I used 32 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: to think about it is, Okay, what is he gonna 33 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: try to do? Because I knew he's not gonna he's 34 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: not gonna nine times better tend trying to go right 35 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: at me. He's gonna try to, you know, dive at 36 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: my legs. So I was always, you know, trying to 37 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: find a moment when I should jump because I knew 38 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: the guys who are going to dive up my legs 39 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: or the ankles. So I was just trying to do 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: enough to get get into him uh and and really 41 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: kind of get over them. But if they didn't, Uh, 42 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: I was looking to run them over. So I was 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: always uh thinking about first of all, if I could 44 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: run those guys over, because that was always sweeter man. 45 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: I had never told you this, and uh pun intended. 46 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: But I literally went to my attorneys before we played 47 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: against you guys, and I had a contract drawn up, 48 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: UH and I was hoping to present it to you 49 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: during the pregame warm up to see if we can 50 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: have a business agreement where I would show effort during 51 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: the game of trying to tackle you and you would 52 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: take it easy on me. You wouldn't run me over. 53 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 1: Know would I tackle you, but it would be a 54 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: business decision. But one of my coaches saw my contract 55 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: in my locker. He he took it from it didn't 56 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: allow me to uh present it to you. Has any 57 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: player doing pregame warm up tried to make a verbal agree, No, 58 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: I never got. I never got the verbal agreement. That 59 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: would have been interesting because I would have at the 60 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: end of the game I would have I probably would 61 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: have reneged on it and I would have told him 62 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: that it's not enforceable. It was enforceable. That's why I 63 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: wanted to put it right here. Man. But my record, man, 64 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: you just emished all of that, yeah into today's game. 65 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: That the techniques have changed, and people, a lot of 66 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: defensive guys talk about the changes to the rules, But 67 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: to you, what hasn't changed in regard to physical players 68 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: like yourself, Well, you know what hasn't changed at the 69 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,280 Speaker 1: point of the time. I think you know, you can 70 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: talk about the receivers, you know, hitting the ball and 71 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: catching the ball, and you can talk about defenseless receiver. 72 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: You can talk about some of the hits that the 73 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: safeties and the cornerbacks put on on the on those guys, 74 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: But when it comes to running back, the rules hasn't 75 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 1: haven't really changed much at all. So once you get 76 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: in between the tackles, it's the same game as as 77 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: it has always been. I think they're they're trying to 78 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 1: make it better for the UH players that play on 79 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: the edges. But when you get inside of the tackles, 80 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: it's the same game and it's just as physical as 81 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: it ever was. You played at a stalwart university I 82 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: would call Orlando Pays forces me to say the Ohio 83 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: State University. I really think it should be the Notre 84 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: Dame or University of Notre Dame, notivation that these should 85 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: be in front of Notre Dame. All right, I'll just 86 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: put it like that, and a little pundit intent with that. 87 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: You've had a unique career, Jerome, starting off with being 88 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: traded to Pitchburg. How key to you was being traded 89 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: to Pitchbird And how did that uniquely the kind of 90 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: offense physicality to steal City, How did that uniquely benefit 91 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: you and your style of running? Well, it was. It 92 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: was advantageous for me, obviously to go to Pittsburgh one 93 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: because they had just come off of a Super Bowl loss, 94 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 1: so they had a championship caliber team around um uh me. 95 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: So I felt that, you know, hey, I would be 96 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: a great piece to add to an already great football team. 97 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: Um And So I went from a perennial loser that 98 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: didn't you know, we never got to the playoffs to 99 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: a team that had been to the playoffs multiple years 100 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: before me just coming off of a Super Bowl. So 101 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: I knew that that was a huge advantage. The other 102 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: part of it wasn't so so clear, but it was 103 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: obvious if you really looked at it. But here's what 104 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: this was a franchise that really loved uh, big running backs. 105 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,679 Speaker 1: You go down to the history of the running backs, 106 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: the running backs have been kind of endeared more so 107 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: than the quarterback position. So that was one thing that 108 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: I looked at the saw and was very impressed with 109 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: that one day. Liked big running backs, that that they 110 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: were comfortable with that, but also that the running back 111 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: position of ship was how we valued uh in the organization, 112 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,720 Speaker 1: not just the coaching staff and the plays, but the 113 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: fans and how they saw the game. They believe in 114 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: three four yards in the cloud of dust as opposed 115 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: to some organizations, they don't necessarily value the running game 116 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: as as great. So for example, the San Francisco FA Nineers, 117 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: they're not going to value the running game the same 118 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: way that the Pittsburgh Stills are going to value the 119 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: running game. So I think that's that was a huge 120 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: advantage for me as well. And I think you put 121 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: those two things together, uh And and I was, you know, 122 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: in my prime when I got there. It created a 123 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: great opportunity for me. And when I was able to 124 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: take advantage of And I remember your induction Inshrineman the 125 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: weekend when you were inducted and you had that crowd 126 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: going with that towel that you're that little yellow towel. 127 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: What does that mean to the the Pitchburg fans when 128 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 1: you start getting that towl to waving like you did, 129 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: What does that mean to those fans? Well, you know, 130 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: to all the fans of Pittsburgh, they know the Terrible Town, 131 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: they know what it symbolizes. So when you get it going, 132 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: I mean that is kind of how the how it 133 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: feels in the stadium. That's the kind of a battle 134 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: cry for all of the Steller fans, uh to let's 135 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: get it going. So when you when you start waving 136 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: that town, everybody gets into it. Everybody's gonna make noise. 137 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: And that's just kind of the idea behind the Terrible Town. 138 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: It was meant to be one of those to really 139 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: row the crowd up, get the crowd going, and any setting, 140 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: if you waive that terrible towel, all the Steller fans 141 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: are gonna start going nuts. And it was it was 142 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: a great opportunity for me to to kind of start 143 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,719 Speaker 1: start everything off by waving a towel and getting the 144 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: Stealer fans up in arms because and it's only two 145 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: hours away from Pittsburgh, so we had an enormous amount 146 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: of people drive down, uh, drive up to the game, 147 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 1: drive up to a cannon. So it just made for 148 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: a perfect start to a speech. You had a unique 149 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: experience on Thanksgiving Day with a coin flip. If I remember, 150 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,959 Speaker 1: we've all seen the videos describe what happened and what 151 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 1: it was like to be a part of that strange 152 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: chapter in NFL history. You know, that was a tough 153 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: one because I was always the captain who would call 154 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: the coin toss. That was always mean, just always the case, 155 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: and so every game that was my my job, heads 156 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: and tails and and all that. So just this particular 157 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: game had a little bit more significance to me because 158 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: it was the first time in my football career that 159 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,839 Speaker 1: I had ever played estionally in Detroit. It hadn't happened 160 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: to be on Thanksgiving. I had ninety you know, family 161 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: members there, so it was it was a big event, 162 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: big big game for me. Uh. And so we're getting overtime. 163 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: They asked us to come over again and do the 164 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: coin to us, and I did it the first at 165 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: the beginning of the game, so I didn't here this time. 166 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: The first time I called heads, and then the second 167 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: time I was I was calling about the car heads 168 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: and I changed my mind the contest, so I said head. 169 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: I said, I said head tails right because I was 170 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: about to say heads. But but this was this was, 171 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: you know, a different deal, so I wanted to switch 172 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: it up, so I said head tails. And you can 173 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: hear it on the on the mic that it wasn't 174 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 1: like a head tails. It was a head tails. So 175 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,719 Speaker 1: it was a clear tails. But but what happened was um, 176 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,719 Speaker 1: the official, the umpower one once he heard me say, 177 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:06,839 Speaker 1: he just assumed there was heads and that was the 178 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: end of it. And when you can look at the 179 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: response of the Nyans players, they're looking around like, WHOA, 180 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: what happened? What just happened? Because obviously they were aware 181 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: that I said tales. But it was it was a 182 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: rough one uh in. The game didn't go my way. 183 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 1: We lost, and as a result of it, I got 184 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: fired from the coin toss. That was the worst part 185 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: of coach power. I never got a chance to call 186 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: another uh head of tales that you had the unique 187 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,719 Speaker 1: experience I played. I was traded from the Cardinals to 188 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: the Rams my first year, which was my loving year, 189 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,680 Speaker 1: I went and played in the Super Bowl against New 190 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: England end up losing in my hometown. You, on the 191 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: other hand, got a chance to play in the Super 192 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: Bowl in Detroit, except you one tell me about that experience. Well, yeah, 193 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: that was you know, a dream come true obviously to 194 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: you know, you play in a place like you grew 195 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 1: up in the place like Detroit. They had a Super 196 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: Bowl um some years before, but you never expected to 197 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: come back to a colde a code city, especially in February. 198 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: But it did. And that that was really the reason 199 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: that brought me back for a thirteen season. I had 200 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: originate to retire before that season, and the fact that 201 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: it was going to be in Detroit is the reason, 202 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 1: the soul reason, and I decided to come back for 203 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: one more year. Uh And and as it turns out, 204 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: it was you know, a magical, you know kind of 205 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:49,079 Speaker 1: joy ride because for me, I was on the back 206 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,719 Speaker 1: end of my career. Obviously, I had just retired the 207 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: year before, so I knew that, you know, I had 208 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: very little, uh in terms of in the tank, so 209 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 1: to speak. So so this was the you know, the 210 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: crowning achievement at the moment that I had always been 211 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: dreaming of them. As a football player, your goal is 212 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: to to you know, playing in the super Bowl and 213 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 1: win the Super Bowl. That's your goal always. And you know, 214 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 1: after twelve years, I had fallen short. I knew that, 215 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, I had a great career, but it's still 216 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't I didn't get to where I 217 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: wanted to get to. And I understood that, you know, 218 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: maybe to no fart of my own, but we just 219 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: weren't good enough. And as it turns out, we got 220 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 1: an opportunity and it was incredible and I was I 221 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: was fortunate enough to take all of the the the conversation, 222 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,839 Speaker 1: all the questions. And I had a young quarterback in 223 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger, who who was a second year guy, and 224 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: then um Willie Parker, who was a first year starter 225 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 1: at running back. You know, we had, I had some 226 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: young young guys that we're gonna play central parts um 227 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: in the storyline. But I was able to take a 228 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: lot of pressure off of him because all the questions 229 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: were aimed at me. So it just turned out to 230 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: be an amazing week. My family had an incredible time. 231 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: I lost my father, you know, shortly after, and so 232 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: it was a great time in a great moment that 233 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: I'm proud and he got a chance to see me 234 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: win a championship. Uh, and it was just a special 235 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: moment all around. I don't recall. And the Indianapolis game 236 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: was that the same year? Was that a different year? 237 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: I don't know what you're talking about. The year that 238 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: was on our Super Bowl run? Uh. For for the 239 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: people who don't remember, and I'm very disappointed in you 240 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: and needs bringing this up. You were on our magical 241 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: joy ride and you want to deflate it and bring 242 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: us down. And it was basically it's not a my notes, 243 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: you just you just want to remember that. You see 244 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: how people would like to remember the worst moments in 245 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: people's uh professional lives. Yeah, this was one of the 246 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: worst moments. We were winning the football game in Indianapolis 247 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. It was the game was just about over. 248 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: We gotta turnover on downs and right after you know, 249 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: three or four yard line, we go in to seal 250 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: the deal. Um, and we're up by three, I believe, 251 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: and we're about to go up by ten and seal 252 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: a game. And I fumbled the football at one yard 253 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: line and fortunately for me, being saved the day. He 254 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: made an incredible shoe string tackle that under normal circumstances, 255 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: he would never have the opportunity to um. But but 256 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: he made you know the play so to speak, and 257 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: uh that propelled us on to uh win a championship. 258 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: So he's always on my Christmas list, UH for for 259 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: that save and know and Jerome I didn't know. I 260 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: wanted to clarify that was the year you guys want 261 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: the stupid boys you just said. And the reason why 262 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: it came to me is because the adversity that we 263 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: go through, the adversity you experience. How did you get 264 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: through that? How did you, I guess, handle the motions 265 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: of still winning but having that How how would you 266 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: speak to whoever listens to this podcast? How did you 267 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: deal with that experience? And to have a teammate that 268 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: gave an effort like Ben. I'll tell you what what happened. 269 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: So after I phoned the football I go over to 270 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: the something line and it's the worst feeling in the world. 271 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: I let my team down and I get to the 272 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: sideline and it's like I'm a I'm a leoper. Nobody's 273 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 1: around me. If I walked to everybody gotta move is 274 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: all the way right. So I'm down, I'm sitting Uh, 275 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: on the bench, nobody's around me and I and I 276 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: started to smile. A calm came over me, and I 277 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: thought to myself, I said, Lord, if this is how 278 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 1: you on my career to end, I'm okay with that. 279 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: I'm thankful that you gave me this opportunity. So if 280 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: this is how it's supposed to end, I'm okay. And 281 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: so I want to sideline kind of smiling, and people 282 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: look at me like I's eating nuts. But I really 283 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 1: come come to a piece with it because I thought 284 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: that that possibly could have been my last play that 285 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: I would have ever played. And and as a result, 286 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: you know Ben saying the day, the defense went out 287 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: and held him, um, you know, stopped him from a touchdown. 288 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: They were trying to keep a field goal to tie it, 289 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: and vender Jack, he jacked to the right, didn't even 290 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 1: get come close to making the feel goal and we 291 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: won the football game. So you know, it was one 292 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: of those those moments that um, you know, I look 293 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: back on and reflect on. And I was never down 294 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: in the dumps to the point where you know, some 295 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: guys are distraught they I was. I was comfortable because 296 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: of the way that I had had reason with myself, 297 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: and I left it up to the Lord to to 298 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: give me the strength to kind of get through because 299 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: it was one of those moments that you can't physically 300 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: get through it. You you know, you you go nuts 301 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,120 Speaker 1: trying to make sense of it. So I just kind 302 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: of let it go. Jerome, you may notice I don't. 303 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 1: I don't know, but what you just shared is so 304 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,719 Speaker 1: powerful because in the midst of one of the biggest 305 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: challenges of your life, you chose gratitude, you chose to 306 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: to to really to be a piece and using the 307 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: actual using your words sound like it sounds like you 308 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 1: had your own little huddle. Does that make me think 309 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: I was. I was talking to the man at that 310 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: moment because he was the only one that was that 311 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: was willing to be around me. Nobody else wanted to 312 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: be around me, chance to have a really good to 313 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: hurt time. And he was listening and uh, and we 314 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: had a great conversation. And I know that was a 315 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: tough moment. As I said, it really came up because 316 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: I thought it was doing that Super Bowl winning year 317 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: and I wanted to make sure that those who heard 318 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: this podcast would understand it has nothing to do with adversity. 319 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: That happens, but how we respond to us. I appreciate 320 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: your sharing that you're work in a community. Know, the 321 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: Bus Stops Here foundation is impressive. When you started it 322 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: on was the goal? You know? The the goal for 323 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: me was was very simple. It was just about trying 324 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: to pay pay it forward. I was the beneficiary of 325 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: a foundation. There was a gentleman, his name was Reggie McKenzie. 326 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: He was in this alignment, played in Buffalo Bills block 327 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: for O. J. Simpson without the Seattle uh you know, 328 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: work for the Seattle Organization for years and years and 329 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,679 Speaker 1: he would come back every year and give a football 330 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: camp for free for the kids. And that's where I 331 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: was able to really see NFL football players and realized 332 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: that the possibility existed for me. Um. You know, you 333 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: see it when you see the guys on TV, but 334 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: you don't know that these guys are real, you know, 335 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: and you get a chance to meet some of the 336 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: guys and and as a ninth grader, a tenth grader, 337 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 1: actually it was just out opening. And so that changed 338 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: my life and in my trajectory because I fell in 339 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: love with football. Because a lot of people don't know 340 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: I didn't play football until high school, so I didn't 341 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 1: play middle school, I was a bowler, and so for me, 342 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: hold on solo, hold on, hold on, lookin you were 343 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: what a bowler a bowl A bowler like you just 344 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 1: gonna put that out there without me stopping to make 345 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: sure that's the bus Bold was a bowler up until 346 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: high school. Up until high school, so I you know, 347 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: in my middle school years, I was naturally ranked. I 348 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: was traveling all over the country. I went to St. 349 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: Louis for a tournament, so went all over the country bowling. Um, 350 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,719 Speaker 1: it was really good, and and I had to make 351 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: a decision in the eighth grade what was I gonna do? 352 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: And I wanted to give myself the best chance to 353 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 1: get a scholarship, so I decided to play football. Academically, 354 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: I was very strong, so I knew I could possibly 355 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,360 Speaker 1: get an academic scholarship, but I wanted to really make sure. 356 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: I was the youngest of three and mom and dad 357 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: were really struggling, you know, just to get my brother 358 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: and sister through school. So I knew there was not 359 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:20,159 Speaker 1: gonna be much in terms of resources for me to 360 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: get to school. So my plan was to try to 361 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: play football and get a scholarship. And so my freshman 362 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: year I played linebacker, and my sophomore year I played 363 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: tight end and nose guard. And I didn't play running 364 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 1: back until my junior high school. So for me, this 365 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: this was an opportunity. So I so going to this 366 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: football camp, this is where I was able to develop 367 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: that uh that competition uh mentality how you got you 368 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: have to compete and the hard work and all that. 369 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: So so going to this camp, it really changed my life. 370 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: So and then they also had mentoring programs, They had 371 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 1: an S A T preparation program, so they all these 372 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: programs that I was able to benefit from. And when 373 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: I got into the NFL, I said to myself, I 374 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: want to pay it forward because I want to give. 375 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: You know, if people always say you know this, you know, 376 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: you always hear the line, you know, all you wanna 377 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: do is help one kid. And Regie Mackenzie, you know, 378 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: his goal was if I can help one kid, you know, 379 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: And I tried to tell them, Reggie that one kid 380 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: was me. You changed my life. So for me, it 381 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: was about trying to pay it forward, trying to go 382 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 1: out in effect at least one kid's life, because you 383 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: never know who that kid grew up to be you know, 384 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: I grew up to be an NFL Hall of Famer. 385 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 1: And and then somebody Reggie can say, hey, I influenced 386 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: his life, and so I want to do the same thing. 387 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: So I started at the Bus Stops Here Foundation UM, 388 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: and we've been trying to do good ever since. And 389 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: and as it's just turned out, this pandemic has really 390 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:07,199 Speaker 1: highlighted some airing issues UM nationally, UM in our education system. 391 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: And and just a quick start, I got a phone 392 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: call from UM some someone in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. 393 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 1: UH they had a security and he had a young 394 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: lady who would work training camp, but she was a 395 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 1: school teacher and she reached out to him and she said, 396 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: I need your health so bad this pandemic. These kids 397 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: that now I can't come to school, and we've got 398 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: sixty kids that don't that don't have any access to 399 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: the internet, and they don't have computers and they so 400 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: they can't they can't do any any school. So he 401 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: reached out to me and I and I just knew 402 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: that was not right UM. And we were able to 403 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: uh correct that. We put together a little fundraiser and 404 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: we were able to raise the money for those kids 405 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: and one day to get all of them computers. So 406 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,600 Speaker 1: we got a mall laptops and we were able to 407 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: get them on but but we also found that there 408 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: was a ton more kids that needed the same assistance. 409 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: So what we've did, what we've done is is we 410 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,360 Speaker 1: have to date raised, you know, purchased over a thousand 411 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: laptops for students in southwas p A and and that's 412 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 1: really been a goal of ours. But then we're taking 413 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: one step forward. We needed to give them an opportunity 414 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,119 Speaker 1: because you know, when all this happened, school ended and 415 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 1: kids who are kind of abruptly UH shut down. So 416 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: we started a program and we called it check in 417 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: program where we would have kids come to UH that 418 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: our site. Then they would they would learn different skill sets, 419 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: right and we would have DJs, UH, prizes, getaways, celebrities 420 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: checking in every session UH to provide them unique opportunities. 421 00:25:55,720 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: And the topics you know, are totally different tech innovation, science, video, failed, math, zoology. 422 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: And so today we're launching, well yesterday we just launched 423 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: our second six week virtual enrichment session UH for middle 424 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: schoolers tend to fourteen. And if anyone is listening and 425 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,160 Speaker 1: they want to be a part of it. Uh, It's 426 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 1: it's really easy. All you have to do is I'm 427 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: trying to find that there's a website. You can go 428 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: to the Bus Stops Here Foundation and get all the 429 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 1: information about it. But then you can also UM go 430 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 1: to event bright dot com and register children is free, 431 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: and I just think it's a great opportunity and it's 432 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: something we've been doing UM for a while and it's 433 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: been totally beneficial. And if anybody who has heard this 434 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,719 Speaker 1: they're inspired to maybe give and help the foundation, they 435 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 1: can always go to the Bus Stops Here Foundation dot 436 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: org uh and click donate, or they can text bus 437 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: to seven ones ever seven seven. And that's what it's 438 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: all about, just trying to pay it forward and give 439 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 1: the next kid the same chance that I was given. 440 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: You achieved things that very few players and legends have achieved, 441 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 1: and I want to address them. The first one two 442 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: thousand one NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner, 443 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: What was your reaction to winning it? You know what 444 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 1: it was? It was great, but it wasn't It was 445 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: kind of one of those things that I didn't do, 446 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 1: all of those things that that I had done and 447 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: I still do. I didn't necessarily do it for recognition, 448 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: So it was it was initially kind of a little 449 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: bit you know, tricky how I kind of realized, you know, 450 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: I was thankful and I appreciated it, but that was 451 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: never the mission. The mission was was the kids and 452 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: Mr Kids. But I was. I was very thankful and 453 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: and and to be regarded as um I walk to 454 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: Payton made in the year. Having opportunity to meet Walter 455 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: Payton and to know the man that he was, that 456 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: gave me a sense of appreciation even much more because 457 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 1: of what he stood for, uh, and what the NFL 458 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 1: was trying to do. They were trying to really highlight 459 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: the things that that the men of the NFL are 460 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: doing to give them more of a platform to go 461 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: out and impact more lives and create more change. So 462 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: when I, when I really thought about looked at it, 463 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 1: I was so thankful and so appreciative that it actually 464 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: happened and I was the winner. And then to know 465 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: all the players that you know that you hope against, 466 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: who are doing great things in their communities just like me, 467 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 1: to be the winner was like, uh, mind blowing. What 468 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: would you like to be on the field a couple 469 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: of Super Bowls ago with all of those uh NFL 470 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: Men of the Year award winners. You know what, it 471 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: felt great because you know, I kind of put myself 472 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: in that position where you know, I was able to 473 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: get the benefit of a guy giving his time and 474 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: efforts and money and resources to to help kids that 475 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: he didn't know. Right, And so I said to myself, man, 476 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: all of these men here with me, they have had 477 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: the opportunity to affect so many men and women and 478 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: kids lives that this is a special moment because the 479 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: trajectory of these people are going upwards. So just you 480 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: put us collectively together, you say, how many people have 481 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: all of these guys been able to touch U with 482 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: their kindness and with their heart? H The number is 483 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 1: is substantial. And if everyone does what I do in 484 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: terms of because I got the benefit, if they say 485 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: we want to pass it forward to help one kid, 486 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: then and it goes exponentially to a bigger number. And 487 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: that's kind of things that I think about. What was 488 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: it like when you got the Pro Football Hall of Fame? 489 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: Call man, I'll tell you what that was. That was 490 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: something else. Now, the crazy part about that is you know, 491 00:30:19,120 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: I waited and had to wait a couple of years. 492 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,280 Speaker 1: And and so the crazy part about the weight is 493 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 1: people are always telling you after every year, and you know, 494 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: it just it didn't happen. And and after every year, 495 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: you know, guys and people are saying, hey, you're a 496 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer in my book and I and I 497 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: used to always say, but nobody reads your book, your book, 498 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: I'm not right, And it was it was always frustrating. 499 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: But once the car came and the knock on the 500 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: door happened, man, it was it was an incredible honor 501 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: and all of those moments of disappointment they melted away 502 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 1: because you are ciate um the journey, uh and what 503 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: it takes to get in. So once you are in, 504 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: you were so appreciative because it's a very very select 505 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: group of men that have done some incredible things, but 506 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: it also affords all of us a platform to do 507 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: even more. So it's an incredible honor and and you know, 508 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: not just for me, for my family because they went 509 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: on this journey with me, my mother and father. Every 510 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: single NFL game I ever played, they were in the 511 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: in the stands for over two hundred and I don't 512 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: know how many games, but they were there and they 513 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: traveled every week, every city all over the country. So 514 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: so they were a big part of my success as well. 515 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: So for for me to get into the Hall of Fame, 516 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: they got in as well, and it was it was special. 517 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: Last question, Everyone now talks about their legacy. What's yours? 518 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: You know? Hopefully my legacy was that of a player 519 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: who was thoughtful, who was kind, who who did the 520 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: most he could do on the field. He took advantage 521 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:10,800 Speaker 1: of every opportunity, exhausted every bit of of himself on 522 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: the field, and equally did the same off the field. 523 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: Was a genuine person uh uh, a great husband, great 524 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: father to his kids, uh and ultimately a good man. 525 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: And I'll be happy with that. If you could get 526 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 1: one piece of advice to current players and our legends, 527 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 1: what would it be? Oh? Wow, I would say. I 528 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 1: would say, know your history. For the younger players, you 529 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: know your history. It gives you a sense of of 530 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: your future. To know what guys have gone through, the 531 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: sacrifices they have made. Uh. It enlightens you because you 532 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: understand that in order to reach the heights, the highs 533 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: of highs, there has to be in the normal sacrifice 534 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: and whatever it's physical, mental time, there's got to be 535 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: a sacrifice to get to where you want to go 536 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,960 Speaker 1: in life. And if you can look at um all 537 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:17,719 Speaker 1: of the men that went before them, or in women, 538 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: they are all examples. So these are all opportunities to 539 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: take advantage of. This is an example when you when 540 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 1: you do a math problem, they give you examples and 541 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: you're looking at the examples so you can do a 542 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 1: better job going forward. And if you use these men 543 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 1: and women as examples, then that gives you an opportunity 544 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: to to one avoid the pitfalls that they were that 545 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: they stepped in, but also take advantage of the positives 546 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 1: and become a better person. I think that that will 547 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: be my advice. Jerome bettas a k A. Bus. This 548 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 1: has been an incredible podcast. Thanks so much for joining us, 549 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening in. The best is yet to come. 550 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 1: This has been the NFL Legends podcast. To provide feedback 551 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:20,240 Speaker 1: or request a topic for discussion, email us at NFL 552 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: Legends at NFL dot com. Yeah