EDGERRIN JAMES GETS STANDING OVATION AFTER NFL HALL OF FAME SPEECH
From gold teeth to a gold jacket, retired NFL running back Edgerrin James gave an outstanding speech as he was inducted into the NFL’s Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Canton. He talked about overcoming society’s standards throughout his career.
“For some reason, I always had to deal with perception,” he said. “Perception, though, isn’t always reality. It definitely wasn’t my reality. People looked at my gold teeth and dreads and were shocked and surprised I had never been under arrest or spent time in jail.”
“So many people told me you can’t have dreads and gold teeth and be accepted in the NFL, but I never listened,” continued the Florida native. “I always knew who I was: a great football player, a great father, a proud Black man, a lion, and (the dreads) was my mane, which many of those doubters would later discover once they got to know the real me.’’
“Times have changed,’’ he said. “Look around the league. Look at some of the young stars. As a matter of fact, look at my Pro Football Hall of Fame bust. Rockin’ the same dreads they said I shouldn’t.”
“My closing message: Proudly represent the real you,” said James, “Follow your dream, aim high, and dream the life you want to live. And to all those who’ve been judged prematurely because of their appearance, the way they speak, where they come from, and, in the minds of many, should be locked up in prison, I represent us.”
James played 11 seasons in the league, racking up 80 rushing touchdowns, making him an exclusive member of the 10,000-yard rushing club with 12,246 career yards.
James looked inside his gold jacket and concluded, “I started with gold teeth, and ended with this gold jacket.’’
In attendance supporting James were his mother, children, and his coaches from different career levels, including high school. Following this milestone of James’ career is his book called “From Gold Teeth to Gold Jacket: My Life in Football and Business.” The book is due out in October.
