Hall of Famer Doug Williams talks Coach Prime and HBCUs, His Legacy, His Top 4 Current QBs

I don't see it. Oh h there goes the vein in the forehead. There it goes. What's going on? Everybody? I'm one of the hosts with the most peanuts on, and I got my guy who's always with me, my trusty sidekick, Roman Deacon Hopper. Going on wrong? What's up? Peanut? And you are the host with the most out of me? And you, um, you do have more. You're older than me, you have more kids, I have a longer career. Your house is bigger. My house is only bigger because I

have a basement. You live in Carolina, So y'all in Charlie, you don't Yeah, we don't do basis here. But thank you man for the introduction. Is always man and uh, you want to let the people know who we got on our guests? Who's our guest to Yeah, well, unfortunately I wasn't able to do this interview, but we have the chance and honor and privilege to uh have Doug Williams on the show. And he was, Um, he was phenomenal. I know, he did an awesome job. You know, Um,

this is what you do. You know, you're the Martha Stewart, You're the Barbara Walters of these interviews. Man and uh, just hey, how what do you think? Warrian Pressus of uh Doug Mr Williams first and foremost, it was a pleasure to have Doug on. Um. You gotta understand growing up in a family that both parents attended HBCUs. He is part of the Mount Rushmore. I know we like to always ask our guests who's on their Mount Rushmore. He was one of those. Uh he Eddie Robinson, Jerry Rice,

Walter Payton. The list can go on and on. But Doug Williams being the first African American quarterback to lead a Super Bowl team, Uh, he kind of talked to some of his experience with that. The things that he still holds onto this day and actually him working on a day to day basis with the President of the Washington Commanders, Jason Wright, who formerly of a football player

NFL player himself now as the president. It's just amazing to see those things and share some of those stories, his aspirations, how he ended up at Grambling one of the best stories I've ever heard. Um So, peanut, man, it was. It was an honor and it really meant a lot to have him on. Yeah, all right, Well, without further ado, man, I'm I'm ready to listen to us. So let's uh, what's gonna listen to this thing? All right? We got Mr Doug Williams here, and I just let's

just jump right into it. Doug, I'm seeing you with your Washington Commander shirt on, seeing you in your office right now, filling the blank. My life right now is my life right now. I'm gonna say it's good, you know, you know with I got two girls now that in high school playing basketball and come to work every day for the Washington Commanders. Man, you can't be in a better situation than that I am in the day. So I feel pretty good. Okay, we're good, man. Well I'm

glad you're feeling good. I gotta be honest with you. I was a little nervous doing this. So, Doug, you were growing up My parents both went to and graduated from Alabama State University, so I grew up going to all the games, attending everything. And it's like, you know, the goat level of of where you're at. And according to HBCU, like Lord is real, you're up there with you know, it's you, Steve McNair and like Jerry Rice, like you are d Man. So so thank you for

joining us today. Man, it really means the world to me. And uh, I know you've had a lot of second acts. You know, you're high school coach, you coach at your old alma mater, your college alma Marty Grandmar State, and now with the NFL executive, with the Bucks and Commanders. Why is it been important for you to stay connected

to the game for all these years? Well, you know football has been good to me Roman and um, it's hard not to want to still be a part of it and get back if you've got an opportunity to do that, and that's what I've been able to do. And thankful to football from a college level. Of high school and the professional rank, you know, just to still be in it in itself. To me, it's a it's it's something that a lot of people, uh didn't have a chance to do. And I'm just glad and thankful

that I got a chance to do that. But not only just be here, but to be able to get back, you know, being and working for the National Football League and working for the Washington Commanders still give me an opportunity to give back to HBCU. You from a time standpoint and what I do and what we've been doing, Me and James Harris, Jack Harris that he is, you know,

it's it's it's a blessing. It's like your main stay, your main focuser sometimes and you know when you're always trying to develop these programs in your thought processes, is it always trying to help to give back to the h b c U. It's like a trickle down fact. Or think I was fortunate um number one going to Gramlin and and being coached by a guy by name

of Eddie Robinson, you know, blessed. So I think I was fortunate enough to be able to be around a man for five years with a red shirt year and saw what he did for for h b c U and Grahamling and giving back and what he always talked about what it meant to him, Um, you know, watching young guys grow up and and being able to go out in America and support themselves, support the family and

things like that. So I always felt it was always my my duty to give back, no matter where I am to to UH institute and the other institution that allowed me an opportunity to do what I did, And it's it's such a great feeling when we can do that and then get back and you can see these young guys getting the opportunity. Um, you know, some of them might like a legacy boat, some of them might play the last football game, but the fact of the matters,

we gave him that opportunity. That's a good feeling that dance, and that's why I do what I do. And Shock and Harrison now we talked every day about the things that we've been able to do from the h b c U standpoint, Like do they actually come up and thank you personally for that because or they don't even realize that and you probably don't even want the kudos. You know that it's not something we look for, but it's always good to hear. But we was fortuning last

last year. Um a bunch of guys after it was old with man they were so thankful for being able to play in the Legacy Boat, which they wouldn't have never got a chance to do. We all know it's gonna be two or three guys, maybe four guys from hbc U. They get a chance playing other All Star Games and maybe go to comeback. But for the masses of you know, we had a hundred guys with both teams. For the masses, they would never get that opportunity. So a lot of them are so thankful to do that.

And you know, we got we got some help from some guys like Jamie Western, you know, and and and Um Umstead Um Patrick Mahome. He came down to the game, you know, and itself says a lot about who he is as a person and what what he I wanted to do is help people, and you know, it was it was a great thing. Nice. So so let's talk about kind of what are your second acts like right now? What you're doing. So you're working with Jason right as a senior advisor, and so I want to know, give

me a little bit of info. Was just insight on how's that relationship and what do you provide for Jason in that role. I think for Jason, you know, being the first you know now that they're there three, but being the first African American as a president of National Football League, I think says a lot. And Uh, what Jason did was come in and diversified this whole auganization from from that side of the ball. And I thought that in itself was great. You know, men, women, black, Latino,

lb G, t Q, you name it. There wasn't no holdback on who he had. He was looking for the best people to do the job. And he came in and did that. And and every every week or so, you know, myself and and three other people we sat down and meeting with Jason, and we talked about things that is happening in the city, around the city and and things that we do like for Sweet Owners and and all other people. You know, we show up and kind of like I'm kind of like a sounding board

for Jason. You know, you always asking me something and I tell him, you know, the field and the things that are going on and what the people are saying and the things that you might have to defend and things like that. So that's that's basically what I do. And it's not a bad situation because I never knew, you know, being a player and being on the personnel side,

these kind of things I didn't even know existed. You know, I knew you had people doing certain jobs, but there's so much, man, so many fans and the people involved. You know, it's it's it's amazing some of the things you hear. And you know what else is amazing is that for as long as you playball, you never knew how many other people it takes to make something really work.

That's that's that's the thing that give me. We got so many people work on his side, and you know, being in in in the building on the personnel side, you didn't get a chance to see that. On this side. Man, it is truly a lot of people who work in football that you had no idea working football, which which I think is great because you give other people who are not players, who are not coaches, trainers, whatever, and

the opportunity to work for the NFL team. You know, that is what I try, and I aside so many of our young people in today's uh society with that, you know, they have these goals and aspirations, but their only goals too. You gotta play in the NFL, you gotta play in the NBA, you gotta play in the w n b A. Instead of saying like you know, it's a lot of job, it's way more jobs working with those or those companies and with those shields than it is actually on the field in front of the camera.

So it's you can still be parts and achieve your goal and be a part of something great like the NFL, and that's just as much fun and get the same ring without the same bad kneeds, you know, and what and and that is true. You know, I'm fortunate of my you know, my son actually as assistant coach with the Saints, and I got a daughter who works for I hate to say, it's the people in Dallas. You know, she works for the Cowboy And you know what, they

love it. You know, he loved coaching, she loved working on the other side and in the in the community and stuff like that. Man, it's a blessing for me to see them work because I know what the NFL has done for me and what to do for a whole lot of people is give them an opportunity to

to to work and something that they love being around. Now, Doug, given the fact that you are a trailblazer yourself for playing quarterback, when of the first African American quarterback, I think you're the first one to win the Super Bowl

if I believe right. And then from there, like I know it has to be you're a little bit proud and you gotta take some kind of pride in working with Jason is he was the first African American president And like, like you said, you I'm a sound board, but inside personally, how does that really make you feel? Working with him? Like, man, every time we do something right, this is another step in the right direction for for people. You know, what's the most important thing? In fact? Number one,

Jason played football. Yeah, that's that's the other point. I don't even know that didn't even some years in in the in the NFL was to me. You know, he kind of understand the language that you don't have to speak as a player on that fraternity that comes together as a player. So it's a lot easier for me because you know, Jason give me respect just like I

give him respect. I think at the end of the day, it's about two guys who played in the league that can communicate and they understand what what what what is being said and what you're talking about. And the respect is that because we were both was players. That's really cool though, and you know what, it is an unspeaking language and respect has always earned, never given. So uh, it really means a lot to hear that he was also a former player, you know, and continues to divvy

out power. How is that? Does he just all right, you're good at this, you go do it. You're good at this, you go do that, and then we all come back and report to each other. No, no, you know what sitting back number one And like I said, I didn't I didn't understand this side of the corn of the ball who president standpoint, Jason has done an excellent job of finding out what it takes to to run organization on this side, you know, Ron Handle's football,

Jason handing all the business side. And for a guy to transition out of being a player to what Jason doing, you know, to me, you know, it opens my eyesight as it takes all this and Jason has done that, and you know all the fashion and you know around here in Washington that there's a lot of fires that has to be put out. And Jason for some reason, team like the fire department a lot of time because

he's putting out a lot of fires. But he also bringing in a lot of things that make this organization a good organization with a lot of people don't see at this time, but I think if they look at what is transpired in the last two or three years, Uh, you got to attribute that to to what Jason Wright has done. I would agree with you on that. I'm not gonna even ask you about all those fires he's putting out personally, I'm not gonna ask that, but we'll

keep it moving. Just know they could google that for all the listeners. You can google that. Okay. Earlier earlier this year, the team created, Uh, Doug Williams Diversity Coaching Fellowship. What is that program? And uh, what do you want to see come out of it? Well, you know, the NFL UM had a director that every team in the National Football League has to bring in a young minority intern to to work with the quarterbacks and on that

side of the ball. Because you know, one of the things that we found out from from coaches and offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches there's not a many of them in the National Football League and they're not gonna get there if you know, if you just depend on the coaches who get jobs hiding people, that's the worst thing that has happened. And what the NFL is doing now,

they're making it possible for that to happen. You bring in a minority um guy to work in the quarterback and what Ron did here was created Doug Williams minority internship. And what what I did personally compared to what other

people did, they brought in a minority. I brought in a minority from h b c U. The guy that comes with with my internship gonna always be from my h b c U. And making sure that they get somebody from HBC to come in and and work with with the coaches, the quarterback, the offensive coordinator, the head coach on a professional level, so they may want to be able to learn as much as they could then get an opportunity to coach in the nash Football League,

to be the quarterback coach, uh to be an offensive coordinator, and eventually hopefully to be a head coach. Okay, So, like I said earlier, any chance you get, you're gonna take it all the way back down to to where it really started at for you. And now I love that personal touch that you put on everything that you do. Doug, Um, just a little bit about Robert Vera. He was my coach at the Carolina Panthers. I love that man. He's

a great person, a great heart. Um. I saw that he lost his mom more recently, so shout out to him. Prayers up for him and his family everything he's going through. But Ron is another guy who literally tries to go out of the way to make sure diversity is included

in everything that he does. Him growing up the way that he did, being a Mexican American football player that he is, he wears that on his chest and he doesn't shy away from it because you may be talking about that and maybe his experiences and what he's shared with you, and and and he and he doesn't shy away from it. And he's the one who came to me, and you know he's send his his administrative system. He said, coach,

want to see you. So I went down and you know, I had no idea I knew they had to do it, but they haven't no idea what he had in mind. And I think it's also you're talking about a coach who's played the game, you know, played against Ron and all that, and there was a respect that he had for me. And he said, Hey, this is what we're gonna do. We're gonna we're gonna have any time. We're gonna name the Doug Williams Interimpship Fellowship. You know, I said, okay.

He said, it's gonna be a quarterback whatever, and we're gonna give you a chance to get all of the amazing and and you read them. You you go over and then we picked three guys, we bring them in, we interview them, and we go from there and lo and behold, man, that was That was a great experience

being in that position. And now you've got a fellowship name after Doug william which I think, to me, I say a lot about Ron and his organization to respect that Doug william It's not that I'm in Zachary, Louisiana anywhere I await from it. I'm here for them to do that while I'm here. I think it's one of those situations when they say, give you your roses? Why they Yeah, I think that's what's happening. Man. That's beautiful though.

And and so Doug, you never had a I mean probably outside of Eddie Robinson back in your days at Grandma State, you never had a black quarterbacks coach. How important or what do you think that feels like when you maybe as a young African American coach or or or minority player, for you to have a coach or somebody that maybe looks like you know, maybe has done some things that have some life experiences or do you

not think that it's important at all? But let me say that I think I think, to be honest with you, I think the National Football League, Uh, it's really missing it. You know what what a man of color does for a lot of the players that are in the locker room. I was just reading the article. I forgot I hadn't finished reading it. How many teams in this league has never had a minority coach? And some situations, you know, you see them rehash and bring guys back to this

team and that team or what happened. But in some organization it's meant for African American coach to be the coach, then they don't the owners don't don't feel it, and most of the owners, a lot of owners don't hid to coach. They got head hunters or whatever who picked the coach. And you know, I'm not gonna get into how that that happens or whatever, but there's so many teams out there. I feel that I'm missing the boat.

And then when you got a young African American quarter back, YE say, it isn't and I don't care who hears it. If you got a young African Mariican quarterback and then you got a black quarterback coach somewhere, it's more than exces and over from it's it's it's it's not just exce and old. It's being able to communicate and comfortable communicating with that individual because that's gonna be some things

that come up during the season. Uh that's personally in the nature that might be affecting his play, is that he can talk to somebody else who looked like him, who understand him a little more than the guy who's really coaching him. I think they're missing it, missing that opportunity. And well said, I don't even wanna try and diminish your words. By that because you've been in that seat, you've played that position, you know exactly what it's like.

And I'm just glad that you yourself along with Ron, are trying to push that, push that narrative to a different place now that you know, we want to see more African American quarterback coaches, not just offensive because people don't understand that. They think, oh, man, you just get a coach? Is this But I'm like, no, Actually, the hiring process, the way they do it, it starts right there in that quarterback room all the time, all the time.

So those are the little back channels that we don't know, and more fans should hear about and really get to know and experience a little bit more when you really do it a deep dive into the NFL locker room and upstairs activities. All right. Another one of your second acts is your support for HPU h P c U S, which we've talked about three or four different times today already. When you think of your legacy, how much do you want that to be a part of it or is

it all of it? Well? I think you know, whatever, you know, they always say that, um, between the time you're born the time you died as a dash that should speak for you, what what what you've done? And I can't sit here and say what what that dash says. I think it's the people that you dealt with in life, and the people who know what you've done is the person the people who's feeling that dash. And I can't say here what I want my legacy to be. I'm

fortunate up. You know, I got eight kids and they all know what I do, and they all proud of me what I've done and keep doing so I think at the end of the day, they would be the one to feel in that dash, along with a lot of other people. You know what, Doug, I'm gonna saying, yes,

it would all right. I knew about this man from from his playing days, and not only that, but he was the first to go out there and do it and to win at the highest level where a lot of African Americans could not play quarterback at the time. They would move you to dB or play tre at wide receivers somewhere else. So I would go out there and said it was you, It was Eddie Robinson and for me, Stephen Nearro, Jay Rice. Those are my top guys that came from HBCU is watching it, growing up

in it. And so Mr Doug, I will tell you that. I know you don't want to call you Mr. But Doug, I'm gonna tell you it's gonna be on there. All right, there we go, alright, there we go, no doubt. So when you created the Black House Football Hall of Fame back in two thousand on which first of all, I want you to tell me that process. How did that come about? Did you envision like it would be such a monumental success, like like, how could you imagine it from going to nothing toil all of a sudden boom

where we are well, you know, couldn't. I couldn't see back in two thousand nine where we are today. Let me see. Let me tell exactly how it all started. James Harrison. No, we we had a foundation, Williams and Harris Foundation. And when Hurricane could trine a king, a lot of kids were moved from New Orleans and all different kinds of places and Shreeport, Louisiana. They moved a bunch of kids. And what me and and James did

we we gave a hundred kids. Were a hundred kids that have been moved on New or up at street Port, and we gave him all a during the Christmas time a hundred dollars gifts certificate that could only be spent on either kids clothes or tours, which that eliminate the older people using that to get his thing they want, so when they went to the casher and that's the only only thing you can get with kids closed. And we we kept the foundation going. We we did UH tournaments.

We raised money for for single women who was like in their senior year college they was gonna graduate. We made sure their last semester tuitione was paid. We gave them all UH laptops and things like that. We did that a lot. But it was this report and then all of a sudden, as as I traveled and James traveled to certain tournaments and UM chair of Events and

raising money to do other things. So we decided to do that and I went to Hawaii to June Jones, who who was doing the benefit over there to play this golf tom and I came back and I said, I'm gonna stop in l A because James Harris was in l A for a few days. And the guy that ran June Jones Found Nation was over there, and I asked him when he stopped in l A with me and we sat down with James Harris, so he

came over. We went to breakfast that morning, and we pitched the Black College Football Hall of Fame to him. Now you're talking about the white guy that lives in in the in Las Vegas. You don't know nothing about hbc You have no idea. But we tried to tell him how many guys that have gone on to to HBCU that was great players and that had never gotten recognized. How many Black College Football Hall of Famers in the NFL that was already there that still had not gotten

all the flowers. And he he said, well, look, let's let's talk about this again in the morning. And that morning he woke up, he came me, so I got it. So we sat down and from that they owned. The Black College Football Hall of Fame was was born and Arthur Blank, Arthur Blank and and and John P. R a payment system in Atlanta. You know, I got always get those guy's credit because what the Blank was was one of our biggest monster along with John pr. And.

It says a lot about the author Blak because he saw vision and the first three times we had the event in the in Atlanta. We had a different hotels at that time because we was were trying to extand it ourselves. A blank came to all three and he sat there after one of them the first one was over. You know, he sat there and I went to thank him for for his support, and he told me, he said, I could say here all night and look at the video.

He said, I had no idea these guys went to h b c U and and and that is true because a lot of people don't know a lot of guys that are playing the National Football League that the NFL Hall of Famers and things like that had gone to h b c U. And now we gotten to the point nine where we still have the dealer, but we have it at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, but we're gonna be housed in can't Ohire, which to me, that was the thing that that the

straw that broke the camera back was to be able to be in can know how you as the Football League, UH Dave Baker, who was who was the exacting director of the Hall of Fame at one time, UH called me and shack On. We was on the three way and he didn't want to. Asked us, had we thought about moving in the housing part of the Black College Football Hall of Fame to Canton and that was no way. That was a no brainer. I said, oh yeah, before he even got it out of his mouth, gonna be

in Canadon. As you know, they're doing a whole lot of um working. Canon re refromised the whole thing, and we're gonna be housed there. And the reason he decided to do that because the history, the history of HBCU. He said, it's so important to the National Football League and football as a whole that he felt like it was only great to be housed in. Can't know how you I didn't know that it got housed in Canada, Ohio,

and that just has to be. It's really cool to say, like I had this one vision to take us through that whole story, and now this is what we got and to be able to recognize all these great players. I was just on earlier one of our producers, Thomas Warren, talking about how many of the NFL greats all went to hbc USED in the sixties and early seventies, like that was the only place you could get recognized. Walter Payton came out I think in in in the seventy

five draft. I think m hm. In that draft, Jackson State had nine players that were drafted had eight. So kind of tell you where where all of the black guys went to school was? Was that in the squat comforts? You know, when you think about Jackson State Roberts, Walter Payton, and Jackie Slayter, that's not talking about all other players. All those guys was on that same team in nineteen seventy four. Well, I got an opportunity to play against

as as a freshman at Grammar. You know, so just think about what they did for the National Football League playing days coming from h b c U. So that was a lot of history that has never still hadn't been recognized, you know, for for what they've done h in the National Football League and what they did as a college player at the h b c U. So how much pride do you take now that it's in

Kent Man. You know, it's kind of take your breath away because what it does, what I'm here or not, I may be going on, it's gonna always be the h b c U Black College Football Hall of fame, and it's gonna be able to recognize the guys that a lot of us didn't know, but they family and all other people around knew that they went to those colleges and they getting recognized. Now, that's what you call

giving guys flowers. Some mother still here, some of them are going on, but they get flowers before they leave. That's that's so critical though, you know, and for them, not only for them, but then also their their families. That's the most important thing. Their family man get a chance to recognize as that whoever my uncle, my dad and my cousin or whatever what he did at that institution. Yeah,

I love that. Thanks stuff for sharing all that with us, all right, So how do we maintain this wave of recognition and support for that HBCUs, especially how much they've gotten over the last three or four years, So it's not just a flash in the pan, but something that really sticks and stays for a long time. That's that's an interesting um dynamic, you know. And and let me say it is and go back to the d ndon going to Jackson State brough so much buildibility to HBCUs.

And the most important thing here that I've I've said this that what if Dion get a job at a Power five scouse. Hopefully he does because he deserved. Do we still keep that buildability it doesn't leave and go with Dion. That's that's a that's a great course. And hopefully the people who support HBCU doing the last a couple of years with Dion would continue to do that. And we have to graduate of HBCU. We got to

do the same thing. Yeah, And I think that's the most important part of his whole situation is the one that's the alumni. The alumni has to continue to keep up with it. And my mom and dad talked about that all the time, trying to continue to support Alabama State the way that they do, whether it's behind the suite, always showing up for different alumni events. You gotta show up and you gotta show up in your wallet too, man.

That's so important. Yeah. And the visibility part, I want to see how do we keep that going because it's not just Dion. Dion is his own thing. Dion has a brand. He has a brand. I mean he's prime time. That he is prime time and he's been that way as a coach. He's coach prime and you know, he's on commercials with Nick Saban, so he's there. And how do we continue to carry this thing? We don't lose it.

We don't want to go backwards. I know we've got Eddie George and and um what was the former coordinator for the Bengals and we got you got edit At Robinson in Alabama State right now, Eddie Robinson in Alabama State. He was really good too, you know, and that was great. I know he kind here in deon cats a little words, you know what I mean. He ain't swack, but um, trust me, my family was highly involved in all this day.

They have their own emotions about it. I think any sometimes any drama is good for TV, so it's good. But um, how do we continue to not lose this and go backwards? Well, number one, I think we got to be real with ourselves and I am um. And like you said about d Dion, from the day Dion stepped in the NFL, he's been prime time and that's not gonna change. And I mind for who he is and what he's done. But we all know the disibility in Jackson, Mississippi. It's because of DNA. You know, Jackson

has benefitting from it. Don't get me wrong, jack Stated been benefiting from it. But and that's why I actually if he leaves there, where would it go? So we got to be true to ourselves and understand that we as guys of the latest, whoever who graduated from hbc you got to be the one that help HBCU carry on without a prime time because as long as prime there,

they're gonna get the busibility. You know, think about it, how many how many ex athletes that he brought into Jackson State that don't happen an eery every other school. You know, Michael Strahan, you got Troy Aikman, you You've got everybody who stopped in the Jackson but nobody stopped in the Houston, Texas Southern, nobody stopped in Huntsville, Alabama, nobody up in Mississippi Valley. You know. But but how we get that to spread around to HBCU. It's the

most important thing. Yeah, And I don't have that answer, but it's so true. I mean, he got Mike Zimber working for him as like, and I'm like, zim is a what it's almost unfair you said it, but it's true. Um, It's it's such a weird thing, but it's so not weird because of who we're talking about, and that's Dion Sanders and and coach prom has done an amazing job. I hope this continues, this wave of love and visibility continues to spread amongst the HBCUs and so um, I

gotta tell you this. So for a kid from Zachary, Louisiana, which I don't even know what that is exactly, is it closer to street for it you played in New Orleans? Let me tell you where it's. That is, right, I do know what bad ruge ruge. That's not far at all you talking about Zachary Baker Baton Rouge. We right there. I didn't even know that. That's how some it must be. That small. It's one of those pounds that at one point it's grown a lot since the Hurricane Katrina. That's

got his own school system. Now zach got it. It broke away from East Batman's parents, but it was so small they had welcome to zachar and and come again on the same side. That's how small. When I was young, we had one caution like that's sounds like my dad's hoped own. Oh man, that's hilarious. Okay from zach Louisiana.

You come a long way when you say just give me an overall synopsis is like that's you know, when we won the Super Bowl here in eighty seventh season, I went to the White House and I was standing up there with President Reagan, and the one word I said to myself, I said, it's a long ways from Zachary Louisiana to be on stage with the President of the United States. Man. And the good part about it, it's um. We talked about it all the time, me

and Shock. We always talked about the road that was less traveled, how how we both got a chance to get to a point where we were being successful in National Football League, and all the things that you had to endure and how you get there and no matter how many times you got knocked down. Coach Robber used to always tell us, it ain't nobody getting knocked down. It's about getting up every time. It's getting up off

the turk. And and I think about that and and and all the things that we had to go through during the Civil rights time and all that that never bothered me. I didn't. I didn't realize until I got older what what that really was and you look back on it. But as an athlete, you know, you involved in athletics and playing baseball, football, all that in high school alway to college, a lot of things didn't even

didn't even hit you, didn't even resonate. And then you realize what so many other people was dealing with and you there with and didn't know what was happening, you know, and and always come back to with. My dad used to always say, it's water up under the bridge, so I never looked at it and took into hard when

somebody say something about me. And like when I was playing National Football League, that was so many commentators man made derogatory statements and things like that because they never seen a black quarterback and and they couldn't get used to it. I know what I was in Tample. Every article you know that was written was either Doug Williams, Tampa's black quarterback, Tampa Bay's black quarterback. You know, so because they never got used to it, which todaytime does

a look different. Nobody to talk about the color of the quarterback. Now it's it's about the quarterback. And like I told him, in the next five, six or ten years, half of this league gonna be black quarterbacks, you know when you look at it realistically, So nobody worried about that. That adgect that right now don't even resonate. It's the person who's in those positions. And I'm glad to be able to come through all that to get to this point that that's what it's all about. Nine. It's not

about the color of your skin. It's the character and what not. You can play the position. And so when you look back on all that, like, do you appreciate it now? Because when you're going through it, you don't never appreciate the good old days like you never do, you know what, I appreciate it more than ever at this stage, At this stage, I do because I remember

playing little league baseball. I was looking at the picture of the day of me playing little league baseball and all the things I had to come through I played. I was me and the guy named Sherman Floyd was the first two guys to integrate. And this is the shame, the shame part about it. My oldest brother was our coach to integrate American Legion Baseball in in nineteen seventy three in Baton Rouge Louisiana. We were the first two blacks they would play American Legion baseball. And we played

the game out in Dnn's frame. And and I know you played in New Orleans, but you might not understand what Dyn's frame was. That's where David Duke, the Grand Dragon lived. The frame about thirty miles thirty four miles from my hometown. And we had to play out that one night. And you know, we're only two blacks in the statement, and my dad was probably the only black

in the stand and my brothers only black coature. And some of the words and some of the things that were saying back then, and and you know, my brother and the dug Alas always said, don't worry about it, Doug, just just show them what you are who you are, you know. And I went up and had a cup of triples and a doubling thing like that. And he always told me to say, they didn't call you whatever you want, but you don't look at it that way.

You just play your game. And I learned to be able to overcome things like that at an early age man, and I think it helped me to where I am today. Well, Doug is clearly has been watered under the bridge for you, and it's clearly shown that all of that has done is allowed you to continue to grow and be above it all man. And it's a it's a pleasure to have been sent down and listen to all these answers. So we gotta pay some bills. That always says, we gotta pay these bills. And we will take a break

real quick, and uh, we'll be back with more. Doug Williams, thank you. This last little segment here, we just got like a whole bunch of questions. We just first come like, whatever comes to your mind, throw it out there. That's what we like to do, put you on the hot seat for a second and see how it goes. Are you ready? Yeah, all right? What? All right? I can't wait for this answer. What are you too? Or Three favorite quarterbacks to watching today's game? Quarterback? Yeah, wow, Lamar Jackson,

without a doubt, I agree that he is. Lamar Jackson would would be one of my one of my favorite quarterbacks. Just what he does and the fact that people say he he shouldn't be a quarterback, he should be a wide receiver or whatever. And you know, last I check quarterbacks, I've charged with throwing TV passes and he and he does that. Yeah, you know, the kid was blessed with so much talent that people can't really see because it's

talent over takes what they look at. That so Lamar Jackson would be there and the key it up in Buffalo Joles Alan Man, he played the game whe I don't give a damn attitude. Yeah, I think that's the way. That's the way it should be played with with I don't give a damn attitude. I played a win, and I think that's that's the most important thing. And you know, I gotta say this. I know is he's always been

around a long time. But Tom Brady, you know, to me, I know they hadn't played well all over the last few weeks, but just watching him from a fundamental standpoint, it's very sudden that he does anything wrong when he's throwing the ball, his partial and everything, it's always the same thing. Fundamentally. I like Tom Brady as as as the guy man. So those are three guys that for me, I love looking at. But there's a lot of guys

around you know that I like looking at it. Patrick m On what he's saying, I mean the other night. I'm still trying to figure out. You know, you give him, you get a minute and thirty five second on the clock, and he gives you twenty five seconds back to me. And he does it all the time. It is not an accident, that's the thing about it. It ain't accidental. This is this is a routine. You know, if you're playing Patrick, you got a chance to score to win and he's down by six, you know you let the

clock run out. Man, don't school yeah, because it ain't good for you. It's crazy that that's how it's become. But it really, he really is become that good, unbelievable. A quarterback that you mentioned that I would probably hate playing against is definitely Josh Allen because his ability to be able to throw the ball that way. He does. But he's like six two thirty and trying to run over people all the time. That's that's what I'm saying. He don't play You don't play the game with no

constion as a quarterback. You don't have caution in his head. No, you don't understand. He's the quarterback they can't afford to lose you no care. No, he's trying to run you over and jump over you. They're running quarterback sweets. I'm like this next level of quarterback play. I agree. I think the NFL is in such a good place when it comes to young quarterbacks in this NFL right now. It's just it's a lot of star power, lots and lots of lot at that position. Thank you for that,

al right. Next question, what's the biggest thrill getting into the Hall of Fame yourself or creating a Black college football Hall of Fame. Well, to be honest with you, creating this this black college football Hall of Fame. You know, getting into getting into the Hall of Fame is out of my hand, out of my control. I can't do anything about that point. But but but what we're doing is that is creating the Black college Football Hall of Fame.

I can put my hands in that. So for for me, that's what it's all about it this particular time, man. You know, making sure people that deserve an opportunity to be in here get their flower. That that's and and it's not about me. It's about making sure that they get what they deserve. Yeah, I love that, And I knew you would say that though as soon as you know as We've had this conversation because how much pride you take into that whole thing? And the story was awesome,

so uh it was really worth it? All right? How much money with Doug Williams command in today's NFL? All right, we got top five quarterback contracts? Okay, all right? Number one Patrick Mahomes four d fifty million, Josh Allen is at two hundred fifty eight million, Russell Wilson two hundred forty five million, Kyler Murray to thirty and a half, and Deshaun Watson two hundred thirty million with about another forty six million a average. All right, Doug, throw yourself

in that hat. Where are you at? Where? How much you think you would need? All let me say that I was born too soon. I tell my son that all the time. Man, it's amazing where where this is gone? And I do believe you know if I was in

this time? Uh, in the offensive the guys played in Remember I played in Tampa five years and you wouldn't you You might not remember, but we had two backs and tight end and two wideouts and wild I got down with on the three point stand that and we was running the ball right left pitch right, So all these innovative offense today, if I had not had an opportunity to play in those type offense, I would probably be in those numbers. And there is no doubt in

about it. You know, Josh, Josh Allen plays a little bit like me. I played a little I was playing a little bit like Josh, you know, because what I did was made sure we was in position to win. You know, I didn't believe in taking sacks. I would throw the ball the way I did think that would help the team. And I think at the end of the day, I would have been somewhere in those numbers, you know, Doug, I tell myself that all the time.

I like to I blame my parents if I was born like like literally eight years later, like I've been a totally different like level, totally different level. It's crazy. The contracts. And one of my former teammates when I first got in the league, he told me said, look, hopefully you're blessed and get play. You get to play long enough. When you get your first big deal, you're gonna love your numbers. And you played long enough. When you see somebody sign for that, like their signing bonus

is gonna be bigger than your whole contract. That's what happens for me. I mean, the guy at the bottom of the total bold. Oh that's so good and so true. The money y'all were making back the crazy. Okay, all right, last question here, and this is something we asked every one of our guests on here, and you gotta understand it's only four. So who is on your personal amount Rushmore? I would I would have to say my my first three are gonna be my mom and dad and Robinson

and my oldest brother. There is I love that personal touch, people that have really been with you since day one, and I ain't ain't no doubt about it. You know, It's nothing else I can say when you talk about rush my mom more Rushmore, what people mean to you that that's me, that's those four people at that mean in the world of me. Well, well, thanks for that, Doug Man. I appreciate that. Here's one more personal question. I want to know, um, what was it like to

be recruited by Eddie Robinson. Let me tell you how that happened, though, Okay, like anybody, let me tell me. You know, and you know in nineteen seventy three black quarterbacks wouldn't running really playing in the SEC. The only be one and they only been one black quarterback in the SEC, and that was Kendrick Halloween, Tennessee and even the s w C with Texas and all that one no black quarterback. So I was I was only recruited went to a small school up in Zacharidge to be

in high school. Recruited by Jackson State, Southern University, Graham and Mrs Valley Tennessee State. In Jackson there was there was my teams that recruited me. And being from being from Zachary, Southern Version on twenty minutes from my house. So I really wanted to go to Southern because I felt like it would give my parents an opportunity to come to the game, you know, and Coach Rob at that time you would know him think about this. But we had a party line on our telephone, tweet party

on our line. So Coach I called the house late one night about twelve o'clock and so I'm sleep and he talked to my mom, and my mom came in and she woke me up. She said, hey, you going to Grammar. She said, you're going to ground And I said, why do you say that. She said, I just got off the phone with Coach Robinson and he said, you're gonna go to class, you're gonna go to church, and you're gonna graduate. And that's the best decision my mama.

So so so Doug Wills his whole career, he had nothing to do with, like your mama can't won't you up? Said you go, you go on to Gramlin and then that's the that's then is going true. Then you respect your parents. She said, you're going what you're gonna do? You going, You're going. That's that's so good because as I was going through my recruit process, my mom told me, look, I need you to stay in the state of Alabama

because your brother just went to Troy. So this you can just cut all the other stuff out, Like it's all these other schools here, you just pick one. You're good. I was like, Okay, do what your mama saying, right, that's save thing. I'm all right, hey, no argument. I mean, that's great that that's how you ended up at gramm the State University. I hope more people here this because that's why you gotta listen to your mama. Right there, Mama knows man Thanks, Doug. Well, I'm gonna let you

get up out of here. Man, it's been a pleasure. It's been an honor having you on today on the NFL Players Second Acts Podcast. Thank you so much, Doug Williamson to appreciate you for stopping about. Thanks for having men appreciate you wrong. You did the thing on that one. Thanks Dog. That was that was awesome. That was That might have been one of your best ones right there. That was That was Oprah. You've graduated from Barbara to Oprah. That was at Oprah quality right there. You know what

I'm saying. That was. That was a good one, you know, opin that. I appreciate that, man, and really meant the world for for Doug to kind of stop by. We did miss you on that one. Just your your charisma, just being right on time as always, but just no, man, it meant the world for him to come out here.

And also the timing of it, literally talking about Doug going into the aspects of being leading HBCUs into the next era, understanding that the urgency that HBCUs need to work with right now, understanding that Dion was not gonna be there forever and long behold He's hired to Colorado seven days later before we run off. It's crazy, it's awesome too. We should celebrate it. Not everybody should be angry. That's what Doug talked about taking upon ourselves to continue

to grow this game. We can't depend on one sole person to do it. It was never gonna work that way, So hats off to him and hats off to everybody that will continue to push this thing forward. Now, thank you guys for all those listeners out there to tuning in. Ask you to spread the word and to give us a rating and review and to follow on Apple podcast, the I Heart Radio app, or wherever you get your podcast. Thank you so much. We out of here.