Secrets of Excellence - Part 1

the NFL's all time leading Russia. He rushed on my defense at least a hundred yards each game. That is the great Efant Smith, sorry Arroganzon the Cardinal teammates. Secondly, we have one of the greatest passers and leaders of all time, Jim Kelly. Next we have the ultimate monster of the midway linebacker Brian Erlacker. What a full head of hair. And lastly, one of the greatest pass Russias

of the twenty one century, the Marcus ware. Welcome, gentlemen, so glad to have all of you have accomplished so much on the football field, But what is the one thing, and don't sugarcoated it. Don't try to be modest. What's the one thing that you yourself see as your legacy in it? Well, you know, first of all, and Neil's thank you for having us, Uh, to be honest with

you when you start thinking about the legacy. Now, I'm turning fifty this year, so I look at the legacy a little bit differently now than I did when I was actually playing the game of ball. Um, it's actually it lies within my family. Uh at the end of the day. Uh, you know, the football is something that I did. It's something that I absolutely loved and was very very passionate about it. But when you peel back the onion and you really get down to really life itself, uh,

you know, football has come and gone. My family is still here, so you know, and I'm just because I have these records and so forth, people remember some of the things that I've done. But every day I wake up and I put my funeral ground, I walk in my house, I see my kids, I see my wife, I see all the things that are really really, really truly important and uh, and so to me, that legacy is right there. Because I lost my mom two years ago. Just lost my father in law in December day after

his ninety first birthday. And when you're putting people in the ground, man, you start to realize that life is much broader than just that East Smith twenty two on the back of a jersey. And so I look at the Legacy a little bit differently. Now, real quick you saying that to to this players that will hear this podcast, What were you thinking? You know Legacy, because you mentioned it's different. Now, when were you thinking when you play?

I think when I was playing, Legacy was all about winning Super Bowls and leaving the mark on the game got you, which is a true statement. But you start to realize that as you start to creep to that age above thirty and you know that the end is near, and you start thinking about what's next, um and and what life would be like beyond the game. Uh, then you really start to look at the little ones in the eyes. I mean because I had two daughters, uh, and and one of my sons, my youngest son, my

oldest son. Now, when I was playing, I was going into thirty one day when I was probably thirty one years old, and my kids was on the side of the the guarney as it was getting to push me back right before they took me out, and I can see them, and it just changed. Everything changed the way I approached the game, changed the way that I actually

thought about playing her. It changed a lot of different things now because I had people that really were counting on me to be there for the rest of their lives and so h you know, the game itself as a beautiful game, and we played the game because we love it number one, And I'm so thankful that fans and so forth get a chance to enjoy the talent. I'm more concerned about the fans because they really don't enjoy the talent. They look at the performance and the performances.

That's it. They don't know nothing about the individuals that are out there on the football field. I like that.

What about you, Jim, what's your legacy? Wow? Um, I mean hit on a lot, uh From the standpoint of me, I remember even growing up in a little small town of Pennsylvania and looking at the team that I lives and players like a Terry Bradshaw Raser Steeler and thinking of my legacy being able to take care of mom and dad and have them look back on life and think that, uh, you know what, these dreams do come

true with the work ethic. But as I get older, I never realized in a million years that the things that I've been through in my life, um, I wouldn't have to endure them, from standpoint of them telling me I would never play football again, to standpoint after you know, going to one super Bowl thing you might even go back, and then wind up going to four super Bowls in a row, and thanks to him he ended those with three and four with a loss, but uh but being

but going four years in a row. And then after I retired, having a son born on my birthday on Valentine's Day, and the dreams I had, and then as I fast forward to the things I've been going through now having kids for three times, and and then traveling to the country speaking and realizing how many people not just uh, you know, adults, but kids coming up to me and tell me how I've been an inspiration to their their father, their mother, or even themselves, saying that,

you know, they looked at life a little differently now after hearing some of the things I went through that they think all professional athletes have, you know, have a good have to have everything they wanted to know, the money, the fame, the fortune, you know, the bright lights. And it's not always like that for everybody. But the thing is, it's your attitude that you have being able to make sure you make it difference for others. And I know the life I'd be given and I would never wish

upon anybody. But I also look back and say, you know what, I remember those days, how much fun I had, the people I had as my teammates, the love that I have on that team, to love that I still have with the players that I have right now, but right now knowing that I am making a difference out there for so many other people that um, if they had to do it over again, they would totally take it a different way. And I came up with the saying, make a difference today for someone who was fighting for

their tomorrow. And that's legacy I would love to leave. You know, everybody will go through that, But you know what I live eaching every day I enjoyed myself. The good Lord decides to marrows my day, well, I'm going out with a smile on my face and a pulled drink on my other hand, and I'm going I'm smile,

so we'll leave with that. I'm enjoying each and every day. Now, well, I can tell you this gym for all of us, just seeing your fight and seeing your resilience, it's it's obviously the Lord at work, but it also takes a man departner with him and not quit. I've had I've had um great leadership from my father who raised ship's boys were probably more of a leader and then anybody would ever think. And that was my son who lived

to be eight and a half years old. He never spoke a word, but he changed my life for the good. And yeah, I'm like everybody. You know your dream about teaching and coaching your little boy, you know, growing up and raising a son. But good Lord had different plans from me, guys, to make a difference for others, and through my Shun, even though he never spoke for she has made a difference for so many people out there. And number one his daddy, Thank you, Jim. You know, Brian,

I remember seeing you in college. How much you wait, But I remember returning punts just crazy, that's how bad we worked, returning to kick off some punts. I mean, everybody else to put back there. So that's how that's how bad our team was. Even as you've heard Jim, you've you've heard him, what what do you think is

your legacy? So mine is on the same lines as you know as I I've been retired for six years now, I think as you're playing, you kind of have your your legacy and minded what you think you want to be, what you want to leave behind as a football player. And immediately after I retired, it was it all changed right away because you know, football was great, like it was so good to me. I love football. I enjoyed playing, I love being My favorite thing on football is bear

on my teammates all day. Man. I love going to work every day. I love being around those guys. I love being in the locker room. I didn't like meetings, but they were fun. I didn't like going because you're in there for four hours a day. Man, it's old. But hold up. Send it to the high schoolers. Yeah who think? Okay? Let me Yeah, So we go to the meetings or four hours a day on on a short day, and they're not fun, but our coaches made

them fun. So I love going to work. I love being the way were I love being a practice with my teammates. Um, I think my legacy as a player was to be good. I want to be a good thing, that's all all. I want to be remembered this as a good teammate. And I said that all of Fame speech, But I don't remember that as a football player. I want to be remembered as a father, as a role model, as a guy who does other things outside of football. You know, my kids, and I said this in my

speech as well, my kids in my legacy. You know, they were sitting down the front row there as I was up there giving my speech. And you see it more and more. The further are you you are removed from football, the more you realize that. I feel like, um, and it's been great since I've been out, it's been great, you know, because when you're playing, you're so into you and football and what you need to do to get better and how you're gonna help your team win. You are,

You're good. You're still a father, don't get me wrong, You're still father. But you can't put your hands on like not like in a physical I'm just saying you can't. I can't mold your kids. You can't mold your kids the way you want to because you're not there as much as you want to be. So now that when you retired, you're there all the time. It's been great, you know. I've had so much fun with them, Um,

coaching my son and you're in football. Just being around my daughters and being able to be a part of everyday life, taking the school, you know, picking up whatever I need to do, I can do it. It's just nice to be a part of that. And the biggest thing to me is that they are my legacy. In my opinion of football was great, loved it fun, but I don't I don't want to be remembered as I don't remembered as a father of my three children. What the thing is, you know, for me, it's it's something

that didn't even have anything to do with football. The same thing you're saying about your son, you're saying about your family and kids. You're saying about your family and kids. And what we're trying to really get people to understand is that football is great. There was something that we did and it was amazing, But to everyone in this world, the main thing and what's the most important thing is family. Family is the most important thing that is, and that's

the legacy that all of us always wanted. It wasn't the money, it's not the watches, it's not the crazy stuff that you can go buy whatever you would, you would you you know, make it from football, but it's something that you strive for and uh, when you think about like little intangible things of the impact that you make. We were great because we knew how to fight. We knew how to fight. Jim Kelly know how to fight.

You knew how to fight. Everybody had some type of fighting them and we talked each one of those guys on our team. And so now even when you guys played, if it was guys that you played with, you see them and you see what you talked them. But you also taught them how to fight. And that's a legacy that we as everyone here, we've left for everyone in the NFL is like we have that mentality of fighting.

But also to the normal fans, the fans look at us as role models because they're going through a lot of the things in their lives and they also want to fight, and they sort of branch themselves onto us. But because that's what we do, right, But then we're normal too, because family is the most important thing that

drives each one of us. So for me, legacy and having that mentality of being able to fight, because when I watched every one of you that came before me, I've seen the fight in your eyes when y'all come out of that tunnel every week. I've seen that fight in the locker room, you guys leading, And I said, I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that's doing it because he's impacted me. And I'm a young child right now, but I can become

just a smige it of that guy right there. I can almost do the same thing that he's been doing. And the question, based on what you accomplish on the field, how has it helped you in what you're doing now, Well, I think football teaches you so much. I'm just how did there's so many ups and downs in football? You know, football, game practice, your career, the injuries, whatever it is you gotta go through to get to the game on Sunday. I think life's the same way. Not everything is gonna

be perfect all the time. I think football teach you to deal with that and get through it. Um lean on people if you need to. You've got friends, family, wherever you lean on, and also look inside yourself, you know, to see how how mentally tough you are, how physically tough you are to get through these situations. Um, post football, I mean it was it was a change because you don't have those guys ever there to to talk to, to lean on, your coaches to talk to, or the trainer,

whoever it is to lean on. Exience, Yeah, you gotta. Then you turn into your wife, you turn into your kids, your brother. It's a different people you lean on. Because I don't care how tough we think, we all need. We all need to help. And I think that's what I realized the most when I retired, is that I'm gonna need some help making this transition from football, from a football player to a regular person and doing things that normal people do all the time. So that was

the hardest thing for me. Um, you know, I still haven't done a whole lot since I retired. I'm still enjoying being a father and I haven't got bored yet. My big things when I got bored you, but it finds something to do. I haven't got two I turned for to you last year, So I still got some times. I got some time to get bored still, So my kids will be, you know, off in college, and in five years I'll have all three of them out of the house. So then I'm as something I'm gonna get bored.

So and here and Brian hit it right on. It's the people you're around, um she attitude that you surround yourself with. You talked about family. We all talked about families through this. I had five brothers, and with my five brothers and my wife and my two daughters, those

were amazing people in my life. Even though I talked a little bit more about what my life has been since I retired, but I would not be here if it wasn't for the people I had in my life and my brothers not one time today or have a you know, the frown on their face when they saw what their brother was going through. Were my wife or my daughter or Bruce and Thurmon and all those guys that I played with always have been in there for me,

and we're there for each other all the time. And I think by what we went through as a team um Fighting. We were in the a f U Championship game five out of six years we went through the four Super Bowls in a row we didn't win. It was almost preparing some of us for what we had don the road in life and how are we going to come together as a team after we get downe playing the game of football. And I learned so much

through that. And I learned that, you know what, as I traveled and I looked, I don't have it that bad. There's so many people have what work shan I do? Just keep fighting and keep surrounding yourself with good quality of people with great attitudes. And for all those kids out there that are listening to this, they're gonna We're all gonna go through tough times for life. When you're young, you're gonna go through times. But you're like, I can't

believe that's happening. Trust me, it's your attitude that you're having. How are you going to make that situation better? Because we all go through it, and we all went through And the thing, who do you strong yourself with? Who's going to change your attitude to make sure you make that better for somebody else that's watching you. And that's how I've learned throughout my trying times. And I even know that there's still times that I have ahead of

me that I'm gonna go through. But as long as I continue to strong myself with the family I have and those whacker doodle teammates your mind, I'm gonna be all right. Right Well, I mean Brian said he touched on something, uh, and I think the Marcus and Jim.

You know, when you're in the locker room, there are so many guys that you have so many things in common with, and when it comes down to that fight or having to run that extra five one teams or whatever it may be, and you're struggling and you got your team, it'll come on. Do you can make it? Make it? And they're pushing you to that. But when it comes to life, you look around and you find yourself in a tough situation. You look around and say,

who's who's in his fox with me? And sometimes you feel like you and there by yourself because you don't have no one I can turn to my wife. My wife probably doesn't know where it liked for me to be in a foxhold like this. She could probably turn to me and say, well, you don't know what it's like to deliver a baby. I have no clue. But it's you're right. It is the fight. It's the fight to continue to survive. It's the fight to continue to persevere.

It's the fight to get on the other side of whatever this is that's resisting us at this particular moment. It's the understanding of the attitude of the fight that's saying that this too shall pass at some point. I mean, because you know, you're not in the every super Bowl,

and you're not having winning seasons every year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there is an exception, but but then you also have those times when there is dry seasons because it and uh, I mean you're going six and ten and you're going four in the four in twelve and stuff like that. It just doesn't feel good. But yet you have to finish the season, and you have to prepare every week

as if you're going out to win. And so I think it's that fight, uh, that we we look to at times and we find ourselves in corners by ourselves because we're not in that locker room any longer. And and and so whether or not you're able to pick up the phone and call one of your boys and have a sit down conversations because he is going to doing his thing, and you're doing your thing, and everybody

spread out now during their things. So the communication lines are not as natural as they once were, and so things have changed dramatically. But the beautiful thing about it is we do have those fundamentals that have taught us those things, how to survive, how to uh persevere, how to stand on your own two feet and become your own leader. I mean, amongst a bunch of alpha dogs, obviously there's one that emerges up, or two that merges up, or three or four that merges up in every locker room.

And that doesn't mean that the others in our alpha dogs neither. It's just the fact that leadership has to yield to somebody at some point and allow this thing to shape, take shape, so it can be so the ship can be driven in the right direction. Say that again, leadership sometimes has to be you have to yield. Everybody can't be the chief. You have to have. You gotta

have some Indians. And so at the end of the day, whether that quarterback is designated as that guy and he earned the right to do that, or if it's that wives or that linebacker on the defensive side the ball, or if it's that running back or combination, because performance also dictates who's leading without even speaking, because when it comes down the net cut of time, some people turn like, hey, hey, I need you to make it. So what you're saying

is performance has its own voice. Yes, performance definitely has its own voice. But I think the thing that we all turn to is that consistency in our lives. I think that's where stability comes at. It's a key word in the in the consistency in our lives. Those things that stay consistent in one's life you can hold on to like this. It's the things that up and down like yo yo's that give you pause, things that says I don't know if I can really trust that because

it's inconsistent. And I think that's what we all have built our careers upon, is being consistent for thirteen, fourteen, how many years you play twelve, fifteen. You don't play fifteen years without being consistent correct, And you don't play fifteen years without having the level of humility. You don't play fifteen years or fourteen years without having some type of focus and something beyond yourself correct. And so that sacrifice is is what we bring into the real world,

whether it's in business, whether it's in our home. Uh. And those are the type of things some of the things that we tried to I tried to instill with them my kids. Boys and girls, you must understand you have to be able to make your own decision and be okay with it. Great leaders find themselves on the island,

sometimes by themselves. But for me, uh, if you had about four or five words like teamwork, right, that's one thing you always take from football, being a leader, being able to take that step, being that guy, like he said, being that chief to say no, right, and then being able to change, being able to change because every year when you go into work, if you had the right mentality, he was like that guy that could take my job. Right.

And but that's what made us great because we went into that the whole season of that guy can take my job and he's not going to do that. And then there was not a new guys that you're trying to get a championship team against. And I'm gonna make I'm gonna make sure I said right. Because when you're running, the dream is easy. But when your legs start to get a little weary and your dreams start to fade away, then you drop off, and then you have to face reality.

Reality is not playing football anymore. Reality is family. And then you get into the point to where your reality is your family, and your family is now your team. But how can you sort of respond to your team? And what I mean by that, I can't talk to my wife the same way or my girlfriend the same way I talked to my friends. Right, they can't work out. I can't work out with them and do the same stuff I used to do. But so you have to

figure out how to change. Change. But that's what football told us how to do, how to change and still be that leader, still be that guy at Alpha Doll, but now for your family. And that's what I see a lot of guys struggle with. I see a lot of guys struggle when they come out of the league. They have everything that they need, but they don't know how to use it. They don't know how to use it in a different environment, and so they think that

the environment shouldn't change. No, you should be a chameleon. You've been doing that for all these years. You should be in a change with your environment. Adapt because you got the two Here here's the word, and we do it all the time. We call it in game adjustments, we may post game adjustments, in game adjustments and pregame adjustments. Period. It's adjusting to the situation, because every situation will have

a change in it. I mean there are times when we're going into a football field and we're not prepared for a certain kind of blitz and they may get us on this time, but when we come to the sideline and making adjustment, so that that's exactly what you're talking about. The change. I said adjustment, but the word really is changed. And because every day, and one thing I learned since I retired is I don't have have Jimmy Johnson or Barry Switch or somebody setting the schedule

for me. No more. I don't have nobody sending that schedule. I don't have nobody to drive me to go, drive me to get up and go, work up, get in the weight room and train like that. No more. All being set is completely routine, guys. And after the post life or force football routine is much different than the in football routine. What what has to flip the mentality? Because I call it, you call it consistent. My word

is a bit a thermostat and stood at thermometer. It's it's and what I Sometimes when guys leave the game, they're tired of the rigidy, so they won't want to be free. Free. But but the more we remind ourselves to think about in our lives what we actually did in the game. Yeah, I went through bell polsy so so my face contorted. It's back and last mate. And and when I talked to one guy who been through it,

he said, man, you're not depression. I said so no. And then in my my I'm a pastor, so my church member life, you still don't preach yes, And when I still would do all my speaking engage and I mean I was contorted. I saw you this summer exacting thing on the football field. What do we learn? You play, you you injured, you go if you can go, you can go. You're not injured, right. But the whole point is to remember that that perspective. It's this life is

not Roses. There's no sech thing. How much money you have, you could avoid different things. It's the bitter get yourself to yet it's kind of like, get yourself together and think about, Man, you can do this. Stay tuned for part two. This has been so good we have to do too. This has been the NFL Legends podcast. To provide feedback or request a topic for discussion, email us at NFL Legends at nfl dot com.