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[Vick] Football should be simple.
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The best players play.
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That's what I see today.
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Yeah, baby.
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[Vick] Quarterbacks of all races
competing together.
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Same rhythm,
just take a little something off though.
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I guarantee you complete half of them.
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Coaches of all races
helping everyone get better.
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I want you actually up,
because you're comfortable.
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[Vick] It may sound simple,
but the path to get here wasn't.
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- Hard work on three. One, two, three.
- [players] Hard work.
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[reporter 1] The Negro is proud of
the advancement his race is making.
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[commentator 1] That colored boy
is sure getting under their skin.
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{\an8}[commentator 2] Kenny Washington's
getting the ball, fakes the pass.
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{\an8}- He's going to run with it.
- [commentator 3] That's still a long run!
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[reporter 2] Government was
intended to be for the White man.
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[Malcolm X]
We didn't land on Plymouth Rock.
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The rock was landed on us.
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[reporter 3] Coaches seem to believe
that Blacks are inferior thinkers.
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[George Wallace] ...and segregation forever.
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I am a revolutionary.
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[commentator 4] Briscoe for the touchdown.
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[Jimmy Snyder]
The Black is a better athlete
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because he's been bred to be that way.
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[reporter 4]
I hope Doug Williams puts to bed
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about the Black athlete once and for all
in professional football.
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[Al Campanis] How many quarterbacks
do you have that are Black?
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They may not have the necessities...
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[commentator 5]
Falcons select Michael Vick.
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{\an8}[Obama] There is not
a Black America and a White America.
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{\an8}- There's the United States of America.
- [reporter 5] An unarmed African American...
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[reporter 6] There is an awakening...
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[reporter 7] The emergence of
the Black quarterback is not a myth.
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[commentator 6] And Patrick Mahomes's
revolution continues.
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[Vick] This journey
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to trace the evolution
of the Black quarterback
37
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is personal.
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From the early greats
to Doug breaking through,
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these pioneers opened the doors for me.
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But just because the doors were open,
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doesn't mean
there weren't still challenges.
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{\an8}In the 1980s, there was
a Washington Post- ABC News poll done
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where, for the first time,
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the majority of White folks
saying that they had a Black friend.
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But they still didn't want to live
in neighborhoods with Black people.
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And so there was a mindset that existed
that still continued to perpetuate racism.
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{\an8}A lot of that was just reflective
of what was going on
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{\an8}in so many different communities
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where we checked the box already.
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Racism is over.
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{\an8}And as we know,
racism certainly wasn't over.
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{\an8}The 1980s are a time when we began to see
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{\an8}a lot of African Americans
rise in star power
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all across the social landscape.
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From Oprah Winfrey
to Michael Jordan to Eddie Murphy.
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African Americans coming into society
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and being the star figures
in their industry.
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And this is a key moment
because prior to this,
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many people thought the country would
struggle with African Americans being
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the most high-profile people
throughout areas of entertainment.
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{\an8}It was like the ceiling got higher
but the floor got a lot lower.
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And when it comes to
the Black quarterback,
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they found themselves more
on the floor than on the ceiling.
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In the 1980s there were some.
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The name Randall Cunningham comes to mind.
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You're talking about somebody
with such outrageous talent
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that unless you came down
from Planet Awesome
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to play the position
like nobody had ever seen before,
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you were not going to get a shot.
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{\an8}The racism,
as it affected Black quarterbacks,
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00:04:06,623 --> 00:04:09,209
was subtle and it was overt.
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You look at a player like a Warren Moon
who doesn't even get a chance
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after excelling at one of the major
college conferences on a major stage.
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You can't tell me that Warren Moon
not getting a chance in the NFL
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was not driven by race.
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[crowd cheers]
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["Do It" playing]
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♪ Ooh ♪
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♪ Go on and do it
Do it ♪
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♪ Do it till you're satisfied ♪
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♪ Whatever it is ♪
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The man, the myth, the legend.
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- Warren.
- Michael, how are you, brother?
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- Thanks for taking the time.
- Welcome to the West Coast.
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{\an8}Yes, absolutely.
And welcome to the Rose Bowl.
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{\an8}[Moon] I love this place.
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As a young kid growing up,
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we would come out here
to Pasadena and watch the parade...
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[Vick] Wow.
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...but then go home
and then I'd watch the game
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and picturing one day maybe.
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[commentator 1] Moon with time.
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Throwing. Touchdown!
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00:05:05,766 --> 00:05:08,310
[commentator 2] For the Oilers,
everything is falling into place.
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00:05:11,605 --> 00:05:14,649
[Vick] Warren, you recently introduced me
at the Quarterback Hall of Fame,
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and that was a special moment for me
because I idolized you growing up.
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I cried when we lost to the Buffalo Bills.
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00:05:22,908 --> 00:05:23,825
[laughs]
99
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- I cheered when you threw...
- [chuckles] "We lost."
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00:05:25,869 --> 00:05:30,332
...passes to Ernest Givins
and-and all those receivers that you had.
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00:05:30,332 --> 00:05:32,834
{\an8}Yeah, when they called me
about doing it, I said, "Sure.
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{\an8}Where you want me, when you want me?"
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{\an8}Because, um, I have so much
respect for you. I was proud to be there.
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{\an8}[music ends]
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What inspired you to play quarterback?
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Well, as a young kid, I had good speed
but I also had a really good arm.
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And then I had
natural leadership qualities because,
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as a young kid,
my dad died when I was seven.
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I had six sisters and my mom,
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so I kinda took over
that leadership role in my house.
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So, I was the guy that,
in the neighborhood,
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I... I organized everything.
I got everybody together to play.
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We played against different streets
and stuff like that.
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- Yeah.
- I was the one doing all that.
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00:06:06,076 --> 00:06:09,079
[Vick] When you think about your
recruiting process, what was that like?
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[Moon] I wanted to go
to a school that threw the ball.
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But most of the schools
that were recruiting me were wishbone.
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I ended up committing to Arizona State.
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And then, all of a sudden,
they signed the two top quarterbacks
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in the country at that time.
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{\an8}A guy by the name of Dennis Sproul,
I'll never forget their names,
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{\an8}- and Bruce Hardy...
- [Vick] Okay.
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{\an8}...who ended up playing tight end
in the NFL. [chuckles]
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I was about to say,
those guys never made it.
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Yeah. They didn't make it.
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And they told me
they were gonna switch my position.
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So I de-committed,
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and I couldn't get any schools that
threw the football to, uh, recruit me.
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So junior college gave me the chance,
so I went there.
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I had a job in the, uh,
athletic department.
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- I had the keys to the film library.
- Yeah.
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I sent my film out to different schools
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- I wanted to go to...
- You were being proactive.
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...they sent it back to my house,
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I got it back in the library,
nobody ever knew it was gone.
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And that's how I got recruited.
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So, you decide to go
to the University of Washington?
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- [Moon] Yeah.
- [Vick] Coming from California,
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I know it was a difference in the culture.
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[Moon] They had never had
an African American quarterback there.
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- [Vick] Yeah.
- [Moon] And I ended up
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starting up there as a sophomore.
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We didn't have a lot of talent,
we got off to a slow start,
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{\an8}so the crowd of course
was really starting to get on me.
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{\an8}- [Vick] Right.
- I'm wondering,
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"Did I make the right choice
to go up there to play... to play football?"
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Because that was the first place
I got called the N-word, you know?
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That was hard to deal with
at 19 years old.
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You know, you-you got 65,000 people
every time you run out on the field...
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- Yeah. It's a different story.
- ...you getting booed.
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Being a 19-year-old young man,
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I can only imagine
what that made you feel like.
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Just the fact that people, uh, weren't
happy with me in general really hurt.
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But then to be, you know,
called names like that,
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uh, that took it to another level.
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That wasn't the last time
that I heard it either...
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either in college or, uh, in pro football,
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but you almost
got used to it after a while,
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because that's just kind of the way...
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There was a certain segment of our society
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that's very bigoted
and, uh, very prejudice.
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- A lot of history. I wanna hear about it.
- [Moon] A lot of history here.
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- The guy with the great Afro right there.
- [Vick] You got this guy. Looking good.
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[Moon] He had more hair in those days.
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{\an8}[both laughing]
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You know,
this game was a big game for you guys.
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[commentator 1] From the Rose Bowl
in Pasadena, the 1978 Rose Bowl Game.
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[Moon] It was one of
the biggest games of my career.
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We were playing
the Mighty Michigan Wolverines.
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We felt like if we could win this game,
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not only would it put our program
on the map, but it would be big for me.
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We were up 17-0 at halftime.
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[commentator 2] Roll. He is in!
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Moon goes deep. There's Gaines.
Got it! Touchdown!
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Warren Moon. And he's over.
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[commentator 3] He's got it all, Kurt!
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[Moon] They made, uh, a valiant comeback,
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but the last drive we picked off
their quarterback, Rick Leach,
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and sealed the game.
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So you had this big day, and now,
you know, you-you entering the NFL draft.
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I know that-that process
was a little difficult for you.
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You know,
I'm the Pac-8 player of the year.
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I go to the Rose Bowl,
we-we beat a really good team.
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[Vick] Right.
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[Moon] And I'm MVP of the game.
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And what teams were telling me,
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I wasn't gonna be drafted
as a quarterback.
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Wow.
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Because I didn't come out
of a pro-style offense.
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But I could throw from the pocket.
I threw from the pocket in that game.
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They said I was too small,
my arm wasn't strong enough.
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That was probably one
of my greatest attributes.
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It was probably stronger in college
than it was when I was in the NFL.
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- Yeah.
- So, just the things they came up with,
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they-they just... they didn't jive.
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- Yeah.
- They all just kinda spoke of racism.
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All you ask for in life,
at least that's all I ask for,
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- is-is opportunity.
- Yeah.
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00:09:45,670 --> 00:09:48,006
If you can give me an opportunity
to show what I can do
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00:09:48,006 --> 00:09:50,133
and I'm not good enough,
then I'll do something else.
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00:09:50,133 --> 00:09:53,303
But to not even get an opportunity,
it-it really did hurt.
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00:10:00,602 --> 00:10:02,437
We're gonna have a lot
of conversations today.
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00:10:02,437 --> 00:10:04,564
Ultimately, when it comes down to it,
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00:10:04,564 --> 00:10:09,152
why do you think it wasn't a lot
of Black quarterbacks as opposed to now.
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00:10:09,152 --> 00:10:12,739
There was a, uh...
a stereotype that we couldn't think,
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00:10:12,739 --> 00:10:14,657
that we weren't smart enough
to play the position.
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00:10:14,657 --> 00:10:19,621
But I think even more important,
it was a position of leadership,
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00:10:19,621 --> 00:10:22,082
it was a position of power.
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00:10:22,082 --> 00:10:26,961
It was something that not only in playing
quarterback they didn't want us to do,
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00:10:26,961 --> 00:10:29,381
they didn't want us to be that way
in any form of life,
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00:10:29,381 --> 00:10:31,383
whether it was government, business,
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00:10:31,383 --> 00:10:35,387
they just didn't want African Americans
having that type of power and clout.
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00:10:35,887 --> 00:10:38,056
[Vick] As I grew older
and learned your story,
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00:10:38,056 --> 00:10:39,933
I found out you had to take the CFL route.
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00:10:39,933 --> 00:10:41,851
Again, you know,
we talked about opportunity,
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00:10:41,851 --> 00:10:44,938
and-and I wanted an opportunity
and I didn't care where it was.
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00:10:44,938 --> 00:10:48,149
I didn't care if they had
a league in Siberia or somewhere.
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00:10:48,149 --> 00:10:50,777
If they was gonna let me play quarterback,
I was gonna go there.
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00:10:50,777 --> 00:10:53,279
It's a decision
that I'll never second guess.
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00:10:55,615 --> 00:10:56,825
[commentator 1] Moon drops deep.
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00:10:56,825 --> 00:10:58,410
There's outside pressure.
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00:10:58,410 --> 00:11:00,120
He steps up and fires.
223
00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:01,162
Touchdown!
224
00:11:01,162 --> 00:11:05,125
We won, uh, championships in our
first five years that I was up there.
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00:11:05,125 --> 00:11:06,626
They had a lot of success.
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00:11:06,626 --> 00:11:10,296
But I'm watching television,
and I'm seeing guys in the NFL playing
227
00:11:10,296 --> 00:11:12,257
that I think
I'm good enough or better than
228
00:11:12,257 --> 00:11:14,092
that are playing on Sundays.
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00:11:15,343 --> 00:11:18,847
So that-that was a bitter pill to swallow
that you feel like you should be
230
00:11:18,847 --> 00:11:21,224
at least getting a chance
to play out there with those guys.
231
00:11:21,224 --> 00:11:22,976
They say winning cures everything.
232
00:11:22,976 --> 00:11:25,895
So winning made it a lot easier
to stay up there.
233
00:11:26,563 --> 00:11:28,857
But there were a lot
of cold days up there. It was...
234
00:11:28,857 --> 00:11:31,067
- [Vick] It's Canada. Yeah.
- [Moon] It gets cold in Canada.
235
00:11:31,067 --> 00:11:34,154
I played in a game one time,
minus 42 Celsius.
236
00:11:34,154 --> 00:11:35,530
How many yards you pass for?
237
00:11:35,530 --> 00:11:38,032
- Uh, three something. [chuckles]
- Damn.
238
00:11:38,032 --> 00:11:39,033
Skills was there.
239
00:11:40,243 --> 00:11:43,288
[Moon] I loved playing up there
because I could just play
240
00:11:43,288 --> 00:11:45,373
and not have to think about anything else.
241
00:11:45,373 --> 00:11:48,960
{\an8}And then finally, the NFL
now wanted to come at me.
242
00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,589
{\an8}And I had seven teams bidding for my
services when I came back to the league.
243
00:11:52,589 --> 00:11:55,133
{\an8}[Vick] So the whole time,
everything had changed.
244
00:11:55,133 --> 00:11:56,634
{\an8}[Moon] Whole thing had changed.
245
00:11:57,302 --> 00:12:01,723
Now you get to the NFL, you look around
and you see other Black quarterbacks,
246
00:12:01,723 --> 00:12:05,643
and do y'all choose to stick together
and-and root for one another?
247
00:12:05,643 --> 00:12:08,688
When I first came in the league,
believe it or not, I was the only one.
248
00:12:09,272 --> 00:12:11,191
Doug was in the USFL at that time.
249
00:12:11,191 --> 00:12:13,443
Randall hadn't came into the league.
250
00:12:13,443 --> 00:12:15,320
So I had a lot of eyes on me.
251
00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,906
Talk about some of
the high points in-in Houston.
252
00:12:17,906 --> 00:12:20,033
I think the biggest high
was when we finally made it
253
00:12:20,033 --> 00:12:21,993
to the play-offs after that third year.
254
00:12:21,993 --> 00:12:25,830
They hadn't been to the play-offs since
when Earl Campbell was-was still there.
255
00:12:25,830 --> 00:12:28,041
So to finally get back to the play-offs,
256
00:12:28,041 --> 00:12:31,211
win that first play-off game at home
against Seattle, that was huge.
257
00:12:31,211 --> 00:12:33,796
[commentator 2] The Houston Oilers
in their first play-off appearance
258
00:12:33,796 --> 00:12:35,965
in seven years.
259
00:12:35,965 --> 00:12:37,467
Winning it in overtime.
260
00:12:37,467 --> 00:12:40,678
And Moon taking MVP honors.
261
00:12:40,678 --> 00:12:43,806
And then there was a lot of things
I dealt with throughout my career
262
00:12:43,806 --> 00:12:46,434
that I held inside of me
and compartmentalized
263
00:12:46,434 --> 00:12:50,396
just so I could move on to the next game
or the next day or whatever it might be.
264
00:12:50,396 --> 00:12:52,732
But two that really stick out is,
265
00:12:53,233 --> 00:12:55,485
I remember when my son,
he was seven years old,
266
00:12:55,485 --> 00:12:58,154
after a game we lost at the Astrodome,
267
00:12:58,154 --> 00:13:00,448
he comes to my locker
after the game and he's crying.
268
00:13:00,448 --> 00:13:02,617
I'm like, "It's all right, Josh.
We lost a game,
269
00:13:02,617 --> 00:13:03,910
but we'll win next week."
270
00:13:03,910 --> 00:13:05,578
He's like, "No, Dad, I wanna know why
271
00:13:05,578 --> 00:13:08,248
all these people were calling you
all these bad names and..."
272
00:13:08,248 --> 00:13:12,835
Right there I had to take off my
football hat and put on my-my dad hat,
273
00:13:12,835 --> 00:13:16,422
you know, and explain to him
why people might have been, you know,
274
00:13:16,422 --> 00:13:19,968
calling me these names
and talk to him a little bit about, uh,
275
00:13:19,968 --> 00:13:22,011
ignorance and-and things like that
276
00:13:22,011 --> 00:13:24,764
that I shouldn't have to try and explain
to a seven-year-old.
277
00:13:24,764 --> 00:13:25,848
- Exactly.
- But that's what
278
00:13:25,848 --> 00:13:27,100
he was dealing with at the time.
279
00:13:27,100 --> 00:13:29,435
So I had to try
and make it make sense to him.
280
00:13:29,435 --> 00:13:32,272
And then another time I remember when I...
On my 35th birthday,
281
00:13:32,272 --> 00:13:33,898
we were playing in Cleveland.
282
00:13:33,898 --> 00:13:37,527
I threw five touchdown passes that day,
so they brought me out of the game.
283
00:13:37,527 --> 00:13:39,571
And I'm standing on the sideline,
284
00:13:39,571 --> 00:13:42,699
and then all of a sudden our
director of security comes over and says,
285
00:13:42,699 --> 00:13:44,909
"Warren, when the game is over,
you stand right here."
286
00:13:45,785 --> 00:13:49,497
And the next thing you know, about eight
policemen come around and surround me
287
00:13:49,497 --> 00:13:51,708
and they walk me off the field,
and they said,
288
00:13:51,708 --> 00:13:53,710
"Been another death threat on your life.
289
00:13:53,710 --> 00:13:56,129
We're gonna walk you off the field.
So you just stay close to us."
290
00:13:56,129 --> 00:14:00,049
So stuff like that were some of
the unpleasant things about the game and...
291
00:14:00,049 --> 00:14:02,093
and that I didn't feel comfortable
about all the time.
292
00:14:02,093 --> 00:14:03,553
And I never talked about these, you know.
293
00:14:03,553 --> 00:14:06,472
I never told my wife that I was dealing
with this or any of this type of stuff.
294
00:14:06,472 --> 00:14:08,057
And I just internalized it all.
295
00:14:08,057 --> 00:14:10,184
And there were a lot more
like that throughout my time.
296
00:14:10,184 --> 00:14:12,145
- That people don't even know about.
- No.
297
00:14:12,145 --> 00:14:13,938
Sorry you had to go through that.
298
00:14:15,064 --> 00:14:16,232
It's life.
299
00:14:16,232 --> 00:14:17,692
- You paved the way.
- Yes, sir.
300
00:14:17,692 --> 00:14:18,943
Truly paved the way.
301
00:14:18,943 --> 00:14:22,071
Now, you-you go through
all these trying times, good and bad,
302
00:14:22,071 --> 00:14:26,242
you-you chauffeur through it,
and then you make the Hall of Fame.
303
00:14:26,242 --> 00:14:28,202
I love professional football.
304
00:14:28,202 --> 00:14:30,371
I have a passion
for professional football.
305
00:14:30,371 --> 00:14:32,081
I'm a fan of the game.
306
00:14:32,832 --> 00:14:35,877
And to be included
with these guys back here,
307
00:14:37,086 --> 00:14:41,132
besides my four kids being born,
this is the happiest day of my life.
308
00:14:41,924 --> 00:14:45,345
[Moon] I knew that getting to the stage
was gonna also help other young guys
309
00:14:45,345 --> 00:14:49,182
get a... get an opportunity to-to play more
quarterback as African Americans.
310
00:14:49,182 --> 00:14:51,309
Makes me want to stick
my chest out just a little bit
311
00:14:51,309 --> 00:14:53,936
to know I played a small part in that.
312
00:14:55,021 --> 00:14:57,398
[Vick] Switch positions or play in Canada.
313
00:14:57,899 --> 00:15:00,985
Not that long ago, those were the choices.
314
00:15:01,486 --> 00:15:04,947
{\an8}And because there were so few
Black quarterbacks for so long,
315
00:15:06,449 --> 00:15:09,452
{\an8}we found inspiration in other places.
316
00:15:09,452 --> 00:15:11,579
{\an8}["A Little Less Conversation" playing]
317
00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,875
[commentator 1] Staubach
looks like he might take off.
318
00:15:15,875 --> 00:15:18,127
Got away from one. Got away twice.
319
00:15:18,127 --> 00:15:19,379
[commentator 2] Touchdown!
320
00:15:19,379 --> 00:15:22,006
[commentator 3] Young runs away,
has some space. He's got lots of room.
321
00:15:22,006 --> 00:15:23,925
[commentator 4] Oh, what a play!
322
00:15:25,718 --> 00:15:30,139
The Bears had a guy named Bobby Douglass
who was a running quarterback.
323
00:15:30,139 --> 00:15:33,226
The Vikings had Fran Tarkenton
who was a scrambler.
324
00:15:33,226 --> 00:15:35,311
The Cowboys had Roger Staubach.
325
00:15:35,311 --> 00:15:37,730
They called him "Roger the Dodger"
326
00:15:37,730 --> 00:15:41,901
because he would take off
and break down a defense with his legs.
327
00:15:42,402 --> 00:15:45,363
[commentator 5] He runs, goes to the 40,
gets away again!
328
00:15:45,363 --> 00:15:46,739
[Wyche] You talk about
the mobile quarterback,
329
00:15:46,739 --> 00:15:50,868
{\an8}nobody was more mobile,
fast, big arm than Steve Young.
330
00:15:50,868 --> 00:15:52,495
[commentator 6] Play's gonna be a sack.
Gets away.
331
00:15:52,495 --> 00:15:53,788
[Wyche] Look at John Elway.
332
00:15:53,788 --> 00:15:56,165
[commentator 7] Fake to Davis.
Elway's gonna bootleg by himself.
333
00:15:56,165 --> 00:15:58,918
Ten-yard line,
five-yard line, touchdown Elway!
334
00:15:58,918 --> 00:16:00,545
It used to be thought that anybody
335
00:16:00,545 --> 00:16:04,590
who runs from the quarterback position
is going to get hurt.
336
00:16:04,590 --> 00:16:09,429
And they showed that a dual-threat
can take you to the championship game.
337
00:16:09,429 --> 00:16:12,515
[commentator 8] Tucks it in, 35,
30, stays inbounds,
338
00:16:12,515 --> 00:16:15,768
one man to get by, touchdown 49ers!
339
00:16:15,768 --> 00:16:17,603
{\an8}♪ A little less fight
And a little more spark ♪
340
00:16:17,603 --> 00:16:20,398
♪ Close your mouth and open up your heart
And, baby, satisfy me ♪
341
00:16:20,398 --> 00:16:21,524
[Vick] Mr. Steve Young.
342
00:16:21,524 --> 00:16:23,443
- [laughs] Mike!
- How you doing?
343
00:16:23,443 --> 00:16:26,112
Bro, I am honored to be here, bro.
344
00:16:26,112 --> 00:16:27,530
- Legend. [laughs]
- Don't even try that.
345
00:16:27,530 --> 00:16:28,698
Don't even try that.
346
00:16:28,698 --> 00:16:30,074
- How you doing?
- A lot of love to you.
347
00:16:30,074 --> 00:16:31,701
You must do a lot of yoga. You look great.
348
00:16:31,701 --> 00:16:33,953
I'm, you know, just chasing kids like you.
349
00:16:35,288 --> 00:16:37,707
[no audible dialogue]
350
00:16:37,707 --> 00:16:40,960
You paved the way for myself and a lot
of other guys more than you know.
351
00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,254
{\an8}- We gonna talk about it.
- I'm honored that you say that, Mike.
352
00:16:43,254 --> 00:16:45,673
{\an8}You've said that before to me,
and it's heartwarming
353
00:16:45,673 --> 00:16:48,926
that you would watch me
and think that my game could be helpful.
354
00:16:48,926 --> 00:16:51,804
Since we both play golf, we gonna have
a little putting competition.
355
00:16:51,804 --> 00:16:53,473
Right away you're gonna compete with me?
356
00:16:53,473 --> 00:16:55,433
We gonna warm up.
We gonna have a putting competition
357
00:16:55,433 --> 00:16:57,435
- to talk a little quarterback play.
- Let's do it.
358
00:16:58,060 --> 00:16:59,061
There it is.
359
00:16:59,729 --> 00:17:01,439
Yeah, I wanted to challenge you
right out the gate.
360
00:17:02,732 --> 00:17:03,608
[groans]
361
00:17:07,612 --> 00:17:08,946
There we go.
362
00:17:09,572 --> 00:17:10,490
- [laughs]
- All right.
363
00:17:12,909 --> 00:17:14,952
I remember
when you came to see me in 2001,
364
00:17:14,952 --> 00:17:17,705
and that was an amazing moment.
I still thank Dan Reeves
365
00:17:17,705 --> 00:17:20,041
for bringing you out
because that was real inspirational.
366
00:17:20,041 --> 00:17:21,876
[Young] I was an oddity. I was a...
367
00:17:21,876 --> 00:17:23,085
I was a strange cat.
368
00:17:23,085 --> 00:17:25,338
Because I was running around
all over the place.
369
00:17:25,338 --> 00:17:27,089
And then watching you play, I was like,
370
00:17:27,089 --> 00:17:29,008
"This is my tribe, this is my guy,
you're my guy."
371
00:17:29,008 --> 00:17:31,594
And so I was ecstatic
when they asked me to come out.
372
00:17:31,594 --> 00:17:37,934
Because I knew, Mike, that if you could
harness all of that athleticism
373
00:17:37,934 --> 00:17:41,229
and play quarterback like the guys that
can't move, we could take over the league.
374
00:17:41,229 --> 00:17:42,814
- [commentator 1] Yes!
- [commentator 2] Making the grab,
375
00:17:42,814 --> 00:17:44,732
touchdown Mike Vick!
376
00:17:45,983 --> 00:17:49,487
Growing up for me, there wasn't a lot
of Black quarterbacks for me to idolize.
377
00:17:49,487 --> 00:17:52,156
Did you kind of notice that, you know,
as you was coming up?
378
00:17:52,156 --> 00:17:54,116
- When you asked me to come do this...
- Yeah.
379
00:17:54,116 --> 00:17:55,368
...I had a lot of emotion about it.
380
00:17:55,368 --> 00:17:57,537
- Yeah.
- African American quarterbacks
381
00:17:57,537 --> 00:17:58,579
weren't getting support.
382
00:17:58,579 --> 00:18:00,248
- I could see that.
- Yeah.
383
00:18:00,248 --> 00:18:03,876
And I can't imagine as an African American
quarterback how that felt as well.
384
00:18:03,876 --> 00:18:09,590
Through the years, you've had examples
of dynamic athletes
385
00:18:09,590 --> 00:18:11,259
that could play the position,
386
00:18:11,259 --> 00:18:14,303
and just continued
to break down the barriers
387
00:18:14,303 --> 00:18:19,016
that were sometimes institutionalized
because no one else knew any better.
388
00:18:19,016 --> 00:18:20,142
And classic discrimination.
389
00:18:20,142 --> 00:18:21,853
Like, it's kind of all jumbled in there.
390
00:18:21,853 --> 00:18:25,064
And I think that, like anything,
the change comes from proving it wrong.
391
00:18:25,064 --> 00:18:26,691
- [Vick] Yeah.
- [Young] By proving that
392
00:18:26,691 --> 00:18:28,276
there's a even better way.
393
00:18:30,111 --> 00:18:33,823
Randall came in
and he gave me a lot of confidence,
394
00:18:33,823 --> 00:18:36,868
because Randall could do things that
no one else could ever think about.
395
00:18:39,036 --> 00:18:42,081
[commentator 3] Look at that agility.
He's got something special right there!
396
00:18:42,081 --> 00:18:45,334
[Young] And so that let me expand.
397
00:18:45,334 --> 00:18:46,919
I would take some more chances.
398
00:18:46,919 --> 00:18:48,838
I would do more
because I watched Randall do it.
399
00:18:48,838 --> 00:18:51,007
And, uh, I remember seeing Randall,
400
00:18:51,007 --> 00:18:53,050
he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated,
401
00:18:53,050 --> 00:18:54,886
{\an8}and they talked about it,
this is the future.
402
00:18:54,886 --> 00:18:56,929
{\an8}Isn't that interesting
that it was so prophetic,
403
00:18:56,929 --> 00:18:58,681
because it really is the future?
404
00:19:03,519 --> 00:19:06,689
I can not let you get out of here without
talking about that run against Minnesota.
405
00:19:07,565 --> 00:19:10,151
[commentator 4] Young, back to throw,
in trouble. He's gonna be sacked.
406
00:19:10,151 --> 00:19:12,153
No, gets away. Gets away again!
407
00:19:12,153 --> 00:19:14,572
I don't know whose run was better,
mines or yours.
408
00:19:14,572 --> 00:19:16,449
Mine was, uh, a mess.
409
00:19:16,449 --> 00:19:17,617
[laughs]
410
00:19:17,617 --> 00:19:18,868
[Young] From the very beginning!
411
00:19:18,868 --> 00:19:22,330
That run is out of desperation
to make something happen.
412
00:19:22,330 --> 00:19:25,499
[commentator 5] The 15, the ten, he dives.
413
00:19:25,499 --> 00:19:27,418
Touchdown 49ers!
414
00:19:27,418 --> 00:19:31,839
I was looking at it like,
"What just happened? I wanna be that guy."
415
00:19:31,839 --> 00:19:34,967
But, my run, I just remember Dan Reeves
coming to me and saying,
416
00:19:34,967 --> 00:19:37,595
"They playing a lot of man-to-man,
they turning their backs to you,
417
00:19:37,595 --> 00:19:38,596
just take off with it."
418
00:19:38,596 --> 00:19:40,932
- [commentator 6] Go, Mike Vick. Touchdown.
- [commentator 7] This is over!
419
00:19:40,932 --> 00:19:42,767
- Falcons. Game is over.
- It's over! Yes!
420
00:19:42,767 --> 00:19:45,394
- [Young] It was smooth but also explosive.
- [Vick] I got to the end zone.
421
00:19:45,394 --> 00:19:47,396
[Young] I always thought
that Deion and you
422
00:19:47,396 --> 00:19:51,275
had speed that-that the eye...
the human eye would go, "What? Wait."
423
00:19:51,275 --> 00:19:53,069
And that's what happened with you
is they took a...
424
00:19:53,069 --> 00:19:56,280
an angle that they thought
that most humans would meet.
425
00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,199
And you're like,
"No, no, I'm not human. I...
426
00:19:58,199 --> 00:20:00,242
[laughs] I went further than that."
427
00:20:00,242 --> 00:20:02,995
They both collided as they missed you.
428
00:20:02,995 --> 00:20:04,872
When you look at the game today,
429
00:20:04,872 --> 00:20:06,666
how does it make you feel seeing it?
430
00:20:06,666 --> 00:20:09,835
I feel like the game,
it's finally built for us!
431
00:20:09,835 --> 00:20:13,005
The rules, the innovation,
the cool stuff, the RPOs.
432
00:20:13,005 --> 00:20:14,548
I mean, you gotta be there
saying to yourself,
433
00:20:14,548 --> 00:20:17,093
"Oh, man. I-I wanna play right now."
434
00:20:17,093 --> 00:20:18,177
[Vick] Right.
435
00:20:22,556 --> 00:20:25,101
[Vick] And that's the beauty
of this evolution.
436
00:20:25,685 --> 00:20:27,603
We were influenced by everybody.
437
00:20:28,104 --> 00:20:32,858
And now we influence everybody.
438
00:20:46,330 --> 00:20:49,875
{\an8}Josh, I'm doing a project
on the evolution of the Black quarterback,
439
00:20:49,875 --> 00:20:53,129
and, for a lot of reasons
that we'll get into,
440
00:20:53,129 --> 00:20:58,634
I had to have you, man. But 20 years ago,
I was on the front cover of Madden.
441
00:20:58,634 --> 00:21:01,303
20 years later,
you gracing the cover, man.
442
00:21:01,303 --> 00:21:04,932
{\an8}And this me 20 years ago,
443
00:21:05,850 --> 00:21:07,059
which I'm gonna gift you with that.
444
00:21:07,059 --> 00:21:07,977
Thank you.
445
00:21:07,977 --> 00:21:11,772
And I think you look awesome on the cover.
So before we get into this interview, man,
446
00:21:11,772 --> 00:21:13,482
I wanna find out
what type of game you got.
447
00:21:14,066 --> 00:21:15,693
[commentator 1] And we are underway here...
448
00:21:15,693 --> 00:21:17,903
[commentator 2] He throws to Pitts,
and he's got it.
449
00:21:17,903 --> 00:21:19,905
Touchdown Atlanta.
450
00:21:21,073 --> 00:21:23,451
Damn it, now where my safety at?
Good play, Josh.
451
00:21:23,451 --> 00:21:24,535
Way to recognize.
452
00:21:24,535 --> 00:21:27,747
I remember turning the PlayStation on
and seeing, you know,
453
00:21:27,747 --> 00:21:29,832
the cover athlete on the screen,
and being like,
454
00:21:29,832 --> 00:21:31,542
"I wanna be that guy. I wanna be Mike.
455
00:21:31,542 --> 00:21:34,420
You know, I wanna put myself in
that position to-to be in the NFL."
456
00:21:36,297 --> 00:21:39,383
Growing up as a kid, you know,
we all idolized somebody.
457
00:21:39,383 --> 00:21:42,428
You're a dual-threat quarterback,
was-was there any Black quarterbacks
458
00:21:42,428 --> 00:21:44,555
that you might have looked at and said,
459
00:21:44,555 --> 00:21:46,891
"I want... I wanna do the things
that he doing on the field"?
460
00:21:46,891 --> 00:21:49,185
One comes to mind for me,
Daunte Culpepper.
461
00:21:50,311 --> 00:21:53,105
[commentator 3] Daunte looks nearside.
Touchdown Vikings!
462
00:21:53,105 --> 00:21:55,316
And I'm gonna say to you.
I-I wore your cleats in Pop Warner.
463
00:21:55,316 --> 00:21:58,069
[commentator 4] Wow, what a run! Oh, man!
464
00:21:58,069 --> 00:22:00,571
[Allen] I loved watching Steve McNair
play the game.
465
00:22:00,571 --> 00:22:02,573
I thought he played with a lot of passion.
466
00:22:02,573 --> 00:22:05,367
[commentator 5] McNair.
How is he doing it?
467
00:22:05,367 --> 00:22:07,369
- Donovan McNabb, too, was a baller.
- Donovan was great.
468
00:22:07,369 --> 00:22:08,996
Donovan was
one of my favorites growing up.
469
00:22:08,996 --> 00:22:11,040
[commentator 6] He dodges out!
He's gonna run!
470
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,501
Cuts to the outside, McNabb escaped!
471
00:22:13,501 --> 00:22:15,002
McNabb escaped!
472
00:22:15,002 --> 00:22:17,922
And again maybe I wouldn't have had the
chances and the opportunities that I had
473
00:22:17,922 --> 00:22:19,924
if it wasn't for those guys
in front of me.
474
00:22:23,260 --> 00:22:26,597
Growing up in California, as far as,
like, your racial upbringing,
475
00:22:26,597 --> 00:22:29,225
did you ever experience any racial tension
476
00:22:29,225 --> 00:22:31,102
growing up around Black people
or anything like that.
477
00:22:31,102 --> 00:22:32,937
You know, the only experience
478
00:22:32,937 --> 00:22:35,481
where I really had around Black people
was through football.
479
00:22:40,111 --> 00:22:43,906
Where I'm from, my-my hometown,
is, uh, largely Hispanic.
480
00:22:43,906 --> 00:22:45,366
- [Vick] Okay.
- [Allen] And...
481
00:22:45,366 --> 00:22:48,410
So I didn't-I didn't grow up around
many Black people or White people.
482
00:22:48,410 --> 00:22:52,706
You know, I was kinda in that minority,
if you-if you would say, in my school.
483
00:22:52,706 --> 00:22:55,251
That's just all I knew. You know?
And then I got to junior college
484
00:22:55,251 --> 00:22:58,462
and that's when I met some people
that grew up and lived in Florida.
485
00:22:58,462 --> 00:23:01,590
And that kind of opened my eyes
just to different backgrounds of life.
486
00:23:01,590 --> 00:23:04,802
You know, Florida, Florida's a little bit
different than Central California.
487
00:23:04,802 --> 00:23:07,555
So just to be able to sit down
and talk with them and understand
488
00:23:07,555 --> 00:23:09,765
where they come from
and how they were born and raised,
489
00:23:09,765 --> 00:23:12,184
and it was so different than how I was.
490
00:23:15,896 --> 00:23:18,399
[Vick] Couple years ago,
you guys had a tragedy.
491
00:23:18,941 --> 00:23:21,360
It was a mass shooting
at a Top Market out here.
492
00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:23,946
Ten people were killed, three wounded
493
00:23:23,946 --> 00:23:27,825
in what officials are calling
a racially motivated attack.
494
00:23:27,825 --> 00:23:30,619
It happened at this supermarket
right behind me.
495
00:23:30,619 --> 00:23:32,329
You galvanized the guys.
496
00:23:32,329 --> 00:23:34,081
It speaks to your leadership, Josh.
497
00:23:34,081 --> 00:23:38,586
Tell me, like, where did that maturity
come from as a young man?
498
00:23:38,586 --> 00:23:41,255
I-I think it's a mixture
of how I was raised.
499
00:23:41,255 --> 00:23:44,175
Uh, my parents, I think that they
raised me with the right values.
500
00:23:44,175 --> 00:23:46,385
But I also think
the guys in this locker room,
501
00:23:46,385 --> 00:23:48,429
we were able to-to lean on each other.
502
00:23:48,429 --> 00:23:51,432
You talk about guys like
Stefon Diggs and Dion Dawkins,
503
00:23:51,432 --> 00:23:53,267
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer who...
504
00:23:53,267 --> 00:23:57,396
it was very easy to have these
very hard conversations with them.
505
00:23:57,396 --> 00:24:00,316
And to-to be open-minded
and hear, you know,
506
00:24:00,316 --> 00:24:01,817
everything that was going on and...
507
00:24:01,817 --> 00:24:06,488
I think it's using past experiences
and understanding where guys come from.
508
00:24:06,488 --> 00:24:09,491
Sometimes it's saying something,
sometimes it's not saying anything,
509
00:24:09,491 --> 00:24:11,785
just being there and showing support and...
510
00:24:11,785 --> 00:24:13,120
and embracing a man.
511
00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:16,207
Actually giving
another grown man a legit hug.
512
00:24:16,207 --> 00:24:19,752
And making sure that they feel like
they're getting love from one another.
513
00:24:19,752 --> 00:24:23,255
But as long as we can, again,
keep learning from our past
514
00:24:23,255 --> 00:24:24,548
and moving forward and making sure
515
00:24:24,548 --> 00:24:26,675
that we're seeing each other
for who we actually are,
516
00:24:26,675 --> 00:24:28,636
I think that's, uh...
that's what's important.
517
00:24:30,012 --> 00:24:34,475
[Vick] Today's quarterbacks are different.
Like the game itself.
518
00:24:34,975 --> 00:24:37,895
But the road was uneven to get here.
519
00:24:37,895 --> 00:24:40,231
And it didn't lead back to Sunday
520
00:24:41,065 --> 00:24:43,651
or Monday or Thursday.
521
00:24:44,318 --> 00:24:48,197
It leads back
to college football on Saturday.
522
00:24:49,490 --> 00:24:50,366
Ah, man.
523
00:24:50,366 --> 00:24:52,993
You know, the '90s is when
I really started to notice it.
524
00:24:52,993 --> 00:24:58,207
{\an8}And when I say "it," I mean that
there were Black quarterbacks everywhere.
525
00:24:58,207 --> 00:25:01,502
[commentator 1] Rodney Peete
turns it inside, touchdown!
526
00:25:02,086 --> 00:25:04,797
[commentator 2] Charlie Ward!
Remarkable run.
527
00:25:04,797 --> 00:25:08,425
The 1990s you begin to see
the flowering of Black quarterbacks
528
00:25:08,425 --> 00:25:10,219
in the college football landscape.
529
00:25:10,219 --> 00:25:13,472
And the best way to know
there was progress in the 1990s,
530
00:25:13,472 --> 00:25:18,477
at the collegiate level compared
to the NFL, was that it stopped being
531
00:25:18,477 --> 00:25:22,273
really a subject of mass discussion
at the collegiate level.
532
00:25:22,273 --> 00:25:25,651
[Menefee] Tommie Frazier started
things off at the University of Nebraska.
533
00:25:25,651 --> 00:25:27,111
It was a run-heavy offense,
534
00:25:27,111 --> 00:25:29,738
but he-he took them to three straight
national championship games,
535
00:25:29,738 --> 00:25:30,990
winning two of them.
536
00:25:30,990 --> 00:25:35,035
If you had ever watched
Steve McNair play at Alcorn,
537
00:25:35,619 --> 00:25:38,163
it was a revelation.
538
00:25:38,163 --> 00:25:41,333
He was smarter, bigger,
539
00:25:41,333 --> 00:25:46,046
{\an8}stronger, faster and tougher
than everyone.
540
00:25:46,046 --> 00:25:50,384
I was watching
Kordell Stewart at Colorado,
541
00:25:50,384 --> 00:25:54,722
Heisman Trophy winner
Charlie Ward at Florida State.
542
00:25:56,140 --> 00:25:57,850
[Nichols] We really started to see
543
00:25:57,850 --> 00:26:00,519
{\an8}more and more
Black quarterbacks in college,
544
00:26:00,519 --> 00:26:05,566
{\an8}and you knew that it-it was going
to eventually come to the NFL.
545
00:26:16,952 --> 00:26:19,288
[Vick] Right now
we in Tallahassee, Florida,
546
00:26:19,288 --> 00:26:22,124
home of the Florida State Seminoles.
Legendary place.
547
00:26:22,124 --> 00:26:26,420
Got a chance today to spend some time
with one of FSU's all-time greats.
548
00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:27,546
Ecstatic to be here.
549
00:26:27,546 --> 00:26:30,632
Can't wait to talk about the legacy
of this man who,
550
00:26:30,632 --> 00:26:32,760
in a lot of ways,
changed the game of football
551
00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:34,720
and changed the way I looked at the game.
552
00:26:35,429 --> 00:26:37,097
- Charlie Ward. What's up?
- [Ward] What's happening?
553
00:26:37,097 --> 00:26:39,475
- Doing all right? I'm good, brother.
- How you doing?
554
00:26:41,018 --> 00:26:44,438
[Vick] Charlie, you played in the NBA.
That's an amazing career.
555
00:26:44,438 --> 00:26:46,607
But the people here in Tallahassee know
556
00:26:46,607 --> 00:26:50,152
who's the greatest quarterback
at FSU of all time.
557
00:26:50,152 --> 00:26:51,862
[commentator 1] Charlie looks,
Charlie will run.
558
00:26:51,862 --> 00:26:53,113
Charlie to the 45!
559
00:26:53,113 --> 00:26:54,031
Charlie to the 40!
560
00:26:54,031 --> 00:26:56,658
Charlie Ward, remarkable run!
561
00:26:56,658 --> 00:26:57,993
[commentator 2] Ward with a man open!
562
00:26:57,993 --> 00:27:00,371
[commentator 3] Charlie flushed
out of the pocket. Goes to his right.
563
00:27:00,371 --> 00:27:03,040
Throws the ball down to Matt Pryor.
Touchdown! Florida... [speaks indistinctly]
564
00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,334
Before we take it out to the gridiron,
though, I still wanna see
565
00:27:05,334 --> 00:27:06,877
what type of basketball player you are.
566
00:27:08,504 --> 00:27:09,838
[Ward] There we go!
567
00:27:15,969 --> 00:27:17,179
Oh, there we go!
568
00:27:17,179 --> 00:27:18,889
- [Vick] Oh, we going to end on that one.
- Yes.
569
00:27:28,107 --> 00:27:30,109
[Vick] Thomasville, Georgia,
your hometown,
570
00:27:30,109 --> 00:27:33,445
was there a point growing up
you felt like,
571
00:27:33,445 --> 00:27:35,322
"This might not be the position for me"?
572
00:27:35,322 --> 00:27:37,282
You know,
you a Black quarterback in Thomasville,
573
00:27:37,282 --> 00:27:39,118
was that ever a thing for you?
574
00:27:39,118 --> 00:27:43,664
{\an8}There were some issues that I didn't
really fully understand at times.
575
00:27:43,664 --> 00:27:47,668
Having a White quarterback before me
and me being the guy
576
00:27:47,668 --> 00:27:52,214
that everyone wanted on the field
because of the athletic ability and...
577
00:27:52,214 --> 00:27:55,467
God saw fit that I get my opportunity.
578
00:27:55,467 --> 00:27:59,638
And it was just the position
that I became known for.
579
00:27:59,638 --> 00:28:02,266
[Vick] Your recruiting process
coming out of high school,
580
00:28:02,266 --> 00:28:04,810
what was that like
and what schools was recruiting you?
581
00:28:04,810 --> 00:28:07,688
My last two schools it came down to
582
00:28:07,688 --> 00:28:10,232
was Florida State
and University of Georgia.
583
00:28:10,232 --> 00:28:14,361
One of the main reasons why
I-I chose Florida State
584
00:28:14,361 --> 00:28:17,072
was because they had never had
a Black quarterback before.
585
00:28:17,072 --> 00:28:20,325
I wanted to be the first Black quarterback
at Florida State,
586
00:28:20,325 --> 00:28:22,953
and-and so I waited my time.
587
00:28:22,953 --> 00:28:27,708
And that's how God works,
because if you don't make that decision,
588
00:28:28,417 --> 00:28:29,835
I might've altered my decision.
589
00:28:29,835 --> 00:28:31,503
You being cognizant of being
590
00:28:31,503 --> 00:28:35,674
the first Black quarterback
at Florida State made history.
591
00:28:35,674 --> 00:28:37,342
1993, that season.
592
00:28:37,342 --> 00:28:40,554
When I mention that season,
what pops in your head?
593
00:28:40,554 --> 00:28:41,472
Domination.
594
00:28:41,472 --> 00:28:43,098
{\an8}[commentator 1]
Charlie out of the shotgun.
595
00:28:43,098 --> 00:28:45,350
[commentator 2] Ward
gets out of the grass.
596
00:28:45,350 --> 00:28:47,478
[commentator 3] Cocks the arm,
fires it toward the corner.
597
00:28:47,478 --> 00:28:49,771
{\an8}Caught by McCorvey. Touchdown FSU!
598
00:28:49,771 --> 00:28:51,231
[commentator 4]
He'll run with the football.
599
00:28:51,231 --> 00:28:53,901
Five, four... Touchdown, Florida State!
600
00:28:53,901 --> 00:28:55,777
{\an8}[Vick] You won all types of awards:
601
00:28:55,777 --> 00:28:59,615
{\an8}the O'Brien award,
the Maxwell Award, the Heisman.
602
00:28:59,615 --> 00:29:01,158
{\an8}An incredible season.
603
00:29:01,158 --> 00:29:03,952
We got over the hump beating Miami,
604
00:29:03,952 --> 00:29:06,872
which was our nemesis
for all the years that I had been there.
605
00:29:06,872 --> 00:29:09,374
And then the game happened.
606
00:29:10,083 --> 00:29:13,629
{\an8}[commentator 5] Happy New Year,
everyone, from the Orange Bowl in Miami.
607
00:29:13,629 --> 00:29:16,715
Number one, Florida State the Seminoles,
608
00:29:16,715 --> 00:29:18,425
{\an8}against the Cornhuskers of Nebraska.
609
00:29:19,051 --> 00:29:21,845
{\an8}[commentator 6] Throws across field
where it is intercepted.
610
00:29:23,096 --> 00:29:24,932
[horn blows]
611
00:29:24,932 --> 00:29:26,183
[commentator 7] He's got it!
612
00:29:26,892 --> 00:29:28,644
Florida State wins.
613
00:29:28,644 --> 00:29:32,147
To be the first championship
at Florida State was a great blessing.
614
00:29:32,147 --> 00:29:33,732
Enjoy the moment where you are,
615
00:29:33,732 --> 00:29:36,777
because you never know
what kind of history you may be making.
616
00:29:37,736 --> 00:29:43,200
1993, that-that season, your senior year
gave guys like myself hope.
617
00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,994
And then it's the whole draft process.
618
00:29:45,994 --> 00:29:49,623
[commentator 8] Charlie Ward, where is
his stock as far as the draft going on?
619
00:29:49,623 --> 00:29:51,667
[commentator 9] Look at
the predominant teams in the NFL,
620
00:29:51,667 --> 00:29:53,835
most of the clubs
are conventional pro-offense.
621
00:29:53,835 --> 00:29:55,837
[commentator 10] At 5'11" and a half, 184,
622
00:29:55,837 --> 00:29:58,048
he's just not big enough
for the NFL clubs.
623
00:29:58,632 --> 00:30:00,050
[Vick] You go through this draft process,
624
00:30:00,050 --> 00:30:01,885
what was some of the things
that you was hearing,
625
00:30:01,885 --> 00:30:03,345
and what was some of your concerns?
626
00:30:03,345 --> 00:30:05,639
Normally right after the football season,
627
00:30:05,639 --> 00:30:08,433
you go and start preparing
for the Combine.
628
00:30:08,433 --> 00:30:11,562
- That's where I was different.
- Okay.
629
00:30:11,562 --> 00:30:16,358
'Cause I wanted to leave
my options open for the NFL or the NBA.
630
00:30:16,358 --> 00:30:18,986
So I played basketball my senior year,
631
00:30:18,986 --> 00:30:21,405
{\an8}but I did go through the process.
632
00:30:21,405 --> 00:30:23,198
{\an8}I didn't go to the Combine,
633
00:30:23,198 --> 00:30:26,410
because I wasn't prepared to do anything
because I was playing basketball.
634
00:30:26,410 --> 00:30:30,330
And actually had a basketball game
on the Combine day.
635
00:30:30,330 --> 00:30:32,666
- They had a Pro Day.
- Yeah.
636
00:30:32,666 --> 00:30:34,751
And so I was like 182 pounds
when they showed up,
637
00:30:34,751 --> 00:30:36,878
- like 5'11" and a quarter.
- Yeah, I know.
638
00:30:36,878 --> 00:30:41,800
And so, I just didn't meet
the measurables of a first round pick.
639
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,595
And then I made this big statement
640
00:30:44,595 --> 00:30:47,681
that if I didn't get chosen
in the first round,
641
00:30:47,681 --> 00:30:50,309
then I would be considering
my other options.
642
00:30:50,309 --> 00:30:52,144
Which was fair.
You did all these amazing things.
643
00:30:53,729 --> 00:30:57,566
Charlie Ward still hasn't' decided
which sport's gonna be his moneymaker.
644
00:30:57,566 --> 00:30:59,651
If you would've got drafted
in the first round,
645
00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:01,778
you would've played football.
646
00:31:01,778 --> 00:31:02,696
Correct.
647
00:31:02,696 --> 00:31:05,991
There were teams, like the Minnesota
Vikings and Denny Green,
648
00:31:05,991 --> 00:31:07,409
who had their eye on you.
649
00:31:07,409 --> 00:31:09,077
[Ward] After talking to Coach Dungy,
650
00:31:09,077 --> 00:31:12,706
years after that he did mention that
they were interested in drafting me
651
00:31:12,706 --> 00:31:16,251
later in the first round,
but they weren't sure
652
00:31:16,251 --> 00:31:19,713
- if I was committed to coming to play.
- [Vick] Right.
653
00:31:19,713 --> 00:31:22,674
[Ward] I did get a call from the
Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round,
654
00:31:22,674 --> 00:31:26,345
and they called and asked me
if I wanted to back up Joe Montana.
655
00:31:26,345 --> 00:31:27,804
Which was another hero of mine,
656
00:31:27,804 --> 00:31:30,515
- because I saw a lot of me in him.
- [Vick] Yeah.
657
00:31:30,515 --> 00:31:34,144
I told them that I couldn't guarantee
that I would come to camp...
658
00:31:34,144 --> 00:31:36,063
- Yeah.
- ...if I got drafted in the fifth round,
659
00:31:36,063 --> 00:31:38,148
so they chose not to do it.
660
00:31:40,609 --> 00:31:42,903
[Vick] When you look back at
what you did for the game of football,
661
00:31:42,903 --> 00:31:44,655
what you want your legacy to be?
662
00:31:44,655 --> 00:31:46,573
I just want to be remembered as, you know,
663
00:31:46,573 --> 00:31:49,534
a person that went out,
competed at a high level
664
00:31:49,534 --> 00:31:54,373
and prepared himself to
win in all areas of my life,
665
00:31:54,873 --> 00:31:57,042
and I'm grateful that I had opportunities.
666
00:31:57,042 --> 00:32:00,837
And so, hopefully, I can be someone
667
00:32:01,338 --> 00:32:04,758
that people can look at and say,
"He did things with excellence."
668
00:32:04,758 --> 00:32:07,886
Watching you in that '93 season,
I said to myself,
669
00:32:07,886 --> 00:32:09,179
"That's-That's me."
670
00:32:09,179 --> 00:32:13,266
What you did on the football field,
I just wanted to duplicate that.
671
00:32:13,266 --> 00:32:14,893
[Ward clicks tongue]
Well I appreciate that.
672
00:32:14,893 --> 00:32:19,815
Because I was sitting there
watching you tear up my Seminoles in '99.
673
00:32:19,815 --> 00:32:20,982
Almost got 'em.
674
00:32:20,982 --> 00:32:23,610
[commentator 11] Rolling to his
right, sprinting towards that end zone.
675
00:32:23,610 --> 00:32:25,028
- Touchdown Tech!
- [crowd cheering]
676
00:32:25,028 --> 00:32:27,197
I'm still trying to figure out
how we won that game.
677
00:32:27,197 --> 00:32:30,242
[Vick] I was just trying to be you,
Charlie, I can tell you that.
678
00:32:33,912 --> 00:32:36,415
[Vick] Growing up, Charlie was my guy.
679
00:32:37,582 --> 00:32:40,335
When I saw him, I saw myself.
680
00:32:41,503 --> 00:32:45,298
When he didn't make it,
part of me wondered if I could.
681
00:32:46,591 --> 00:32:51,847
But then, another player,
and a coach, showed me another way.
682
00:32:53,056 --> 00:32:54,641
[McNabb] I don't know why
we're playing today.
683
00:32:54,641 --> 00:32:56,977
But just 'cause we have to,
let's beat the hell out of them.
684
00:32:57,644 --> 00:33:02,274
[commentator 1] McNabb looks,
fires and it is caught for a touchdown!
685
00:33:02,274 --> 00:33:05,777
[commentator 2] Here comes the rush.
He steps off, he pumps, he runs,
686
00:33:05,777 --> 00:33:08,864
he is firing,
and he has gone for a touchdown!
687
00:33:08,864 --> 00:33:11,366
[commentator 3] Once again,
Houdini makes the play.
688
00:33:17,998 --> 00:33:20,208
- [Vick] People don't know we go way back.
- [McNabb] Mm-hmm.
689
00:33:20,208 --> 00:33:22,461
{\an8}[Vick] Y'all tried to recruit me
to come to Syracuse and...
690
00:33:22,461 --> 00:33:23,587
{\an8}You remember that visit?
691
00:33:24,379 --> 00:33:27,382
{\an8}I do. Um, I'm still mad at your mom.
692
00:33:27,382 --> 00:33:29,217
- [chuckles]
- Uh. First time meeting...
693
00:33:29,217 --> 00:33:31,762
- Yeah.
- ...spending time together up at Syracuse,
694
00:33:31,762 --> 00:33:34,473
- taking you out, being around the guys...
- [Vick] Right.
695
00:33:34,473 --> 00:33:37,517
...felt like it would be a great fit,
obviously with me moving on.
696
00:33:37,517 --> 00:33:40,312
And although we lost you
to one of our rivals,
697
00:33:40,312 --> 00:33:42,522
uh, in the Big East
at that particular time,
698
00:33:42,522 --> 00:33:46,568
I think we got a chance to get to know
much more of each other besides football.
699
00:33:47,152 --> 00:33:51,031
Your journey to becoming
a quarterback, like, when did it start?
700
00:33:51,031 --> 00:33:54,701
It was late, you know, because my mom
wasn't allowing us to play football.
701
00:33:54,701 --> 00:33:58,497
I started running back. Play-offs,
our starting quarterback gets hurt,
702
00:33:58,497 --> 00:34:01,124
so the coach calls and says,
"Hey, do you want to play quarterback?"
703
00:34:01,124 --> 00:34:02,834
- Right.
- I'm about winning.
704
00:34:02,834 --> 00:34:04,085
Whatever it takes.
705
00:34:04,085 --> 00:34:08,548
And so I took the running back skill
level to the quarterback skill level.
706
00:34:08,548 --> 00:34:10,675
Now, how did you end up at Syracuse?
707
00:34:11,218 --> 00:34:14,471
[McNabb] My mentality
was I wanted to play two sports.
708
00:34:14,471 --> 00:34:16,473
So, while I'm talking to football coaches,
709
00:34:16,473 --> 00:34:18,350
"Coach,
I want to play basketball as well."
710
00:34:18,350 --> 00:34:22,229
And so, going to Syracuse, it was
more of the Dome,
711
00:34:22,229 --> 00:34:24,898
- the students, everything about Syracuse.
- [Vick] Yeah.
712
00:34:24,898 --> 00:34:29,236
It was a great fit, but it was more of,
"I can go here and have a good time."
713
00:34:30,529 --> 00:34:33,949
[commentator 1] Blitz coming.
McNabb somehow spins away.
714
00:34:33,949 --> 00:34:35,033
How'd he do that?
715
00:34:35,033 --> 00:34:36,910
[commentator 2] Going deep for Daniel...
716
00:34:36,910 --> 00:34:41,414
Here's a sneak. And a first down
for McNabb and then some!
717
00:34:41,414 --> 00:34:44,209
[Vick] Now you're starting to look at
the things surrounding you
718
00:34:44,209 --> 00:34:47,462
being a Black quarterback,
and being conscious of,
719
00:34:47,462 --> 00:34:51,007
"Look, if I play well,
I can be a potential first rounder.
720
00:34:51,007 --> 00:34:52,926
But I have to deal with all this
721
00:34:52,926 --> 00:34:55,053
controversy that surrounds
a Black quarterback."
722
00:34:55,053 --> 00:34:59,224
I started to understand about
being an African American
723
00:34:59,224 --> 00:35:03,228
in a position which they are not wanted
724
00:35:03,228 --> 00:35:05,939
and they're not respected
because of our color.
725
00:35:05,939 --> 00:35:08,275
- Not of our ability, but about our color.
- [Vick] Yeah.
726
00:35:08,275 --> 00:35:10,735
Charlie was a guy
that I watched at Florida State.
727
00:35:10,735 --> 00:35:14,072
You had quarterbacks
at Notre Dame and Tony Rice.
728
00:35:14,072 --> 00:35:16,992
And so, now you're talking about
African American quarterbacks,
729
00:35:17,909 --> 00:35:21,162
but not getting the same attention
and love as the rest of 'em.
730
00:35:21,162 --> 00:35:22,956
But I understood that
731
00:35:22,956 --> 00:35:25,166
I could knock the wall down.
And that was my confidence.
732
00:35:25,166 --> 00:35:29,671
[commentator 3] McNabb throwing
the other way for the tight end Brominski...
733
00:35:29,671 --> 00:35:30,922
[crowd cheering]
734
00:35:30,922 --> 00:35:32,215
[whistle blows]
735
00:35:33,341 --> 00:35:34,301
[Vick] So moving forward...
736
00:35:34,301 --> 00:35:35,677
- The number two pick.
- You try to be number one.
737
00:35:35,677 --> 00:35:38,221
[news anchor] NFL news,
from the league meetings in Orlando,
738
00:35:38,221 --> 00:35:41,600
expansion to 31 teams has
been approved overwhelmingly.
739
00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:43,935
The storied Browns
franchise is coming back.
740
00:35:43,935 --> 00:35:46,146
- I tried to be the number one pick. Yeah.
- [Vick] They chose Tim Couch.
741
00:35:48,940 --> 00:35:50,692
That... I mean, how did it make you feel?
742
00:35:50,692 --> 00:35:53,612
Leading up into the draft, I remember
talking to the Cleveland Browns.
743
00:35:53,612 --> 00:35:56,364
We sat in a room,
we went over the board work.
744
00:35:56,364 --> 00:36:01,286
Then I talked to, uh, some people
that's inside there, and told me,
745
00:36:02,245 --> 00:36:04,915
"They had you on the board
number one up until the draft,"
746
00:36:04,915 --> 00:36:08,543
but someone, I won't mention no names,
but somebody was like,
747
00:36:08,543 --> 00:36:12,172
"We can't start the franchise off here
in Cleveland with a Black quarterback."
748
00:36:14,049 --> 00:36:15,216
Wow.
749
00:36:16,551 --> 00:36:20,263
For me, a guy who attended Virginia Tech
told me that he looked at me
750
00:36:20,263 --> 00:36:23,350
and instantly told me that I
was going to be a DB. Crushed me.
751
00:36:24,434 --> 00:36:27,062
But that 1999 draft when you got drafted:
752
00:36:27,062 --> 00:36:30,315
Daunte Culpepper, Akili Smith, Shaun King.
753
00:36:30,315 --> 00:36:34,319
I'll never forget the jubilation,
just the feeling I had knowing that,
754
00:36:34,319 --> 00:36:36,863
"Okay, I don't have
to change my position."
755
00:36:36,863 --> 00:36:38,323
Let's see what we got here, Five.
756
00:36:38,323 --> 00:36:40,200
Let's see what you can do
with this offense right here.
757
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,994
[Vick] How supportive
was Coach Reid in your development?
758
00:36:42,994 --> 00:36:45,246
[McNabb] When I was younger,
I watched Brett.
759
00:36:45,246 --> 00:36:47,791
So Andy was responsible
for what Brett was able--
760
00:36:48,500 --> 00:36:51,586
Now my first year and a half,
he kept bringing Brett up
761
00:36:51,586 --> 00:36:54,130
- which I started disliking Brett. [laughs]
- [laughs]
762
00:36:54,130 --> 00:36:57,008
- The comparisons with me and Brett...
- [Vick] This is a little overkill, Coach.
763
00:36:57,008 --> 00:36:58,385
- ...went a little bit too far.
- Yeah.
764
00:36:58,385 --> 00:37:00,929
And so, you know,
Andy stopped talking about Brett
765
00:37:00,929 --> 00:37:04,182
but I started watching more film.
So I started learning more.
766
00:37:04,182 --> 00:37:06,935
That later part of the year,
I think my very first start
767
00:37:06,935 --> 00:37:10,021
was against the Washington Redskins,
at that time, which are the Commanders.
768
00:37:10,021 --> 00:37:12,232
That's when you shook
the buddy on the sidelines.
769
00:37:12,232 --> 00:37:14,150
[McNabb] No, that was late...
That was later.
770
00:37:14,150 --> 00:37:17,529
I don't remember if we won or not,
but that was when it all started.
771
00:37:17,529 --> 00:37:19,447
By the third year we were ready to roll.
772
00:37:22,117 --> 00:37:24,744
[commentator 4] He is going deep.
And it is caught...
773
00:37:24,744 --> 00:37:26,621
[stammers]
Yes, it is caught for a touchdown!
774
00:37:26,621 --> 00:37:31,751
You go and have amazing success,
Pro Bowls, get to a Super Bowl.
775
00:37:31,751 --> 00:37:34,045
- Right.
- Even still in that run, it's still people
776
00:37:34,045 --> 00:37:37,966
kinda talking crazy
about you at the position.
777
00:37:37,966 --> 00:37:39,718
Donovan McNabb has... is regressing.
778
00:37:39,718 --> 00:37:41,678
He is going backwards, and my...
779
00:37:41,678 --> 00:37:46,099
I'm sorry to say this, I don't think
he's been that good from the get-go.
780
00:37:46,099 --> 00:37:49,436
I think what we've had here is
a little social concern in the NFL.
781
00:37:49,436 --> 00:37:53,064
I think the media has been very
desirous that a Black quarterback do well.
782
00:37:53,064 --> 00:37:55,191
[Vick] Rush Limbaugh made a comment.
783
00:37:55,191 --> 00:37:57,569
I see you defending us on so many levels
and I'm like,
784
00:37:57,569 --> 00:38:00,780
"Man, Donovan is courageous
'cause he's speaking out
785
00:38:00,780 --> 00:38:03,616
and saying the things that
we probably should be saying."
786
00:38:03,616 --> 00:38:05,910
The whole thing for me
was it wasn't about me.
787
00:38:05,910 --> 00:38:08,329
Yeah, you can talk about me,
'cause you're not going to break me.
788
00:38:09,581 --> 00:38:11,166
I've already established who I am.
789
00:38:11,166 --> 00:38:14,419
But what are you saying for
the kids in middle school?
790
00:38:14,419 --> 00:38:16,838
What are you saying for
the kids that are in high school?
791
00:38:16,838 --> 00:38:19,841
What are you saying for these
young kids that are getting drafted?
792
00:38:19,841 --> 00:38:21,301
Or the ones that are under me?
793
00:38:21,301 --> 00:38:24,763
And that message in which he sent
was not only him talking,
794
00:38:24,763 --> 00:38:26,431
that was what everybody else was saying...
795
00:38:26,431 --> 00:38:28,475
- Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
- ...or wanted to say.
796
00:38:28,475 --> 00:38:31,144
And I remember that whole deal,
but it never broke me.
797
00:38:31,144 --> 00:38:33,730
Don, I-I got a lot of
advice over the years from you,
798
00:38:33,730 --> 00:38:35,565
and I'm certainly thankful for it.
799
00:38:35,565 --> 00:38:38,234
And I tried to emulate my game after you.
800
00:38:38,818 --> 00:38:41,237
You had an amazing
career as a quarterback.
801
00:38:45,283 --> 00:38:47,786
I'm just wondering, after six Pro Bowls,
802
00:38:48,536 --> 00:38:51,498
NFC Championship games,
a Super Bowl appearance,
803
00:38:51,498 --> 00:38:55,168
for all you've done for the game, when
they going to put the gold jacket on you?
804
00:38:55,168 --> 00:38:56,920
If it happens it's a blessing.
805
00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:58,671
- My life continues on.
- Yeah. Right.
806
00:38:58,671 --> 00:39:02,634
I want to continue to be
a mentor to those that are aspiring
807
00:39:02,634 --> 00:39:06,554
and those who dream of being
in the position that we were in.
808
00:39:06,554 --> 00:39:10,975
And while doing that
opening up a path for those behind you.
809
00:39:10,975 --> 00:39:15,438
Because it's never just about us,
it's about "How can you carry the torch
810
00:39:15,939 --> 00:39:18,566
and pass the torch when the game
has ended for you?"
811
00:39:18,566 --> 00:39:23,154
[crowd cheering] E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!
812
00:39:33,998 --> 00:39:36,584
- What's up, Coach? What's going on?
- How are you?
813
00:39:36,584 --> 00:39:38,628
Thanks for joining. I know you had
a long day of practice.
814
00:39:38,628 --> 00:39:39,546
[Andy] Yeah, man.
815
00:39:39,546 --> 00:39:41,673
[Vick] I wanna just
go back down memory lane.
816
00:39:42,882 --> 00:39:46,219
First head coaching job
in 1999 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
817
00:39:46,928 --> 00:39:48,847
You take Donovan, number two overall.
818
00:39:48,847 --> 00:39:53,601
With the, uh, second pick, the
Philadelphia Eagles select Donovan McNabb.
819
00:39:53,601 --> 00:39:55,645
Quarterback, Syracuse University.
820
00:39:55,645 --> 00:39:57,313
How did you choose Donovan?
821
00:39:57,313 --> 00:40:00,525
He was the best, right?
I-I proved out that he was the best.
822
00:40:00,525 --> 00:40:02,610
{\an8}I knew he could handle
the city of Philadelphia,
823
00:40:02,610 --> 00:40:06,239
{\an8}which you and I know that takes
a little bit extra to be able to do that.
824
00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:09,325
But he had the right personality
to handle it and-and do well.
825
00:40:09,325 --> 00:40:12,203
[Vick] NFC Championship games,
a Super Bowl appearance,
826
00:40:12,203 --> 00:40:13,955
but Donovan took a lot of heat.
827
00:40:13,955 --> 00:40:15,707
You always was in his corner.
828
00:40:15,707 --> 00:40:18,877
[Andy] I felt that that was important.
Our coaching staff did a great job,
829
00:40:18,877 --> 00:40:22,130
and then Donovan hung tough
through it all and persevered.
830
00:40:26,718 --> 00:40:29,971
Coach, Black or White, you always
had success with quarterbacks.
831
00:40:29,971 --> 00:40:32,432
[Andy] I grew up in Los Angeles,
right below Dodger Stadium,
832
00:40:32,432 --> 00:40:35,643
and there, color really didn't matter.
So, I wasn't hung up on all that stuff
833
00:40:35,643 --> 00:40:37,270
- and didn't listen to it.
- Mmm.
834
00:40:37,270 --> 00:40:40,148
It was just a matter of who could play,
who was a good person,
835
00:40:40,148 --> 00:40:42,317
who would come in and handle
the locker room the right way,
836
00:40:42,317 --> 00:40:43,985
- and the team the right way.
- Yeah.
837
00:40:43,985 --> 00:40:48,031
[Andy] We were at a high school
where you had a mix, an influx of people.
838
00:40:48,031 --> 00:40:50,074
And so, you learned at a young age
839
00:40:50,074 --> 00:40:51,659
- everybody's got good...
- [Vick] Yeah.
840
00:40:51,659 --> 00:40:55,079
...and everybody's got bad.
What it did was it eliminated color.
841
00:40:57,707 --> 00:41:01,586
In 2009, you-you took the chance on me.
Risky chance.
842
00:41:02,170 --> 00:41:03,546
Made a horrible mistake.
843
00:41:04,047 --> 00:41:08,051
And now, I want to be part of
the solution and not the problem.
844
00:41:08,051 --> 00:41:10,637
How did you influence
the front office to make that decision?
845
00:41:10,637 --> 00:41:14,766
First, I thought it was the right thing to
do. You have a big heart, and I knew that.
846
00:41:14,766 --> 00:41:17,185
- And sometimes things happen...
- Yeah.
847
00:41:17,185 --> 00:41:19,729
...and we've all done stuff
that we wish we wouldn't have, right?
848
00:41:19,729 --> 00:41:21,773
- Yeah.
- I thought you getting in there
849
00:41:21,773 --> 00:41:24,901
with Donovan, I thought was big,
because you had a relationship there.
850
00:41:25,693 --> 00:41:27,737
- Donovan was behind it 100%.
- [Vick] Yeah.
851
00:41:27,737 --> 00:41:29,113
- Jeff Lurie was behind it.
- Mmm.
852
00:41:29,656 --> 00:41:31,991
{\an8}[Andy] And then you came
in and took care of business.
853
00:41:34,244 --> 00:41:36,287
{\an8}[announcer] ...gentlemen, introducing...
854
00:41:36,287 --> 00:41:41,542
{\an8}Michael Vick may be the most
important Black quarterback
855
00:41:41,542 --> 00:41:44,254
that the National Football League
has ever seen.
856
00:41:44,254 --> 00:41:47,340
His success
revolutionized the modern game.
857
00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:49,550
[Taylor] Vick was
the ultimate dual-threat weapon.
858
00:41:49,550 --> 00:41:52,303
{\an8}There still hasn't really been
a guy with Michael Vick's skill set.
859
00:41:52,303 --> 00:41:55,473
A guy who could run and throw the ball
the way he could throw the ball.
860
00:41:55,473 --> 00:41:59,185
{\an8}Michael Vick's arm
was probably underrated.
861
00:41:59,185 --> 00:42:02,355
{\an8}He put so much pressure on
the defense because of his speed,
862
00:42:02,897 --> 00:42:06,818
{\an8}his incredible rocket arm,
and because of his talent.
863
00:42:06,818 --> 00:42:09,862
{\an8}Michael Vick, for me,
was sort of a turning point
864
00:42:09,862 --> 00:42:12,407
{\an8}when it comes to Black people
playing the position.
865
00:42:12,407 --> 00:42:16,035
{\an8}Of course, he becomes the
face of the league and cover of Madden.
866
00:42:16,035 --> 00:42:17,287
He ruined Madden.
867
00:42:17,870 --> 00:42:23,001
He ruined the game. The Madden game
was a fun game to play until 2004.
868
00:42:23,501 --> 00:42:29,173
The quarterback with a 94 speed,
four verts, and let Vick do his work.
869
00:42:30,133 --> 00:42:33,344
He gave the opportunity
for the Black quarterback
870
00:42:33,344 --> 00:42:39,350
to be the cultural phenomenon that
everyone builds their franchise around.
871
00:42:39,350 --> 00:42:43,646
That comes with the Nike deal,
that comes with the video games.
872
00:42:43,646 --> 00:42:47,483
All the girls loved him,
Madison Avenue loved him.
873
00:42:47,984 --> 00:42:50,403
That showed people
the Black quarterback is something
874
00:42:50,403 --> 00:42:54,490
that can take your franchise
to the next level.
875
00:43:13,092 --> 00:43:15,178
[Vick] It's always good to be back home.
876
00:43:16,512 --> 00:43:20,308
Coming back home always keeps me grounded.
It always reminds me of the dream.
877
00:43:21,476 --> 00:43:22,643
It started here.
878
00:43:22,643 --> 00:43:27,023
Regardless if it was poverty-stricken,
regardless if it was violence,
879
00:43:27,732 --> 00:43:29,108
it was just a part of me.
880
00:43:30,860 --> 00:43:33,529
The toughest memories,
I would say, was times of the month,
881
00:43:33,529 --> 00:43:36,616
like later in the month,
where we really didn't have no food.
882
00:43:36,616 --> 00:43:38,826
Average income a month, $600.
883
00:43:38,826 --> 00:43:42,663
And everybody need clothes, everybody
got to eat, everybody got an appetite.
884
00:43:43,289 --> 00:43:45,208
I might need a couple
extra things for football.
885
00:43:45,208 --> 00:43:48,795
But the toughest part of it
was knowing that you was in the struggle,
886
00:43:48,795 --> 00:43:50,546
and watching my mom sacrifice.
887
00:43:50,546 --> 00:43:55,426
But, that right there just always
fueled my fire to make it out.
888
00:43:57,053 --> 00:43:59,972
As a kid growing up in areas
where there's a lot of violence,
889
00:43:59,972 --> 00:44:04,352
you know, it's easy to get distracted.
But I had a dream.
890
00:44:05,019 --> 00:44:06,521
I wanted to be something.
891
00:44:06,521 --> 00:44:09,107
I knew that was the only way
the circumstances was going to change.
892
00:44:11,526 --> 00:44:15,780
I started playing quarterback
I want to say 1992.
893
00:44:15,780 --> 00:44:17,115
I was 12 years old.
894
00:44:17,824 --> 00:44:19,742
One of my good friends
who was the quarterback,
895
00:44:19,742 --> 00:44:23,371
he didn't show up for the first
couple days of camp, which was unusual.
896
00:44:24,580 --> 00:44:28,418
And then after the third day, yeah,
my coach kinda got fed up with it.
897
00:44:28,418 --> 00:44:30,545
He never showed up. Season went by.
898
00:44:31,504 --> 00:44:34,340
We kinda knew what was going on.
He started selling drugs.
899
00:44:34,841 --> 00:44:36,634
[sniffs] That's why he didn't show up.
900
00:44:38,136 --> 00:44:41,097
Lost my quarterback, Pete, here.
Right here on this corner.
901
00:44:41,681 --> 00:44:42,849
He got killed, got shot.
902
00:44:44,183 --> 00:44:45,309
13 years old.
903
00:44:50,523 --> 00:44:53,776
{\an8}I transferred here from
Ferguson High School my junior year.
904
00:44:53,776 --> 00:44:57,655
And this is where, I would say,
my game changed.
905
00:45:03,077 --> 00:45:06,831
This place is so special to me
because it was this very spot,
906
00:45:06,831 --> 00:45:10,042
this very area where I looked
at my friend, Andrae Harrison,
907
00:45:10,042 --> 00:45:12,837
who was my receiver. I asked him
if he wanted to swap jerseys.
908
00:45:12,837 --> 00:45:15,756
I just felt like I needed a change.
I needed something different.
909
00:45:16,340 --> 00:45:18,426
I made the change, became super confident.
910
00:45:19,343 --> 00:45:22,889
My abilities just went
from zero to a hundred.
911
00:45:22,889 --> 00:45:25,808
We was winning games,
and I just had the confidence to play.
912
00:45:25,808 --> 00:45:27,643
And I don't know where that came from.
913
00:45:28,144 --> 00:45:31,022
Be uplifted just from
the change of a jersey number,
914
00:45:31,022 --> 00:45:32,398
I felt like a star was born.
915
00:45:44,243 --> 00:45:45,286
Bro, bro.
916
00:45:45,786 --> 00:45:47,538
- [Marcus] What's up? How you doing?
- What's up, baby?
917
00:45:47,538 --> 00:45:51,042
{\an8}- Good to see you. Always love, big bro.
- Had to get Warwick's finest together.
918
00:45:51,042 --> 00:45:52,126
{\an8}Most definitely.
919
00:45:53,044 --> 00:45:54,587
[Vick] Got my little brother,
little big brother.
920
00:45:54,587 --> 00:45:55,713
He probably bigger than me.
921
00:45:55,713 --> 00:45:58,549
We about to hang out and walk
through the halls of Warwick.
922
00:45:58,549 --> 00:46:00,968
[Marcus] Did you think it was possible
for your dream to come true
923
00:46:00,968 --> 00:46:04,222
walking these hallways
as a 16, 17, 18-year-old kid?
924
00:46:04,222 --> 00:46:06,474
[Vick] Yeah, I-I knew it
was possible, but I knew
925
00:46:06,474 --> 00:46:09,810
it was just a lot of obstacles and hurdles
that I was going to have to overcome.
926
00:46:09,810 --> 00:46:13,231
Just playing quarterback, I was like,
"Man, this might not happen.
927
00:46:13,231 --> 00:46:15,149
It might happen in another position."
928
00:46:15,149 --> 00:46:18,945
Well, I felt like, and was very confident,
that you was going to go pro.
929
00:46:18,945 --> 00:46:21,864
Because we used to always
sit down and watch your highlight tapes.
930
00:46:21,864 --> 00:46:23,824
- We used to play it back and count...
- [Vick] The shakes.
931
00:46:23,824 --> 00:46:27,370
...how many guys you could make
miss in a single play.
932
00:46:27,370 --> 00:46:30,665
[Marcus] And sometimes,
you would make 12, 13 people miss.
933
00:46:30,665 --> 00:46:33,167
And we like, "Hold on,
it's only 11 people on the field."
934
00:46:33,167 --> 00:46:34,835
And it just translated to college.
935
00:46:34,835 --> 00:46:39,632
And once you got there, and you made your
first run against James Madison, like...
936
00:46:39,632 --> 00:46:40,925
- I-I knew, bro.
- [Vick] You knew.
937
00:46:40,925 --> 00:46:43,135
[commentator] Vick turning on the jets.
Look at that speed!
938
00:46:43,135 --> 00:46:45,179
He's racing all the way into the end zone.
939
00:46:45,179 --> 00:46:46,389
They couldn't catch him.
940
00:46:51,602 --> 00:46:54,313
[Vick] The places
you come from pave the way.
941
00:46:55,356 --> 00:46:58,693
The people who come before you,
they show you the way.
942
00:47:04,782 --> 00:47:07,702
There was a guy who I idolized growing up.
943
00:47:07,702 --> 00:47:10,496
Not just me and my friends,
but a generation of people,
944
00:47:10,496 --> 00:47:12,540
a whole culture he impacted.
945
00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:16,127
Brought swag to the game,
everybody wanted to be him.
946
00:47:16,127 --> 00:47:19,338
He meant so much to me
in terms of how I approached the game.
947
00:47:23,884 --> 00:47:25,970
- Coach P, thanks for inviting me in.
- Legend.
948
00:47:25,970 --> 00:47:26,971
Legend.
949
00:47:27,471 --> 00:47:29,307
- In terms of Deion Sanders...
- Yeah.
950
00:47:29,307 --> 00:47:34,145
{\an8}...swag, confidence, charismatic,
everything that you embody.
951
00:47:34,145 --> 00:47:35,896
You influenced the whole culture.
952
00:47:35,896 --> 00:47:39,775
I wanted to be you, my brother
wanted to... everybody in the neighborhood.
953
00:47:39,775 --> 00:47:43,237
And I recently found out
that you played quarterback.
954
00:47:43,237 --> 00:47:45,072
The way I act with that ball,
you didn't know that?
955
00:47:45,072 --> 00:47:46,407
Tell me a little bit about that.
956
00:47:46,407 --> 00:47:49,535
Because obviously,
the greatest cornerback of all time
957
00:47:49,535 --> 00:47:50,995
played quarterback in high school,
958
00:47:50,995 --> 00:47:52,330
I think people need to hear that.
959
00:47:52,330 --> 00:47:53,831
I loved quarterback, man.
960
00:47:53,831 --> 00:47:57,501
Um, me and my high school coach
was so tight, I called my own plays.
961
00:47:57,501 --> 00:47:59,003
- I was astute.
- He gave you the liberty.
962
00:47:59,003 --> 00:48:01,047
- Yes, I was that astute...
- Calling your own plays.
963
00:48:01,047 --> 00:48:02,923
...with the offense to call my own plays,
964
00:48:02,923 --> 00:48:07,011
and I loved it. And that's why,
when I got out of the game,
965
00:48:07,011 --> 00:48:09,555
I was coaching my sons
and they played quarterback.
966
00:48:10,306 --> 00:48:12,266
If you had to describe your style of play...
967
00:48:12,266 --> 00:48:13,309
- Of quarterback?
- Yeah.
968
00:48:15,019 --> 00:48:16,145
[Sanders] I wasn't Mike Vick.
969
00:48:16,145 --> 00:48:19,440
- [Vick] What was it?
- I was like a microwaveable Mike Vick.
970
00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:20,983
Like, you just had to warm me up.
971
00:48:20,983 --> 00:48:23,402
Like, I could throw,
recovers is like crazy.
972
00:48:25,237 --> 00:48:27,615
Definitely could run.
There wasn't nothing in the gun then.
973
00:48:27,615 --> 00:48:29,700
- Nothing in the gun.
- Was you wearing that deuce?
974
00:48:29,700 --> 00:48:30,785
I was wearing ten,
975
00:48:30,785 --> 00:48:32,328
- the lowest number we had.
- [Vick] You that ten.
976
00:48:32,328 --> 00:48:34,121
- Okay, all right.
- Yeah, I was-I was a dime.
977
00:48:37,375 --> 00:48:39,669
First of all, do you-do you know
what you mean to me, man?
978
00:48:39,669 --> 00:48:42,296
You had so much influence on people.
979
00:48:44,924 --> 00:48:47,927
It's no way you could
understand at that age
980
00:48:47,927 --> 00:48:54,016
how you affected all of Georgia,
in the NFL, in college kids.
981
00:48:54,016 --> 00:48:55,226
Everybody, man.
982
00:48:56,477 --> 00:49:00,523
When you came into the league,
what impact were you looking to make?
983
00:49:00,523 --> 00:49:03,401
I was just trying to figure out,
what type of game should I play?
984
00:49:03,401 --> 00:49:04,944
Should I try to be Chris Chandler?
985
00:49:04,944 --> 00:49:06,779
- 'Cause he was in front of me.
- [Sanders] That's right.
986
00:49:06,779 --> 00:49:08,906
[Vick] I was learning from him.
Or should I just be myself?
987
00:49:08,906 --> 00:49:09,907
Be you, be you.
988
00:49:09,907 --> 00:49:12,118
And I went to talk to Dan Reeves
one day, and I was like,
989
00:49:13,035 --> 00:49:15,663
"Coach, I'm reading all this stuff
in the paper and they saying,
990
00:49:15,663 --> 00:49:17,415
'Stay in the pocket, don't get hurt.'"
991
00:49:17,415 --> 00:49:19,125
He said, "I drafted you to be you."
992
00:49:19,125 --> 00:49:21,752
["Can't Deny It" playing]
993
00:49:24,463 --> 00:49:25,589
I became the human highlight.
994
00:49:25,589 --> 00:49:27,091
♪ Y'all can't deny it
I'ma a **** rider ♪
995
00:49:27,091 --> 00:49:28,968
[commentator 1] Now you know
what all the excitement was about.
996
00:49:28,968 --> 00:49:30,720
This guy could make
something out of nothing.
997
00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:33,222
- ♪ Got skills in the trunk with me ♪
- ♪ Okay ♪
998
00:49:33,222 --> 00:49:34,640
- We was on that turf.
- Yeah.
999
00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:37,268
We could put on whatever pair of shoes
on you wanted to play in.
1000
00:49:37,268 --> 00:49:38,769
I think I played in your shoes.
1001
00:49:38,769 --> 00:49:40,896
[commentator 2] Touchdown,
Mike Vick! Oh, man!
1002
00:49:40,896 --> 00:49:44,358
I'ma be the best Mike Vick that I can be.
I made the Pro Bowl and everything.
1003
00:49:44,358 --> 00:49:46,277
[commentator 3]
The incomparable Mike Vick!
1004
00:49:46,277 --> 00:49:47,611
[Vick] Put the team on my back.
1005
00:49:47,611 --> 00:49:49,697
♪ Y'all can't deny it
I'ma **** rider ♪
1006
00:49:49,697 --> 00:49:51,031
Everything is about attitude.
1007
00:49:51,031 --> 00:49:52,283
[commentator 4] A lot faster in real life.
1008
00:49:52,283 --> 00:49:53,200
[commentator 5] Uh-huh!
1009
00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:54,618
[commentator 4] Lot harder
than it looks on TV.
1010
00:49:54,618 --> 00:49:57,163
[Vick] Your belief in yourself,
your belief in you coaches,
1011
00:49:57,163 --> 00:49:59,623
when you hear that play call,
look, I-I got this.
1012
00:49:59,623 --> 00:50:00,958
And then preparation.
1013
00:50:01,751 --> 00:50:03,753
Because when you prepare,
you know you can play fast.
1014
00:50:03,753 --> 00:50:05,629
- Yeah.
- The game come easy.
1015
00:50:05,629 --> 00:50:09,675
[commentator 6] You have just seen
Michael Jordan of the NFL.
1016
00:50:12,762 --> 00:50:14,472
♪ Yeah
Ooh ♪
1017
00:50:14,472 --> 00:50:16,265
What was it like for you in Atlanta?
1018
00:50:16,265 --> 00:50:18,309
Man, I chose Atlanta.
You got to understand that.
1019
00:50:18,309 --> 00:50:20,811
I chose Atlanta because I went to Atlanta
1020
00:50:20,811 --> 00:50:23,439
on an all-American function
when I was a senior.
1021
00:50:23,439 --> 00:50:25,649
That's the first time
I saw Black doctors, man.
1022
00:50:25,649 --> 00:50:27,401
- [Vick] Really?
- [Sanders] I saw Black policemen,
1023
00:50:27,401 --> 00:50:29,236
- the-the chief of police was Black.
- [Vick] Yeah.
1024
00:50:29,737 --> 00:50:32,782
I saw very affluent people
that were Black,
1025
00:50:32,782 --> 00:50:34,617
driving Benz's
and they weren't selling dope.
1026
00:50:34,617 --> 00:50:36,243
- Right.
- Blew my mind.
1027
00:50:36,243 --> 00:50:39,205
- I made up my mind right then.
- So you was thinking culture back then.
1028
00:50:39,205 --> 00:50:40,664
Dawg, I made up my mind right then.
1029
00:50:40,664 --> 00:50:42,500
This is where I need to be,
'cause I know me.
1030
00:50:42,500 --> 00:50:45,878
I chose Atlanta way back then,
and when they said with the fifth pick,
1031
00:50:45,878 --> 00:50:47,922
I was like, "Lord, thank you."
1032
00:50:48,672 --> 00:50:50,674
For me, I got traded the night before.
1033
00:50:50,674 --> 00:50:52,301
- I was going to San Diego.
- [chuckles]
1034
00:50:52,301 --> 00:50:56,639
The phone ring, it's my agent. He's like,
"Mike, we might be going to Atlanta."
1035
00:50:59,099 --> 00:51:01,310
I instantly thought this is a Black city.
1036
00:51:01,310 --> 00:51:03,437
- [Sanders] Yes, lord.
- [Vick] I'm a Black quarterback,
1037
00:51:03,437 --> 00:51:05,272
and this just might be the place to be.
1038
00:51:05,272 --> 00:51:06,816
- Yeah.
- [Vick] And when I got there,
1039
00:51:06,816 --> 00:51:12,029
I came in. I had my do-rag on.
I got my braids. Everybody embraced it.
1040
00:51:12,029 --> 00:51:14,949
Then I felt all the pressure.
I don't want to let this community down.
1041
00:51:14,949 --> 00:51:16,951
- [Sanders] Mm-hmm.
- [Vick] I'ma be myself.
1042
00:51:17,451 --> 00:51:21,288
I'ma work as hard as I can,
and hopefully we get some wins.
1043
00:51:23,457 --> 00:51:27,336
[news anchor] The Vick indictment
comes down yesterday, the aftermath today.
1044
00:51:27,336 --> 00:51:30,256
[Sanders] You know, oftentimes
in life we don't get second chances.
1045
00:51:30,256 --> 00:51:31,715
But God granted you one.
1046
00:51:31,715 --> 00:51:33,926
- [Vick] Thank God.
- You had to come back in Philly.
1047
00:51:34,426 --> 00:51:35,928
That was unbelievable.
1048
00:51:35,928 --> 00:51:37,596
- Yeah.
- So, what did it mean to you
1049
00:51:37,596 --> 00:51:38,722
to get that second chance?
1050
00:51:38,722 --> 00:51:41,851
First off, man, thank God. 'Cause this
is something that I prayed about.
1051
00:51:41,851 --> 00:51:44,478
Give me a chance to come back.
I'ma be different.
1052
00:51:44,478 --> 00:51:46,897
I'm not going to let anybody down.
1053
00:51:46,897 --> 00:51:50,150
I now know that playing in
the NFL is a privilege and not a right,
1054
00:51:50,150 --> 00:51:55,614
and I want to do whatever's necessary and
be the best ambassador in the community.
1055
00:51:55,614 --> 00:51:58,617
Ended up in Philly.
Couldn't have picked a better place.
1056
00:51:59,326 --> 00:52:02,454
[commentator 7] What a play by Vick.
Absolutely amazing.
1057
00:52:03,414 --> 00:52:06,709
Oh, is he something. Oh, is he something.
1058
00:52:06,709 --> 00:52:09,336
[commentator 8] Looks like Michael Vick
from the Atlanta Falcons...
1059
00:52:09,336 --> 00:52:12,047
[Vick] Man, just having that
second chance was about
1060
00:52:12,047 --> 00:52:15,509
letting the next generation know
you can fall but you can get back up.
1061
00:52:15,509 --> 00:52:19,430
[Sanders] Man, the best moment I'd seen
didn't even happen on the field.
1062
00:52:19,430 --> 00:52:20,556
{\an8}It was after the game.
1063
00:52:21,098 --> 00:52:22,558
{\an8}I saw you with the family, dawg.
1064
00:52:22,558 --> 00:52:24,435
- Oh, yeah.
- I saw you with your wife.
1065
00:52:24,435 --> 00:52:25,686
I saw you with the babies.
1066
00:52:25,686 --> 00:52:29,732
I walked probably ten steps by you after
I greeted you and all that after the game,
1067
00:52:29,732 --> 00:52:30,858
and I said, "Lord, thank you."
1068
00:52:30,858 --> 00:52:33,611
- That was the best moment for me.
- You'll always be my biggest supporter.
1069
00:52:33,611 --> 00:52:36,071
Because you got... I said, "He got it."
1070
00:52:49,668 --> 00:52:52,129
{\an8}[Vick] Right now, we're at
my grandmother's grave site.
1071
00:52:52,796 --> 00:52:54,757
{\an8}Once or twice a year,
I try to come over here.
1072
00:52:54,757 --> 00:52:57,426
{\an8}I got a-a lot of great memories.
1073
00:52:58,093 --> 00:53:01,096
My dream of playing in the
National Football League started with her.
1074
00:53:01,096 --> 00:53:03,140
She was a Washington Redskins fan.
1075
00:53:03,140 --> 00:53:04,475
We watched them every week.
1076
00:53:04,975 --> 00:53:06,810
One day I told her,
"This is what I want to do."
1077
00:53:06,810 --> 00:53:08,395
And she green lit the vision.
1078
00:53:08,896 --> 00:53:12,816
Um, she could've easily said,
"No way, it's too farfetched."
1079
00:53:12,816 --> 00:53:15,736
She was a beautiful soul.
She kept our family together.
1080
00:53:17,863 --> 00:53:20,199
Unfortunately, my last conversation
with my grandmother,
1081
00:53:20,199 --> 00:53:21,533
I was telling her I was going off
1082
00:53:21,533 --> 00:53:23,661
to training camp
when I was going off to prison.
1083
00:53:24,787 --> 00:53:26,664
She was struggling
a little bit with Alzheimer's,
1084
00:53:26,664 --> 00:53:29,416
but she knew training camp
didn't start in November.
1085
00:53:29,416 --> 00:53:31,919
She put two and two together,
and it broke her heart.
1086
00:53:31,919 --> 00:53:34,505
And, uh, you know,
she passed away four months later.
1087
00:53:37,883 --> 00:53:39,426
My family means everything to me.
1088
00:53:40,386 --> 00:53:43,722
My life has been so beautiful
because of what God blessed me with.
1089
00:53:43,722 --> 00:53:48,102
People who genuinely love me, and not
afraid to tell me what I need to hear.
1090
00:53:48,102 --> 00:53:49,687
As opposed to what I want to hear.
1091
00:53:51,605 --> 00:53:54,775
Unfortunately for me, I had to go away
and spend time in prison.
1092
00:53:54,775 --> 00:53:56,944
Wasn't the easiest thing
in life to go through.
1093
00:53:56,944 --> 00:54:00,155
Fortunately for me, I had people
waiting for me on the other side.
1094
00:54:00,948 --> 00:54:06,328
First and foremost, my wife,
my mom, Coach Dungy, Andy Reid.
1095
00:54:06,328 --> 00:54:08,831
All these people who poured
into me and believed in me.
1096
00:54:09,415 --> 00:54:14,169
From 2007 to 2010,
when I doubted in myself,
1097
00:54:14,169 --> 00:54:18,048
my wife was always telling me I could do
it when I couldn't even see it in my life.
1098
00:54:18,549 --> 00:54:22,344
Every time I came home and I looked at
my baby girls and I looked at my son,
1099
00:54:22,344 --> 00:54:25,472
I knew I had a lot to live for,
and it just wasn't about football.
1100
00:54:27,141 --> 00:54:30,310
My grandmother always said
that she knew that I was going to make it.
1101
00:54:30,310 --> 00:54:31,520
She believed in my dreams.
1102
00:54:31,520 --> 00:54:34,023
She believed in me as a six-year-old kid.
1103
00:54:34,023 --> 00:54:37,526
And without her,
I don't follow that dream.
1104
00:54:39,028 --> 00:54:40,612
[Vick] As we rolled into a new century,
1105
00:54:41,321 --> 00:54:44,199
it was easy to see the future was bright.
1106
00:54:44,950 --> 00:54:49,872
{\an8}But even in my wildest dreams I never
could've imagined where the game would go,
1107
00:54:50,456 --> 00:54:55,210
or how the evolution of the Black
quarterback would change the game forever.