Edgerrin James spotlights Miami roots, poses with Ed Reed
Edgerrin James was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2020. After the ceremony was postponed due to a pandemic, James finally got his moment in Canton last night.
Prior to his tremendous speech, James highlighted his uniqueness and his Miami roots in a piece written in The Players Tribune.
“I didn’t change for anybody,” wrote James. “When I’m long dead and gone, kids are gonna be walking the halls of Canton and they’re gonna come across the gold bust of Edgerrin James. (The only gold bust with dreads.) They’re gonna see somebody who looks like them. Somebody who did it his own way. Somebody who did it for the culture. They’re gonna see them dreads immortalized forever.”
James serves as an inspiration for young kids who believed they could never make it to the National Football League. Well, James made it and then some.
Edgerrin James’ Miami Roots
From 1996 to 1998, James was electrifying as a running back for the Miami Hurricanes. He amassed 2,960 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns while playing at the university. He spoke on why ‘The U’ was different from other programs.
“That’s what they don’t understand about The U. See, they’re jealous of the U. Everybody else, they talk about us like we were wild. And yeah, we were wild, like all youth. We were wild as hell, matter of fact. But the U in the ’90s? It was about that WORK,” wrote James.
“I mean, oh my God. It was FIVE-STARS ONLY. It used to be a dogfight every single practice. Reggie Wayne. Santana Moss. Ed Reed. Somebody was always coming for your spot. I remember we used to have a saying whenever somebody got hurt. They’d be icing their leg like, “Man, I’m out today. I can’t go.” And the reply was always, “Damn … your bad.””
Fast forward, James joins his former college teammate Ed Reed as a Hall of Famer. The duo posed together at last night’s ceremony, harkening back to their days in Miami.
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Edgerrin James’ Hall of Fame Career
Following his time at the University of Miami, James was drafted fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts. In his time, he became one of the team’s greatest players.
As a Colt, James won the 1999 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was named a First-team All-Pro twice, a Pro Bowler four times and led the league in rushing twice. He was inducted into the team’s ring of honor in 2012.
His impact was so undeniable, James was given a Super Bowl ring when the Colts defeated the New Orleans Saints in 2007. At the time, the running back was playing for the Arizona Cardinals.
“After they won it in 2007 when I was with the Cardinals, Reggie Wayne pulled up one day and he’s holding a box,” wrote James, via The Players Tribune. “He said, “Mr. Irsay wanted you to have this, for everything you did to get us here.” I mean, a lotta guys won Super Bowls over the years. But how many guys can say that?”
As you can see, James made an impact at every stop of his football career. Deservedly so, his legacy now reads as Edgerrin James, Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Image courtesy of Mark Brown / Contributor via Getty Images