April 22, 2025 • 35 mins
Jeffrey Gorman catches up with Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James about his legendary career with the Colts, including some incredible stories both on and off the field.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Then should be played at high volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Welcome to high volume. We have greatness on the show today.
Professional Football Hall of Fame member Edger and James ej.
I appreciate you sitting down to talk to me because
I want to start with a story about your career,
the culmination of your career. I got invited to your
enshrinement in Canton from Ersa, Okay, and he gives me
(00:27):
a plus one, so I got the boss Man's plus one,
and I can kind of go anywhere around that enshrinement.
And I found you in the hallway and we talked
a little bit, and I hadn't seen you for a
few years, and I took a couple of photos on
your behalf, and then I got up on there and
saw you and Peyton up there. The reason I'm telling
this story is I was a kid in a candy
(00:49):
store that day. To be able to be close with you,
a friend of mine who I hadn't seen for years,
but also to be able to document this with some
pictures that I forwarded to you and your family, and
I want to start there. I mean inmate number three
three six from the Professional Football Hall of Fame Edger
and James Man that was something that I'll never forget,
and I know it meant that the world to you.
(01:10):
Was that a day that you said, everything starting from
a Mocoly, Florida up until this point, this is all
my hard work, and this is what got me here.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know that day, that's when everything came full circle
for me. Yeah, you know, you put in a lot
of work as an athlete. There's so many young athletes
that's putting their work. Everybody had the dream of even
just making it to the NFL. But and you have
those that have a bigger dream, and that's to make
it to the Hall. And I was one of those
guys that always wanted to end up in the top
(01:40):
of the top conversation and just making it to the
profoble Hall of fame that brought it all together, made
all that hard work, all those long days, and that
one hundred degrees weather made all of it worth it.
And you just reflect on those things at moments like
that because it comes full circle. And you know some
of the pictures that you sent me was from when
you came down to the funhouse. And then just tell
(02:02):
me how far we've come, Oh man, how long? How
long we've been rocking and rolling.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Brother, we're gonna go there to the funhouse, boy or
boy like I want to start in the mock League.
I mean, you know, you're the best athlete to come
out of a Moco League Florida. And was that game
easy for you? Was that high school game easy for you?
Because I know you had your eye on going to
the University of Miami, But the game looked pretty easy
for you, both at the high school and the college level.
(02:30):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Yeah, I think on all levels it was easy. You know,
it just gets a little more detail. But you know,
it's football is football, and some people are made to
play football, and so happened. That was my calling, the
Barry to go out there and play football. And every
game was I meant not every game. The export as
a whole was easy to me because all you had
(02:52):
to do is outwork people, and you have God given talents.
You make sure you put in your work, make sure
you study, and get a chance to know your opponent.
It just gives you that much of an edge. But
as far as the game itself, it started in Pop
Warner football. It was always easy for me. I've always
played up. I played with the older guys always because
of my size, and that made it even better because
(03:14):
once I got to the University of Miami, you know,
I really, I really, it really opened my eyes.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
That I'm I'm I'm pretty good.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
You know, because when you're playing pop warners use against
the area that you're in, and then the same thing
with high school, you play against the area. But when
you get to to college, you play against everybody around
the country and you're playing with them, and you get
you get to practice with the best of the best.
And once I was practicing with the best of the best,
(03:43):
and I was.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Like, this the same game. It's easy.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
And I just made sure that I kept the same
methods pretty much to always go.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Out work everybody. As far as toughness, I was.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I was naturally tough, you know, I'm always the man,
you know, So that was that was at least to
my concern. But as far as put then the work,
you're matching that mental toughness and going out there with
the physical and then you steet up there and start
studying the game that made it all come forward circling.
So when I got to the pros, I was like,
(04:15):
same game, still easy.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Peyton Manning calls you the smartest teammate he's ever had.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Pay is the smartest teammate I ever had. So we
rub off each other.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
But you know, for for eighteen, it was always, you know, studying, understanding,
you know, the opponent, understanding exactly what's going on. And
when you're around guys like that, you would be you
would do yourself a disservice and do the team of
disservice if you don't kind of nutge them and ask
(04:46):
questions and start, you know, taking some of that or
what they're doing and added to your game. You know,
I didn't. I didn't. We didn't grow up. We had
to study. We had that we just go out and play.
But then when you start understanding the pros, there's another level,
there's another notch that you have to go if you
want to be one of the best.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
And that's one thing that eighteen did.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
He always you always prepared, and if you're around you
want to try to be on the same page with guys.
It's like, I'm always do my part, and that was
always my thing. I'm not gonna be the one that
lets everybody down.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Were you always going to the University of Miami? Was
that always the plan.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well if you know, so going back to that during
those times, that's when the sanctions and all those things
were about to take place for the University of Miami.
So that's the only thing that had other schools on
the radar.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I went to visit Ohio State and now I went
to the University of Florida because it was a state school.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
It was local. But I always wanted to go to
University of Miami.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
But we didn't know what was going to happen with
the sanctions, with them coming down with these different rulings. Yeah,
so that made me even venture out or even alp
to look at something. But once we got the information,
it was a no brainer. University of Miami our west
of Mockley. I'm out from a Mockley, which you know me,
(06:09):
I'm big on the family circle. So the family got
to be there, you know that, I have to have
that energy in the crowd, and University of Mind provided everything.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Well let's I mean, let's be honest, we've talked about
this too. Times back then were different. Bro, you go
to school, you go to school. Now you're signing for three,
four or five million dollars to go to school. That
wasn't the case. When you're coming out of a MOCHYLI
to go to Miami, what was your hustle? I'm sorry
to ask, but you're a You're a big fish and
a small pond down there, And what's the hustle at
(06:41):
that point? Because you gotta make money to eat, you
gotta get make money to take the girl out to dinner,
et cetera, et cetera. What did Edern do back in
the day to get that hustle going?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
As made it happen.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
As did a lot of things that that probably you
wouldn't be too fond of to make it happy.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And I make it happen.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I don't believe that. I don't believe that.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I bet it's all up at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
You know, we do what it takes. You never one thing,
You never steal from nobody. You don't take nobody, you know.
But at the same time, you know, you do what
you gotta do. You know, I was the person that
always found a way to make a dollar, you know, absolutely.
And as far as taking a girl, I wasn't really
worried about the girl because you know, I had my
(07:27):
daughter mom. I was I was becoming a parent while
I'm in school, and I had to take care of
my mom.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So I had to take school more serious than uthers.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You know, I had to lock in and if I'm
one to set up there and be the head of
the family.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I gotta I gotta be on my p's and q's
at all times.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So I had to do what I had to do,
make things happen and stay out of trouble.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know, I never was wanted to get in trouble.
Pretty smooth or pretty pretty distreet.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Right, we're gonna have the movie one day. We're gonna
have the movie one day.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah, that's stuff to come out of the movie.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
But you're coming here. I mean, you did what you did.
We saw two ninety nine against UCLA. We saw what
you did first time. University of Miami had a two
years in a row on thousand yards. Rusher hasn't been broken.
You're one of the greatest to play at there. And
then you come up into these cornfields of Indianapolis. Bill
Pollion calls your name, You meet your owner, Jim Ursay.
You got this quarterback named Peyton Manning there, what's your
(08:28):
first You know you're coming from Miami everybody's talking about you.
All these fans wanted Ricky Williams, who's having a great
career at the University of Texas, but Edgar and James,
you're the fourth pick overall. Obviously you're a Hall of Famer.
That was the right pick. But what was your take
on Indianapolis? This is a place probably you only saw
at the combine.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, I really didn't know much about Indy, but the
beauty of football, you know, it's about the game, you know,
I just wanted to play football, you know, the city
where we're at. You know, I really didn't so much
that really didn't think of it, But I think I didn't.
I didn't really get a chance to really think about
where I was going because the whole conversation was why
(09:10):
is this guy here?
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Or who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
And so it kind of shifts your focus to saying, man,
I just I just can't wait for them to see
that I'm I'm really the real deal.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But because of my.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Situation, because of the University of Mind, we wasn't on TV,
went through those sanctions we had, you know, we had
limited things a lot of people didn't know. So it
was it was a situation where you gotta say, okay,
just let me, just let me just buckle down and
you'll see, they'll see.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
And that's all the focus was.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
So it wasn't about so much about the city because
the city was great for me because I stayed on
fifty sixth Street pretty much every day at the facility.
No football was my life. That's all I knew, and
that what I was up there for. It was It
wasn't so much as oh, I'm in this great city.
I got be out even though I was out all
(10:03):
the time. But I made it work because my first
commitment was to the coach, to the organization and to
make sure, like I love to prove people wrong and
I love to make sure that the people that's pulling
for me are right. And that's what that turned into.
When it only took one year, It only took a
(10:25):
couple of games.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
It didn't even take a year. This just took a
little way.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
It just it just took an opportunity to get on
the field in front of everybody, and after that, you know,
everything got quieted and it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
It wasn't.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It was a non issue since once I showed them
that Bill knew what he was doing the big man
knew what he was back in and when me and
Peyton connected with mar you know, we we went out
and did something that you're probably rarely going to see
if you ever see it again consistently, you know, weekend
(10:59):
and we.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Y you're a young man, you're still a young man,
but you know you did it right When Peyton Manning
says the smartest football player I ever played for. But
what does it mean to you when the owner, Jim Mersey,
who's a good dear friend of yours, says, I've never
been closer with another player that's played for my team
other than Edgar and James. He's like family to me.
Where where did that come from?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
It's you know, certain things that connect and come together.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Is like it wasn't something that's forced, you know, you
have just it's just you just connect with people.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You just connect.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Sometimes it's like I was always myself and I always
went about things, you know, the way that I feel
like a man should. And a lot of people see
that this this is how a man is supposed to be.
And it's sometimes people recognize it. But conversations, different situations,
you know, it just leads to a better relationship. You know,
(11:55):
it's the earth that he has three daughters, so I
would ask questions about I got three daughters. So you're
asking questions, you're asking information that's beyond this because you
they like the owner turns into somewhat like a father
figure in some respect to to kind of give you insight,
give you a little light or information.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And it's just bits and pieces.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
And then we just connected through music, through hanging out,
through being yourself, through just being cool. And mister erthsay,
you know, he's always being himself. He gets a chance
to be who he want to be. And I was,
I'm living like that, and man, that's my buddy right there. Man,
you know the big man, you know, the big Man
is and I think a lot of people they don't
(12:39):
really know understand mister Earth say he's rare.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
He's very rare, and.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
He does so much for so many people that you
really don't realize the impact of him. If you think
about when we're around in the environment, any environment that
he's around is always positive, is always good. Everybody's upbeat
and moving, you know, And that's the beautiful that's said
a lot about the person at the top.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Hey, I'll never forget. I was down there in Florida
in two thousand and six with the boss Man and
he met with you, and he met with you, and
he had to tell you we can't have you on
the team anymore because of the way that the contracts
were working out with teammates and yourself. I have never
talked with you publicly about that, about that meeting you
(13:27):
you rolled up with your friend Trick Daddy. It was
about a four hour meeting with Jim Mersey up in
his suite down in Florida. And I know it's personal
and I'm sorry to go there, but I'm just if
there's something you could touch on and tell us about
that meeting of four hours between you and Jim Mersey
when he said I love you like a son, but
we've got to let you go, and you eventually moved
(13:48):
on to the Arizona Cardinals. Could you glance over that
that evening for a minute. No.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
The thing about it, that's what you respect about men.
You know, men can sit across from each other and
have conversation, and when you venture into business, you understand like, hey,
this is business. This is something that you know what's
best for you and what's best for the overall. You know,
we got to make sure we find a happy medium
(14:15):
and for me, I deserve to be compensated the right way.
But due to the restrictions on the salary cap, it
was it's cutting dry. So it wasn't really difficult. You know,
it's pretty much it's it's black and white. You either
you're gonna set up You're gonna set up there and
put in all this work and you know, not really
(14:36):
value yourself because of a situation, just because you want
to be all you want. You understand that, hey, look
this is part of the business. This way you got
these these are these are your options. These are things
that has to take place, and so it's not really
a hard conversation.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And those are the things.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Those are the things that bring people even closer because
you can talk to the person, you don't have to
sit back, and I can never say walk out saying
one bad word about the organization, about the owner of
the coaches or anybody. Because business is business. Ed's gonna
be all right regardless. You know it's coming from a
mockery you're talking about. I can go anywhere and make
(15:16):
something happen.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
And I always got me. You know, I'm always gonna
take care of me.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
But when you having those type of conversations, you can
nobody has to beat around the bush. And that's the
thing I always liked about mister Erstay. You don't have
to never beat around the bush. He say, Hey, this
is what we at with the situation. These are the circumstances,
and everything is fact fact, fact fact, So you don't
even have to worry about, you know, somebody trying to
(15:42):
just tell me something.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
And if you have to lead a whole organization, you
gotta always do what's best for the organization. Not one
person is bigger than the organization. And you look at
any successful group family, they've always had a nice firm
stands on.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
What they do and what they don't do.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And I'm aware of that, and so it really wasn't
that big a deal for me because these are things
that happens over and over in the NFL. It's like,
I'm not gonna be the first guy and I'm not
going to be the last. But the relationship you build,
the bond, Like, I don't think they'll ever be.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
A player that has a title bond with mister Ersy.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Then myself, and so that tells you it's bigger than
It's bigger than the game. You know, the game brings
you together, but the relationship that you bill it keeps
you together.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I'll tell you what. I cut you guys a wide
berth when you were here playing, when you were on
the Decade of Excellence. I was doing media still am,
but I cut you guys a wide berth. I let
you do your thing. But one day I passed by
your locker. You remember this hopefully, And I asked you
about a book in your locker. And I keep seeing
that book in your locker. And the book is Who
Moved My Cheese?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Who Moved My Cheese? Bencer Justin. It's like a once
a year read.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You got to remember that.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Well.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
I read that book. I read that book, and that
that opened the door or a window, if you will,
to you for me, because I read that book. That
book's about change. That book's about adapting with change, you
know what I mean. And Peyton talks about it, Yeah,
talks about being smart. And you're smart. You had that thing.
You were never too high, Drin, You're never too low.
You didn't talk a lot, but your actions did all
(17:25):
the talking for you, and that that book, that book
changed lives, not only yours, but you spread that amongst
the locker room as well. If anybody asked about it,
you'd say, yeah, here's what the books about. Why don't
you give it a read?
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, you know, it's a lot of times now everybody's watching.
A lot of the younger guys are watching. Always knew
that they were watching, and you don't get a chance
to interact. Sometimes they don't know how to approach you,
and the relations the conversation may not be on the
same tier. And when you're in a certain space, but
you just sprinkle things out. Then once the guys knew.
(18:00):
I was always reading, I was always studying. I was
always trying to find ways to better myself, you know,
as a person, and trying to expondite the learning curve
as you get older. Because we're in a room full
of a lot of first time its, first time parents,
first time millionaires, first time a person that's got in
(18:21):
his first house, and so you need somebody to lean on.
So always with that guy that people could lean on.
And it's done directly or indirectly. But I'm receptive to
somebody saying, Hey, what book is that?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
What do you read? How do you know this? How
do you know that?
Speaker 3 (18:35):
It's like, I'm not like some guys are too tough,
but they probably think it's not cool enough. But it's
like me, I take all that stuff out of the ways. Look,
I know I'm cool. I'm not worried about that, but
I'm going to do the things that you need to
do to make sure you can keep your cool in
whatever situation, whatever environment.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, you're proven that, and you talk about changing. If
I could, we can stop. We don't have to talk
about this if you don't want to. But tragedy struck
during your career when you lost your partner and Diya
to like a leukemia if memory serves a blood cancer,
and you lost your partner Edrin and you're playing football
at that time and you've got a family and she's
the mother of your children that period of your life
(19:16):
and still producing. How tough was that for you? And
what sort of reserve did you have to dig deep
because that's a tragedy no one's expecting.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, you know, that's one of those things. Life happens,
you know, and you have to treat life as it is.
Not as you want it to be, and when things happen,
you have to make proper adjustments.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And you can be tough, you can be somebody said, oh,
just don't bother me.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
But as you when you look at it, you start
you started thinking about you know, before I had to,
you know, just get up and think about football. Now
I got kipt and think about those children that I'm
playing football, but I'm away from I got think about
somebody else taking care of my responsibility. And you think about, oh,
I don't have time, like I used to have more
(20:01):
time to put in workouts and do all the extra stuff.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
But it comes to point where that time.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Gets limited, and so it starts to affect the play
and affects the things that you're doing in your process
and the way you approach the game. And it also
kind of puts you in a situation where you start
thinking about what's important, like what's important in life. So
for myself, it's like I've always wanted to keep climbing
that that Russian ladder, and I'm looking at the Russian lader.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I'm like, I'm right there, I'm right there.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
You know, I'm about to pass this person, about to
pass that person, and it was always a goal of mine.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
But then you start thinking about is it really that important? Now?
You know, it really don't matter, you.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Know, because physically I was still able to play. I
still could probably played two.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
More years or something. You know, I couldn't climb that ladder.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
But am I doing the proper things that it takes
to be one of the best football players? Am I
taking away a spot on this team because it could
be a younger guy that that needs this position, that
wants this opportunity, and for myself, all those things go
through your mind. Okay, do you continue? So I make
a decision and say, man, you know what the game
(21:10):
I did enough. You know, if I get in the hall,
I get in the hall, I don't I don't. You know,
It's like, because I'm gonna go do the right thing.
The right thing is to go be with those children,
Go be around those children, because you only get you
get that small window, and you want to make sure
that you connect with your children as much as you can.
And I think a lot of ballplayers struggle with that.
(21:32):
You know, if you're being away from the kids so long,
you don't really get to know your kid because somebody financially, okay,
they're they're gonna be okay. But it's the things that
money can't do that builds the relationship with you and
your children. And that's where I had to make a decisions, say,
you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna shut this thing down.
You know, I'm not really into it because I know
(21:53):
what it takes to be a pro. I know it
takes to be one of the best to play, and
if I'm cheating the game due to my personal things,
I need to remove myself from there. And that's what
I did, as bad as I wanted to pass up
all those people, because I'm like, man, I'm only a
couple of yards away from this person, a couple yards
in that person. That's nothing. I can sit there and
(22:15):
do this. But then what's more important?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Man? You know what's more important?
Speaker 3 (22:20):
And the good thing is I had did enough work
on the field to where I still get the call
from the Hall of Fame. You know, you wanted it sooner,
and I wanted to go up more. I wanted to
be to where I'm in the top five, top six.
I'm right up in there, you know. But when I finished,
I was at ten or eleven and I'm like, man,
(22:41):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
You know, at some point I'll get in there.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
And then it happened because my body at work speaks
for itself and it worked out well.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I'll tell you what I want to find out about
your kids now and a Mockoly because you were nice enough.
We didn't know each other very well, but you invited
me down in two thousand and three, two thousand and
four to do a piece on you and the off
season in training we saw the funhouse there that you
built down there. First off, have your kids do they
know your upbringing, what a Mochaly was or is, and
(23:14):
when you were coming up and how it is now
because you know, the father's a multi millionaire, Hall of
Fame running back and stuff like that. They didn't know
that a Mocholy Edger and James. Is that something that
you transition into their lives to say, Hey, this is
where dad grew up. It's a little bit different than
where you guys are at now.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Well, I think it's all part of it. You know,
in the early years they used to be there a
lot more. It's to be around so that what I
was connected to and trying to make sure we do
a lot in the community to make sure we're around
with visitors.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Sure, but as they continue to grow in.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Floorishs, you know, you start thinking about the situation surrounding,
and we wanted to put them in better environments. You know,
mocholy is good for a person that's in certain situations,
but as you as you graduate from those situations, now
it's time to elevate.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
You will be a fool to say.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Okay, we kind of made it out, We've kind of
you put ourselves in position, and we just stay in
this one space. Life is about elevating. You got to
keep growing. So I want to make sure I put
them in the right situations. And they're not. They're not
too far away from understanding what it's like to being
a market. They're familiar with it, they know everybody around there.
(24:25):
But for them, they live in totally different so it's
a different world. Like their relationship with their classmates is
totally different from with myself because they're coming from what.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
We consider the spoon fair situation or they.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Got everything given to them, and that really don't mess
a lot well in certain situations because sometimes you get
picked on by that or you get frowned upon because
of those situations. So as a parent, you have to
make sure that you understanding what they have to go
through and what they're like is. You can't make them
be you and see things the way you've seen it.
(25:04):
Because when I was a school, nobody had we had money.
We didn't have I mean, we didn't have money. Nobody
had money, right, and we all clicked up because if
you ain't got ship, then I ain't got ship. Guess what,
ain't nobody tripping?
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You know?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
So that's just the way it is. That's just the
way the world is. And trying to be mindful those
of those things. That's what parenting is because I'm like, hey,
this is totally different. I'm not gonna have somebody juicing
my kids or you know, like playing on my kids
just to be their friend. You know, they got to
(25:37):
be in situations that are like minded.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Hey, a couple of your kids. Just off the top
of my head. We got a doctor there. We got
a professional basketball player one day it can be coming up.
We got an entertainer in there, the James. The James
kids are doing a lot and they're following in their
dad's footsteps. So congrats on that.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I appreciate it. Man.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
You know it's you know, it's it's and allows these
things start right in that locker room, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I remember I was. I was in there.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
We had the trainer by the name of Hunter Smith.
You remembern Smith?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Well, so Hunt had three kids. I had three kids.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
And he was like, and then all of them graduated, right,
And I was like, man, that's that's super cool because
I'm coming from a place where everybody don't graduate.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Some people go to college. One off.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You go to college. You're special. You're like, you did it.
And I was like, man, layding that and I spend it.
I spent a lot of time in the training room.
That was my hanging that was my hangout. And I
was like, he's three for three. I'm like, damn, you
got three boys, all three of them in college. They
got degrees. And I was like, hot, I'm gonna go.
I said, I'll make sure every kid that I have,
(26:36):
I'm gonna go to finish college. So I'm almost there.
You know, I won't make sure they go to college.
So he was three for three, I'm gonna be six
for sick, you know you are, I'm going for the
last the last one had just agreed to go to
the University of Cincinnati, where his brother's at.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
So yeah, good, that's gonna.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Bring it home. That'll bring it all the way home.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Keep your eye on Jizzl. That kid is talented among
others in the Jay family. Listen, I appreciate you sitting
for the time. Couple of our questions for you. How
many receptions do you think you have in your NFL career?
Do you know that off the top of your head?
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Now the status I really don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
But when you go to these a war I mean,
when you go to these signings, you kind of get
reminded of those things.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
So they always bring something to you that says.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Can you put this on on a hell man or
something like that.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
But I don't really know off the top of my head.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Bro, you had four hundred and thirty three receptions in
your NFL career, four I would have.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Wow, I could been a while. I could have been
a wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Four hundred and thirty three for three thousand and three,
three hundred and sixty five yards through the air, not
only a runner, but you could pass and catch the
ball as well. I just want to give you some
love on this when I saw I'm serious. I talk
about this to this day. The most beautiful NFL running
back run that I've ever seen is by you in
(27:54):
two thousand and four against the Bears. You finished with
I think you finished with two oh one or two
oh nine, but you had a thirty five yard run.
If you remember, I know you know this, Edgering, Yeah,
you got to see.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
You did.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
You got the ball, quick spin, another guy in your face,
quick spin, slant left, slant, rife go forward for another
ten yards. The reason I love that run is because
that's your way of running the football. That is it,
whatever it takes. It wasn't. You weren't like Dickerson, you
running high. You ran more low. Your style was beautiful
because you waited just enough in the holes to find
(28:33):
out where you were going. And that run right there,
that thirty five yard run, folks, you can look it up.
The most beautiful NFL rushing run ever is by edger
and James. That's why I love you, big man, because
I'm telling you it's just beauty and watching it and
that was the way that you brought it to the game.
No wonder you're a Pro Football Hall of Famer. I'm
I sound like a fanboy right now, but it's something
I've always tell you.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
My boy, my boy man.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
We connected, I know, but in the twenty years anyway,
I just wanted to say that that one to me
is always special. So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Yeah, And I'm glad we got to know each other
a little bit better after your career, because, like I said,
I cut you a wide bird. Finally, the camaraderie, the
fellowship and the brotherhood, all those guys are still close
to you on your phone. I don't care Gary Brackett,
Tara Glenn, Ryan Deem, It doesn't matter who we're talking about,
Peyton Manning. All those guys are all connected. And your
(29:22):
relationship with those guys, what's it like now? How much
do you talk throughout the year?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Where's all situational? You know?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
One thing about it that's great about the Coach organization
is you know they bring everybody together and that kind
of keeps the bond, you know, even closer that like
Dallas Dallas Clark had his ring of honor and all
the guys where to get together and you get you
get to get and you get to relive those moments
those years, and so those are the situations that happen
(29:52):
where things that come up to where there may be
an event, but even if you're in a certain city
or something and you know somebody, you reach out to
him and everybody just kind of comes out and celebrate
or supports whatever you have going. And I've always connected
with the guys. I've always been cool with the guys,
and and stay in touch with a lot of them,
(30:14):
you know, over the years, because you're gonna cross paths
in different situations. I'm actually going to hour this year
to go see Dallas. Okay, it's an our.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Oh man, I can't wait. You'll find that hookah You'll
find that hookah club somewhere. I'm sure I got something.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I'm gonna find something.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Hey, I'm gonna let you go. But one of the
things that I remember Jim Mersey saying, when when the Colts,
when the coach ownership was given, out their Super Bowl rings,
even before that day that they celebrated downtown here in Indianapolis.
I remember the day that he said, my man Edgering
is getting one of these, one of the first ones,
because he is a foundational piece. We're not here without
(30:53):
edger and James. That's a special moment coming from an
NFL owner. And I know we've talked about Jim Mersey.
But when you got that call, or when you open
that package and you saw your name on an Indianapolis
called Super Bowl ring on a team that you didn't
play for, but you gave your life and your blood
ten years for prior to that, what did that mean
to you?
Speaker 1 (31:10):
I mean, it means a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
It says a lot about the organization, It says a
lot about mister Ers, and then it speaks on the
impact that your work was didn't go unnoticed. You know,
those things right there all come together and like I
felt like I was a part of the team anyway.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
You know, it's I was just like I'm.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
On ir Arizona right right right, you.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Know, because you know the relationship with the guys, you
still it's like, no matter what, you don't stop talking
to the guys, you don't stop, you know, having those conversations.
You know, it's one of those situations where you know,
once you become part of a family, it's hard to
detach that.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
You know, that bond.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
And then when I didn't know Joseph, but I didn't
know Joseph, but die from nothing. I made sure I
started to him and I made sure I said to
let him know anything you need to know to help you,
help this team, help this organization, and to help you
become a better football player, especially in this offense. Because
I know this offense, I can't help you as much
(32:14):
as possible. There's an open book, and we build a
relationship from death, you know. So it's the little things
that you do behind the scenes that says this is
important to me. It's important to me that the coachs
be successful. You know, it's important to me that all
these guys become successful because it's bigger than football.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
With me, you know, it's about life.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
You know when I cross paths with people, you know,
I always want to leave people in a better place
than I found them.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
You know, I'm here to do my part. I'm not.
Life's too easy for me. I don't have to be selfish.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
You know. The man I'm top takes care of is
so well that hey, I'm so secure in whatever position
I'm in to I have no worries, you know, so
it's easy for me to reach back, help support, and
you know, when the coach came down for the Super Bowl.
I was right there with the guys, you know, doing
everything I can do to help, and you know, and
(33:08):
especially embracelal Dge, my boy, you come back to Miami, man,
you want to see everybody have success. I want to
see them when you know. And that's a difference in
men and little boys. I'm a grown man. I'm a
man about everything. And when I when the conversation with
me and mister Ersay had the conversation and we sat
down and we talked. You know, it's two men talking.
(33:31):
You know, it's two men talking, and it's an understanding.
Because there wasn't an understanding. You know, you walk out
of there, mad, miserable, and then you're not supportive. You're
not supportive of what's going on or what's taking place.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
But this is real. Ed's always been really and gonna
remain real. Bro.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I've been to a lot of events with you after
you ended your career, and I've seen the people's faces
and I see what the temperature of the room does
when you walk into it. You're a special cat ager
and James a very cat and I appreciate you sitting down
and talking to us. We're gonna do it some more.
I'm gonna see you up at camp obviously, we see
you out at a lot of Colts functions and everything.
We got a big quarterback competition coming up, and let's
(34:10):
talk again. Come around training camp time and see what
you've been up to. And I will tell everybody listening
and watching out there follow this man on ig His
stories are incredible. You never know where he's gonna pop
up in the world, but you and your crew are there.
So if you want a good follow go to Instagram
and follow Edger and James. I appreciate your time today, EJ.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Man, Thank you. I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
You are in on one phone call away and I'll
be seeing you soon in person.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
That's right. You mean a lot to me and I
appreciate the time today and thank you all for watching.
This is high volume. The greatest to ever wear a
horseshoe at the running back position. His name is Edger
and James. I appreciate you guys watching everyone on YouTube.
I appreciate you guys as well as the Colts Audio Network. Hey,
we'll do it every week, week in and week out.
Sometimes we bring in Pro Football Hall of famers. Sometimes
they don't but the stories are always good. Thank you,
(35:00):
Edger and James. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
This should be played at I Vargu
Then should be played at high volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Welcome to high volume. We have greatness on the show today.
Professional Football Hall of Fame member Edger and James ej.
I appreciate you sitting down to talk to me because
I want to start with a story about your career,
the culmination of your career. I got invited to your
enshrinement in Canton from Ersa, Okay, and he gives me
(00:27):
a plus one, so I got the boss Man's plus one,
and I can kind of go anywhere around that enshrinement.
And I found you in the hallway and we talked
a little bit, and I hadn't seen you for a
few years, and I took a couple of photos on
your behalf, and then I got up on there and
saw you and Peyton up there. The reason I'm telling
this story is I was a kid in a candy
(00:49):
store that day. To be able to be close with you,
a friend of mine who I hadn't seen for years,
but also to be able to document this with some
pictures that I forwarded to you and your family, and
I want to start there. I mean inmate number three
three six from the Professional Football Hall of Fame Edger
and James Man that was something that I'll never forget,
and I know it meant that the world to you.
(01:10):
Was that a day that you said, everything starting from
a Mocoly, Florida up until this point, this is all
my hard work, and this is what got me here.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
You know that day, that's when everything came full circle
for me. Yeah, you know, you put in a lot
of work as an athlete. There's so many young athletes
that's putting their work. Everybody had the dream of even
just making it to the NFL. But and you have
those that have a bigger dream, and that's to make
it to the Hall. And I was one of those
guys that always wanted to end up in the top
(01:40):
of the top conversation and just making it to the
profoble Hall of fame that brought it all together, made
all that hard work, all those long days, and that
one hundred degrees weather made all of it worth it.
And you just reflect on those things at moments like
that because it comes full circle. And you know some
of the pictures that you sent me was from when
you came down to the funhouse. And then just tell
(02:02):
me how far we've come, Oh man, how long? How
long we've been rocking and rolling.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Brother, we're gonna go there to the funhouse, boy or
boy like I want to start in the mock League.
I mean, you know, you're the best athlete to come
out of a Moco League Florida. And was that game
easy for you? Was that high school game easy for you?
Because I know you had your eye on going to
the University of Miami, But the game looked pretty easy
for you, both at the high school and the college level.
(02:30):
Is that accurate?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Yeah, I think on all levels it was easy. You know,
it just gets a little more detail. But you know,
it's football is football, and some people are made to
play football, and so happened. That was my calling, the
Barry to go out there and play football. And every
game was I meant not every game. The export as
a whole was easy to me because all you had
(02:52):
to do is outwork people, and you have God given talents.
You make sure you put in your work, make sure
you study, and get a chance to know your opponent.
It just gives you that much of an edge. But
as far as the game itself, it started in Pop
Warner football. It was always easy for me. I've always
played up. I played with the older guys always because
of my size, and that made it even better because
(03:14):
once I got to the University of Miami, you know,
I really, I really, it really opened my eyes.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
That I'm I'm I'm pretty good.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
You know, because when you're playing pop warners use against
the area that you're in, and then the same thing
with high school, you play against the area. But when
you get to to college, you play against everybody around
the country and you're playing with them, and you get
you get to practice with the best of the best.
And once I was practicing with the best of the best,
(03:43):
and I was.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Like, this the same game. It's easy.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
And I just made sure that I kept the same
methods pretty much to always go.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Out work everybody. As far as toughness, I was.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I was naturally tough, you know, I'm always the man,
you know, So that was that was at least to
my concern. But as far as put then the work,
you're matching that mental toughness and going out there with
the physical and then you steet up there and start
studying the game that made it all come forward circling.
So when I got to the pros, I was like,
(04:15):
same game, still easy.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Peyton Manning calls you the smartest teammate he's ever had.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Pay is the smartest teammate I ever had. So we
rub off each other.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
But you know, for for eighteen, it was always, you know, studying, understanding,
you know, the opponent, understanding exactly what's going on. And
when you're around guys like that, you would be you
would do yourself a disservice and do the team of
disservice if you don't kind of nutge them and ask
(04:46):
questions and start, you know, taking some of that or
what they're doing and added to your game. You know,
I didn't. I didn't. We didn't grow up. We had
to study. We had that we just go out and play.
But then when you start understanding the pros, there's another level,
there's another notch that you have to go if you
want to be one of the best.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
And that's one thing that eighteen did.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
He always you always prepared, and if you're around you
want to try to be on the same page with guys.
It's like, I'm always do my part, and that was
always my thing. I'm not gonna be the one that
lets everybody down.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Were you always going to the University of Miami? Was
that always the plan.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Well if you know, so going back to that during
those times, that's when the sanctions and all those things
were about to take place for the University of Miami.
So that's the only thing that had other schools on
the radar.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I went to visit Ohio State and now I went
to the University of Florida because it was a state school.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
It was local. But I always wanted to go to
University of Miami.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
But we didn't know what was going to happen with
the sanctions, with them coming down with these different rulings. Yeah,
so that made me even venture out or even alp
to look at something. But once we got the information,
it was a no brainer. University of Miami our west
of Mockley. I'm out from a Mockley, which you know me,
(06:09):
I'm big on the family circle. So the family got
to be there, you know that, I have to have
that energy in the crowd, and University of Mind provided everything.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Well let's I mean, let's be honest, we've talked about
this too. Times back then were different. Bro, you go
to school, you go to school. Now you're signing for three,
four or five million dollars to go to school. That
wasn't the case. When you're coming out of a MOCHYLI
to go to Miami, what was your hustle? I'm sorry
to ask, but you're a You're a big fish and
a small pond down there, And what's the hustle at
(06:41):
that point? Because you gotta make money to eat, you
gotta get make money to take the girl out to dinner,
et cetera, et cetera. What did Edern do back in
the day to get that hustle going?
Speaker 1 (06:50):
As made it happen.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
As did a lot of things that that probably you
wouldn't be too fond of to make it happy.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
And I make it happen.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I don't believe that. I don't believe that.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I bet it's all up at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
You know, we do what it takes. You never one thing,
You never steal from nobody. You don't take nobody, you know.
But at the same time, you know, you do what
you gotta do. You know, I was the person that
always found a way to make a dollar, you know, absolutely.
And as far as taking a girl, I wasn't really
worried about the girl because you know, I had my
(07:27):
daughter mom. I was I was becoming a parent while
I'm in school, and I had to take care of
my mom.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So I had to take school more serious than uthers.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You know, I had to lock in and if I'm
one to set up there and be the head of
the family.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I gotta I gotta be on my p's and q's
at all times.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So I had to do what I had to do,
make things happen and stay out of trouble.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know, I never was wanted to get in trouble.
Pretty smooth or pretty pretty distreet.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Right, we're gonna have the movie one day. We're gonna
have the movie one day.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah, that's stuff to come out of the movie.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
But you're coming here. I mean, you did what you did.
We saw two ninety nine against UCLA. We saw what
you did first time. University of Miami had a two
years in a row on thousand yards. Rusher hasn't been broken.
You're one of the greatest to play at there. And
then you come up into these cornfields of Indianapolis. Bill
Pollion calls your name, You meet your owner, Jim Ursay.
You got this quarterback named Peyton Manning there, what's your
(08:28):
first You know you're coming from Miami everybody's talking about you.
All these fans wanted Ricky Williams, who's having a great
career at the University of Texas, but Edgar and James,
you're the fourth pick overall. Obviously you're a Hall of Famer.
That was the right pick. But what was your take
on Indianapolis? This is a place probably you only saw
at the combine.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Yeah, I really didn't know much about Indy, but the
beauty of football, you know, it's about the game, you know,
I just wanted to play football, you know, the city
where we're at. You know, I really didn't so much
that really didn't think of it, But I think I didn't.
I didn't really get a chance to really think about
where I was going because the whole conversation was why
(09:10):
is this guy here?
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Or who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
And so it kind of shifts your focus to saying, man,
I just I just can't wait for them to see
that I'm I'm really the real deal.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
But because of my.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Situation, because of the University of Mind, we wasn't on TV,
went through those sanctions we had, you know, we had
limited things a lot of people didn't know. So it
was it was a situation where you gotta say, okay,
just let me, just let me just buckle down and
you'll see, they'll see.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
And that's all the focus was.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
So it wasn't about so much about the city because
the city was great for me because I stayed on
fifty sixth Street pretty much every day at the facility.
No football was my life. That's all I knew, and
that what I was up there for. It was It
wasn't so much as oh, I'm in this great city.
I got be out even though I was out all
(10:03):
the time. But I made it work because my first
commitment was to the coach, to the organization and to
make sure, like I love to prove people wrong and
I love to make sure that the people that's pulling
for me are right. And that's what that turned into.
When it only took one year, It only took a
(10:25):
couple of games.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
It didn't even take a year. This just took a
little way.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
It just it just took an opportunity to get on
the field in front of everybody, and after that, you know,
everything got quieted and it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
It wasn't.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It was a non issue since once I showed them
that Bill knew what he was doing the big man
knew what he was back in and when me and
Peyton connected with mar you know, we we went out
and did something that you're probably rarely going to see
if you ever see it again consistently, you know, weekend
(10:59):
and we.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
Y you're a young man, you're still a young man,
but you know you did it right When Peyton Manning
says the smartest football player I ever played for. But
what does it mean to you when the owner, Jim Mersey,
who's a good dear friend of yours, says, I've never
been closer with another player that's played for my team
other than Edgar and James. He's like family to me.
Where where did that come from?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (11:21):
It's you know, certain things that connect and come together.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Is like it wasn't something that's forced, you know, you
have just it's just you just connect with people.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
You just connect.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Sometimes it's like I was always myself and I always
went about things, you know, the way that I feel
like a man should. And a lot of people see
that this this is how a man is supposed to be.
And it's sometimes people recognize it. But conversations, different situations,
you know, it just leads to a better relationship. You know,
(11:55):
it's the earth that he has three daughters, so I
would ask questions about I got three daughters. So you're
asking questions, you're asking information that's beyond this because you
they like the owner turns into somewhat like a father
figure in some respect to to kind of give you insight,
give you a little light or information.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And it's just bits and pieces.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
And then we just connected through music, through hanging out,
through being yourself, through just being cool. And mister erthsay,
you know, he's always being himself. He gets a chance
to be who he want to be. And I was,
I'm living like that, and man, that's my buddy right there. Man,
you know the big man, you know, the big Man
is and I think a lot of people they don't
(12:39):
really know understand mister Earth say he's rare.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
He's very rare, and.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
He does so much for so many people that you
really don't realize the impact of him. If you think
about when we're around in the environment, any environment that
he's around is always positive, is always good. Everybody's upbeat
and moving, you know, And that's the beautiful that's said
a lot about the person at the top.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Hey, I'll never forget. I was down there in Florida
in two thousand and six with the boss Man and
he met with you, and he met with you, and
he had to tell you we can't have you on
the team anymore because of the way that the contracts
were working out with teammates and yourself. I have never
talked with you publicly about that, about that meeting you
(13:27):
you rolled up with your friend Trick Daddy. It was
about a four hour meeting with Jim Mersey up in
his suite down in Florida. And I know it's personal
and I'm sorry to go there, but I'm just if
there's something you could touch on and tell us about
that meeting of four hours between you and Jim Mersey
when he said I love you like a son, but
we've got to let you go, and you eventually moved
(13:48):
on to the Arizona Cardinals. Could you glance over that
that evening for a minute. No.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
The thing about it, that's what you respect about men.
You know, men can sit across from each other and
have conversation, and when you venture into business, you understand like, hey,
this is business. This is something that you know what's
best for you and what's best for the overall. You know,
we got to make sure we find a happy medium
(14:15):
and for me, I deserve to be compensated the right way.
But due to the restrictions on the salary cap, it
was it's cutting dry. So it wasn't really difficult. You know,
it's pretty much it's it's black and white. You either
you're gonna set up You're gonna set up there and
put in all this work and you know, not really
(14:36):
value yourself because of a situation, just because you want
to be all you want. You understand that, hey, look
this is part of the business. This way you got
these these are these are your options. These are things
that has to take place, and so it's not really
a hard conversation.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And those are the things.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Those are the things that bring people even closer because
you can talk to the person, you don't have to
sit back, and I can never say walk out saying
one bad word about the organization, about the owner of
the coaches or anybody. Because business is business. Ed's gonna
be all right regardless. You know it's coming from a
mockery you're talking about. I can go anywhere and make
(15:16):
something happen.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
And I always got me. You know, I'm always gonna
take care of me.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
But when you having those type of conversations, you can
nobody has to beat around the bush. And that's the
thing I always liked about mister Erstay. You don't have
to never beat around the bush. He say, Hey, this
is what we at with the situation. These are the circumstances,
and everything is fact fact, fact fact, So you don't
even have to worry about, you know, somebody trying to
(15:42):
just tell me something.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
And if you have to lead a whole organization, you
gotta always do what's best for the organization. Not one
person is bigger than the organization. And you look at
any successful group family, they've always had a nice firm
stands on.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
What they do and what they don't do.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
And I'm aware of that, and so it really wasn't
that big a deal for me because these are things
that happens over and over in the NFL. It's like,
I'm not gonna be the first guy and I'm not
going to be the last. But the relationship you build,
the bond, Like, I don't think they'll ever be.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
A player that has a title bond with mister Ersy.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Then myself, and so that tells you it's bigger than
It's bigger than the game. You know, the game brings
you together, but the relationship that you bill it keeps
you together.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
I'll tell you what. I cut you guys a wide
berth when you were here playing, when you were on
the Decade of Excellence. I was doing media still am,
but I cut you guys a wide berth. I let
you do your thing. But one day I passed by
your locker. You remember this hopefully, And I asked you
about a book in your locker. And I keep seeing
that book in your locker. And the book is Who
Moved My Cheese?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Who Moved My Cheese? Bencer Justin. It's like a once
a year read.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You got to remember that.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Well.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
I read that book. I read that book, and that
that opened the door or a window, if you will,
to you for me, because I read that book. That
book's about change. That book's about adapting with change, you
know what I mean. And Peyton talks about it, Yeah,
talks about being smart. And you're smart. You had that thing.
You were never too high, Drin, You're never too low.
You didn't talk a lot, but your actions did all
(17:25):
the talking for you, and that that book, that book
changed lives, not only yours, but you spread that amongst
the locker room as well. If anybody asked about it,
you'd say, yeah, here's what the books about. Why don't
you give it a read?
Speaker 1 (17:36):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Yeah, you know, it's a lot of times now everybody's watching.
A lot of the younger guys are watching. Always knew
that they were watching, and you don't get a chance
to interact. Sometimes they don't know how to approach you,
and the relations the conversation may not be on the
same tier. And when you're in a certain space, but
you just sprinkle things out. Then once the guys knew.
(18:00):
I was always reading, I was always studying. I was
always trying to find ways to better myself, you know,
as a person, and trying to expondite the learning curve
as you get older. Because we're in a room full
of a lot of first time its, first time parents,
first time millionaires, first time a person that's got in
(18:21):
his first house, and so you need somebody to lean on.
So always with that guy that people could lean on.
And it's done directly or indirectly. But I'm receptive to
somebody saying, Hey, what book is that?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
What do you read? How do you know this? How
do you know that?
Speaker 3 (18:35):
It's like, I'm not like some guys are too tough,
but they probably think it's not cool enough. But it's
like me, I take all that stuff out of the ways. Look,
I know I'm cool. I'm not worried about that, but
I'm going to do the things that you need to
do to make sure you can keep your cool in
whatever situation, whatever environment.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, you're proven that, and you talk about changing. If
I could, we can stop. We don't have to talk
about this if you don't want to. But tragedy struck
during your career when you lost your partner and Diya
to like a leukemia if memory serves a blood cancer,
and you lost your partner Edrin and you're playing football
at that time and you've got a family and she's
the mother of your children that period of your life
(19:16):
and still producing. How tough was that for you? And
what sort of reserve did you have to dig deep
because that's a tragedy no one's expecting.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, you know, that's one of those things. Life happens,
you know, and you have to treat life as it is.
Not as you want it to be, and when things happen,
you have to make proper adjustments.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
And you can be tough, you can be somebody said, oh,
just don't bother me.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
But as you when you look at it, you start
you started thinking about you know, before I had to,
you know, just get up and think about football. Now
I got kipt and think about those children that I'm
playing football, but I'm away from I got think about
somebody else taking care of my responsibility. And you think about, oh,
I don't have time, like I used to have more
(20:01):
time to put in workouts and do all the extra stuff.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
But it comes to point where that time.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Gets limited, and so it starts to affect the play
and affects the things that you're doing in your process
and the way you approach the game. And it also
kind of puts you in a situation where you start
thinking about what's important, like what's important in life. So
for myself, it's like I've always wanted to keep climbing
that that Russian ladder, and I'm looking at the Russian lader.
Speaker 1 (20:28):
I'm like, I'm right there, I'm right there.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
You know, I'm about to pass this person, about to
pass that person, and it was always a goal of mine.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
But then you start thinking about is it really that important? Now?
You know, it really don't matter, you.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Know, because physically I was still able to play. I
still could probably played two.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
More years or something. You know, I couldn't climb that ladder.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
But am I doing the proper things that it takes
to be one of the best football players? Am I
taking away a spot on this team because it could
be a younger guy that that needs this position, that
wants this opportunity, and for myself, all those things go
through your mind. Okay, do you continue? So I make
a decision and say, man, you know what the game
(21:10):
I did enough. You know, if I get in the hall,
I get in the hall, I don't I don't. You know,
It's like, because I'm gonna go do the right thing.
The right thing is to go be with those children,
Go be around those children, because you only get you
get that small window, and you want to make sure
that you connect with your children as much as you can.
And I think a lot of ballplayers struggle with that.
(21:32):
You know, if you're being away from the kids so long,
you don't really get to know your kid because somebody financially, okay,
they're they're gonna be okay. But it's the things that
money can't do that builds the relationship with you and
your children. And that's where I had to make a decisions, say,
you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna shut this thing down.
You know, I'm not really into it because I know
(21:53):
what it takes to be a pro. I know it
takes to be one of the best to play, and
if I'm cheating the game due to my personal things,
I need to remove myself from there. And that's what
I did, as bad as I wanted to pass up
all those people, because I'm like, man, I'm only a
couple of yards away from this person, a couple yards
in that person. That's nothing. I can sit there and
(22:15):
do this. But then what's more important?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Man? You know what's more important?
Speaker 3 (22:20):
And the good thing is I had did enough work
on the field to where I still get the call
from the Hall of Fame. You know, you wanted it sooner,
and I wanted to go up more. I wanted to
be to where I'm in the top five, top six.
I'm right up in there, you know. But when I finished,
I was at ten or eleven and I'm like, man,
(22:41):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
You know, at some point I'll get in there.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
And then it happened because my body at work speaks
for itself and it worked out well.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I'll tell you what I want to find out about
your kids now and a Mockoly because you were nice enough.
We didn't know each other very well, but you invited
me down in two thousand and three, two thousand and
four to do a piece on you and the off
season in training we saw the funhouse there that you
built down there. First off, have your kids do they
know your upbringing, what a Mochaly was or is, and
(23:14):
when you were coming up and how it is now
because you know, the father's a multi millionaire, Hall of
Fame running back and stuff like that. They didn't know
that a Mocholy Edger and James. Is that something that
you transition into their lives to say, Hey, this is
where dad grew up. It's a little bit different than
where you guys are at now.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Well, I think it's all part of it. You know,
in the early years they used to be there a
lot more. It's to be around so that what I
was connected to and trying to make sure we do
a lot in the community to make sure we're around
with visitors.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Sure, but as they continue to grow in.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Floorishs, you know, you start thinking about the situation surrounding,
and we wanted to put them in better environments. You know,
mocholy is good for a person that's in certain situations,
but as you as you graduate from those situations, now
it's time to elevate.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
You will be a fool to say.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Okay, we kind of made it out, We've kind of
you put ourselves in position, and we just stay in
this one space. Life is about elevating. You got to
keep growing. So I want to make sure I put
them in the right situations. And they're not. They're not
too far away from understanding what it's like to being
a market. They're familiar with it, they know everybody around there.
(24:25):
But for them, they live in totally different so it's
a different world. Like their relationship with their classmates is
totally different from with myself because they're coming from what.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
We consider the spoon fair situation or they.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Got everything given to them, and that really don't mess
a lot well in certain situations because sometimes you get
picked on by that or you get frowned upon because
of those situations. So as a parent, you have to
make sure that you understanding what they have to go
through and what they're like is. You can't make them
be you and see things the way you've seen it.
(25:04):
Because when I was a school, nobody had we had money.
We didn't have I mean, we didn't have money. Nobody
had money, right, and we all clicked up because if
you ain't got ship, then I ain't got ship. Guess what,
ain't nobody tripping?
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You know?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
So that's just the way it is. That's just the
way the world is. And trying to be mindful those
of those things. That's what parenting is because I'm like, hey,
this is totally different. I'm not gonna have somebody juicing
my kids or you know, like playing on my kids
just to be their friend. You know, they got to
(25:37):
be in situations that are like minded.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Hey, a couple of your kids. Just off the top
of my head. We got a doctor there. We got
a professional basketball player one day it can be coming up.
We got an entertainer in there, the James. The James
kids are doing a lot and they're following in their
dad's footsteps. So congrats on that.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
I appreciate it. Man.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
You know it's you know, it's it's and allows these
things start right in that locker room, you know.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
I remember I was. I was in there.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
We had the trainer by the name of Hunter Smith.
You remembern Smith?
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Well, so Hunt had three kids. I had three kids.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
And he was like, and then all of them graduated, right,
And I was like, man, that's that's super cool because
I'm coming from a place where everybody don't graduate.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Some people go to college. One off.
Speaker 3 (26:16):
You go to college. You're special. You're like, you did it.
And I was like, man, layding that and I spend it.
I spent a lot of time in the training room.
That was my hanging that was my hangout. And I
was like, he's three for three. I'm like, damn, you
got three boys, all three of them in college. They
got degrees. And I was like, hot, I'm gonna go.
I said, I'll make sure every kid that I have,
(26:36):
I'm gonna go to finish college. So I'm almost there.
You know, I won't make sure they go to college.
So he was three for three, I'm gonna be six
for sick, you know you are, I'm going for the
last the last one had just agreed to go to
the University of Cincinnati, where his brother's at.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
So yeah, good, that's gonna.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Bring it home. That'll bring it all the way home.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
Keep your eye on Jizzl. That kid is talented among
others in the Jay family. Listen, I appreciate you sitting
for the time. Couple of our questions for you. How
many receptions do you think you have in your NFL career?
Do you know that off the top of your head?
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Now the status I really don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
But when you go to these a war I mean,
when you go to these signings, you kind of get
reminded of those things.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
So they always bring something to you that says.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Can you put this on on a hell man or
something like that.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
But I don't really know off the top of my head.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Bro, you had four hundred and thirty three receptions in
your NFL career, four I would have.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Wow, I could been a while. I could have been
a wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Four hundred and thirty three for three thousand and three,
three hundred and sixty five yards through the air, not
only a runner, but you could pass and catch the
ball as well. I just want to give you some
love on this when I saw I'm serious. I talk
about this to this day. The most beautiful NFL running
back run that I've ever seen is by you in
(27:54):
two thousand and four against the Bears. You finished with
I think you finished with two oh one or two
oh nine, but you had a thirty five yard run.
If you remember, I know you know this, Edgering, Yeah,
you got to see.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
You did.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
You got the ball, quick spin, another guy in your face,
quick spin, slant left, slant, rife go forward for another
ten yards. The reason I love that run is because
that's your way of running the football. That is it,
whatever it takes. It wasn't. You weren't like Dickerson, you
running high. You ran more low. Your style was beautiful
because you waited just enough in the holes to find
(28:33):
out where you were going. And that run right there,
that thirty five yard run, folks, you can look it up.
The most beautiful NFL rushing run ever is by edger
and James. That's why I love you, big man, because
I'm telling you it's just beauty and watching it and
that was the way that you brought it to the game.
No wonder you're a Pro Football Hall of Famer. I'm
I sound like a fanboy right now, but it's something
I've always tell you.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
My boy, my boy man.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
We connected, I know, but in the twenty years anyway,
I just wanted to say that that one to me
is always special. So I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Yeah, And I'm glad we got to know each other
a little bit better after your career, because, like I said,
I cut you a wide bird. Finally, the camaraderie, the
fellowship and the brotherhood, all those guys are still close
to you on your phone. I don't care Gary Brackett,
Tara Glenn, Ryan Deem, It doesn't matter who we're talking about,
Peyton Manning. All those guys are all connected. And your
(29:22):
relationship with those guys, what's it like now? How much
do you talk throughout the year?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Where's all situational? You know?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
One thing about it that's great about the Coach organization
is you know they bring everybody together and that kind
of keeps the bond, you know, even closer that like
Dallas Dallas Clark had his ring of honor and all
the guys where to get together and you get you
get to get and you get to relive those moments
those years, and so those are the situations that happen
(29:52):
where things that come up to where there may be
an event, but even if you're in a certain city
or something and you know somebody, you reach out to
him and everybody just kind of comes out and celebrate
or supports whatever you have going. And I've always connected
with the guys. I've always been cool with the guys,
and and stay in touch with a lot of them,
(30:14):
you know, over the years, because you're gonna cross paths
in different situations. I'm actually going to hour this year
to go see Dallas. Okay, it's an our.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Oh man, I can't wait. You'll find that hookah You'll
find that hookah club somewhere. I'm sure I got something.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I'm gonna find something.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Hey, I'm gonna let you go. But one of the
things that I remember Jim Mersey saying, when when the Colts,
when the coach ownership was given, out their Super Bowl rings,
even before that day that they celebrated downtown here in Indianapolis.
I remember the day that he said, my man Edgering
is getting one of these, one of the first ones,
because he is a foundational piece. We're not here without
(30:53):
edger and James. That's a special moment coming from an
NFL owner. And I know we've talked about Jim Mersey.
But when you got that call, or when you open
that package and you saw your name on an Indianapolis
called Super Bowl ring on a team that you didn't
play for, but you gave your life and your blood
ten years for prior to that, what did that mean
to you?
Speaker 1 (31:10):
I mean, it means a lot.
Speaker 3 (31:11):
It says a lot about the organization, It says a
lot about mister Ers, and then it speaks on the
impact that your work was didn't go unnoticed. You know,
those things right there all come together and like I
felt like I was a part of the team anyway.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
You know, it's I was just like I'm.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
On ir Arizona right right right, you.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Know, because you know the relationship with the guys, you
still it's like, no matter what, you don't stop talking
to the guys, you don't stop, you know, having those conversations.
You know, it's one of those situations where you know,
once you become part of a family, it's hard to
detach that.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
You know, that bond.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
And then when I didn't know Joseph, but I didn't
know Joseph, but die from nothing. I made sure I
started to him and I made sure I said to
let him know anything you need to know to help you,
help this team, help this organization, and to help you
become a better football player, especially in this offense. Because
I know this offense, I can't help you as much
(32:14):
as possible. There's an open book, and we build a
relationship from death, you know. So it's the little things
that you do behind the scenes that says this is
important to me. It's important to me that the coachs
be successful. You know, it's important to me that all
these guys become successful because it's bigger than football.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
With me, you know, it's about life.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
You know when I cross paths with people, you know,
I always want to leave people in a better place
than I found them.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
You know, I'm here to do my part. I'm not.
Life's too easy for me. I don't have to be selfish.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
You know. The man I'm top takes care of is
so well that hey, I'm so secure in whatever position
I'm in to I have no worries, you know, so
it's easy for me to reach back, help support, and
you know, when the coach came down for the Super Bowl.
I was right there with the guys, you know, doing
everything I can do to help, and you know, and
(33:08):
especially embracelal Dge, my boy, you come back to Miami, man,
you want to see everybody have success. I want to
see them when you know. And that's a difference in
men and little boys. I'm a grown man. I'm a
man about everything. And when I when the conversation with
me and mister Ersay had the conversation and we sat
down and we talked. You know, it's two men talking.
(33:31):
You know, it's two men talking, and it's an understanding.
Because there wasn't an understanding. You know, you walk out
of there, mad, miserable, and then you're not supportive. You're
not supportive of what's going on or what's taking place.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
But this is real. Ed's always been really and gonna
remain real. Bro.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
I've been to a lot of events with you after
you ended your career, and I've seen the people's faces
and I see what the temperature of the room does
when you walk into it. You're a special cat ager
and James a very cat and I appreciate you sitting down
and talking to us. We're gonna do it some more.
I'm gonna see you up at camp obviously, we see
you out at a lot of Colts functions and everything.
We got a big quarterback competition coming up, and let's
(34:10):
talk again. Come around training camp time and see what
you've been up to. And I will tell everybody listening
and watching out there follow this man on ig His
stories are incredible. You never know where he's gonna pop
up in the world, but you and your crew are there.
So if you want a good follow go to Instagram
and follow Edger and James. I appreciate your time today, EJ.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Man, Thank you. I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (34:31):
You are in on one phone call away and I'll
be seeing you soon in person.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
That's right. You mean a lot to me and I
appreciate the time today and thank you all for watching.
This is high volume. The greatest to ever wear a
horseshoe at the running back position. His name is Edger
and James. I appreciate you guys watching everyone on YouTube.
I appreciate you guys as well as the Colts Audio Network. Hey,
we'll do it every week, week in and week out.
Sometimes we bring in Pro Football Hall of famers. Sometimes
they don't but the stories are always good. Thank you,
(35:00):
Edger and James. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
This should be played at I Vargu
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!