Colts RB Edgerrin James’ piece in The Players’ Tribune shows why he’s a beloved role model.
Before Andrew Luck’s retirement rocked our world, the Colts had displayed remarkable roster stability unlike anything the league had seen in recent years.
Their transition from one All-Pro-caliber QB to another allowed the roster to remain competitive, despite two separate generations of offensive weapons dominating the touches.
That doesn’t mean that the first generation, piloted by Peyton Manning, doesn’t deserve a special place in our hearts, though. Despite remaining in the pool of contention, there was nothing quite like the early days of Marvin Harrison, Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, and the thundering mass of hair, Edgerrin James, under center.
Ahead of his Hall of Fame induction next summer, James grabbed a pen for The Players’ Tribune this weekend, and wrote an amazing piece that shows exactly why he was a role model for an entire generation of off-beat young football fans.
"When I’m gone, kids are gonna be walking the halls of Canton and they’re gonna see a gold bust of Edgerrin James. The only bust with dreads. They’re gonna see somebody who looks like them. Somebody who did it his own way."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 23, 2020
Edge in @PlayersTribune:https://t.co/Kul0ESKz2v
Perhaps the most touching portion of the piece is highlighted above, but James’ words about the family feeling in Indianapolis, highlighted by Jim Irsay, struck a chord with us, too.
"“Irsay legit. I didn’t realize how close me and him would get. That’s my guy. The Colts are family to me, still. Always.”"
Needless to say, James also touched on his soon-to-be Canton mate Peyton Manning, the calm engine that powered their entire powerhouse.
Edge on Peyton: "We couldn’t have been from more different backgrounds, but we were kindred spirits when it came to Sundays. That’s gonna sound crazy to some people, but Peyton knows what I’m talking about." pic.twitter.com/9VdP3hWgX7
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 23, 2020
James does stick out to us as a unique running back who proves that, while the position might technically be fungible in the modern analytics-driven NFL, it’s still a place where players with big personalities can thrive and establish themselves as generational icons.
James’ Canton bust is going to be something special for many reasons, chief among them the fact that he blazed his own trail and did so effectively, standing out in an era when so many blended in.
When that bronzed-up set of bouncing dreads gets unveiled, we won’t be the only ones shedding tears.
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