Football History

Football. It's more than just a sport. It's a tapestry woven with grit, dedication, and moments of pure magic. It's about underdogs rising to the occasion, unwavering teamwork, and the pursuit of excellence.

This series dives headfirst into the heart of American football, exploring the stories that ignite our passion for the game. We'll delve into the journeys of players, coaches, and fans who exemplify the very essence of what makes football so captivating.

Prepare to be inspired by:

Overcoming adversity: We'll meet athletes who defied seemingly insurmountable odds, showcasing the unwavering spirit that defines the game.
Triumphant underdogs: Witness the exhilarating upsets and Cinderella stories that prove anything is possible on the gridiron.
The power of teamwork: Explore the incredible moments where individual brilliance blends seamlessly with unwavering team spirit to create greatness.
Unsung heroes: We'll celebrate the coaches, trainers, and everyday heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes, fueling the passion for the game.
The impact of the game: Discover stories of communities united by their love for football, showcasing the positive impact it has beyond the field.
We'll be bringing these stories to life through engaging articles and heart-pounding videos. Get ready to laugh, cry, and be utterly inspired as we celebrate the spirit of American football.

So, lace up your cleats, grab your favorite jersey, and join us on this incredible journey. Let's explore the stories that make football more than just a game – it's a testament to the human spirit, perseverance, and the magic that unfolds on the gridiron.

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It is so refreshing when we have the opportunity to hear a truly inspirational story of a person who is blessed after such an utterly horrific experience. When it has to do with football, our gridiron ear really perk up!

Today, we have a truly inspiring guest joining us. He's a former NFL running back, a motivational speaker, and a man who defied all odds. From facing a childhood where he was told he'd never walk again to overcoming that adversity and making it onto the professional football field, Leroy Collins' story is one of resilience, perseverance, and triumph.

Here is the link to Leroy's book: The Running Back: True Story From the Wheelchair to the NFL

-Transcript of Leroy Collins and His Wheelchair to NFL Epic Journey

Darin Hayes
Hello, my football friends. This is Darin Hayes of pigskindispatch.com. Welcome once again to the Pigpen, your portal to positive football history. Boy, we have a great show for you today. It's a great story that's inspirational and really gonna make you wanna have some football going on because we have a gentleman here who has an excellent story. His name is Leroy Collins, and we have him here right now. Leroy, welcome to the Pigpen.

Leroy Collins
Hey, thank you. Hey, thanks for having me.

Darin Hayes
Leroy, you have a great story. A mutual friend of ours, Arnie Chapman, interviewed you a few years ago on a great book that you had that's titled The Running Back: True story from the wheelchair to the NFL and we are so excited to have you here and tell your story.

Leroy Collins
Oh yes, I appreciate it. eah. Arnie, I podcasted back in 2020 when I first launched my book, and so I got a chance to share. I got a chance to share my story then, and right now, I'm in a cycle of relaunching a book and actually getting a story back out because your COVID kind of slowed it down a little bit. Now, it's giving me the opportunity to actually get the book back out there, so people who missed the opportunity to read it get that chance now.

Darin Hayes
Yeah, that COVID sort of dampened a lot of things in our lives, including books, and you're not the only one. We have a lot of authors and folks who want to get their story out there who sort of missed the horrible thing happening to the world and sort of shut everything down. This is a great opportunity for us to hear about this during the football season. So why don't you, wherever you want to pick up on your story, tell us a little bit about it and get us excited about your book again?

Leroy Collins
Okay, cool. So, first of all, if I want to start off, the book is called The Running Back from the Wheelchair to the NFL, and as I start to tell my story a little bit, you will see that it is a football book. It's going to talk about the NFL and different things like that. But I chose the title to be like wordplay. As I tell the story and as you read the book, you will notice that I always run back to the golden dreams that I set for myself when I was a kid. And so basically, if I had to run back to something, I mean, I was off track. That's why it's called the running back. Put in bold letters and from the wheelchair to the NFL. And the wheelchair is that when I was in I was a kid, I was in a car accident. And it was actually, I was an audible accident. It was a truck. And the truck ran me over. And then, and after it ran me over, it gets a real good story, gets real gruesome, as you read the story. Ut I had died in an accident, and I broke 14 bones, my body and I was then after I came out, I came back, I was told I never walk or talk again. And, um, so that's, and that right there is the magic of the story, which is that, uh, I'm walking and talking right now. And then the title, obviously, I went to the NFL. h, awesome. So I mean, not, not awesome about the accent, but overcoming something like that.

Darin Hayes
But that's, uh, especially when the doctors are telling you, you, there's no hope and no chance of you being able to even walk or talk, but, uh, you're, you're playing, you know, probably the most, uh, fearsome game of, uh, athletic prowess there is in doing it at the highest level possible. So, that's pretty cool. Yeah.

Leroy Collins
Yeah. So we are; we are all faith-believing family. o, uh, the doctor did have this diagnosis, and he, and not, not saying he was wrong, and he, and he made a mistake. He knew what he knew, and he recorded what he knew, the diagnosis that he came up with. m, but like I said, we believe in a higher power and, um, and that was, I believe it was just a purpose and a mission for me, and it wasn't in my, that wasn't going to be the end of my chapter. And I had a lot more to, you know, to talk about to do in this world. Oh, um, you know, God did what he did. And so that, that was, uh, that's what's happened. o Nothing from the doctor, doctor, he, he knew what he knew and he, and he, he recorded and reported what, uh, what was given to him.

Darin Hayes
Right. Now you said that you know, after this, sometime after this, you had set some goals for yourself, and what are, when did your goals first start occurring? And could you share what your goals were?

Leroy Collins
So, uh, so it was when I, when I was the kid, I, when I, when I was, I was, I got out of the hospital, I was home, and I got a chance to, you know, be with a family. I was watching a game, a football game, on TV, and I was, uh, sitting on the floor next to my wheelchair. Obviously, at that point, I'm unable to walk. But I'm still talking, and you know what I mean? I'm playing with my brothers and sisters. Mean as much as I can with my legs not working properly. But I'm watching a football game, and something comes over me when I watch this game. I was like, man, I love this. Love this. Wanted to play it. Wanted to be part of that. And it was actually the NFL. t was a, you know what I mean? It was a San Francisco 49ers game. o, and there was no Pop Warner Little League game. It was actually the main, the big deal, right? And I wanted to play. And I just had this passion and desire to play. And as I watched more, I watched more; I watched more. I made that decision as a very, very young kid that I wanted to play in the NFL. and I told my mother, I said Mom, I want to play NFL. I'm going to play; I'm going to play football. Want to be, I want to, cause I think I believe that my first time watching football was the time I saw it on TV. You know, one of those young kids back in the early eighties, you know, you got the, you know, four or five channels. You got the, you know, the, the, you know, the analog, turning thing you got no push, but you got to turn it to a station back in the day when you were the remote like your Parents is hey, you know to turn the volume down.

Darin Hayes
You were the remote. You did that

Leroy Collins
We were really remote Technology that you know, we were able to get some other free time don't other stuff but um, so I just had this desire and this passion to the prove that I I can play this game And I mean it was like impossible because I was in a wheelchair I was my mother had to carry me to the dinner table She had to carry me to bed and to carry me to take a bath And you know, I mean so so she was doing these things to me. o they got kids to go out to play. You know me. I'm sitting aside a hill, watching and playing, or I'm Sitting in the wheelchair, and he pushes me around the wheelchair. So these days, this was happening, but at the same time, in the back of my mind, I had this desire and his dream to play in the NFL to play football, and I mean, I didn't even think about Pop Warner or think about The old high school ball any of that stuff pop Warner didn't come about to me Until years later, that's what I knew I had to start there You know me I had to start there but um, but the desire for me to play the NFL I was doing extra I was doing more so my mother used to carry me around I wanted that to stop So I told my mother that I will try I will do my own So at night sometimes when everybody go to bed go to sleep I was up doing stuff. was doing physical therapy. I was just doing more of it. So you know, I had to hold on to the bed rail, hold on to the dresser, hold on to the walls, and just take. Try to take steps. The stretching that the physical therapist was showing me, I was trying to do those as much pain as I was it I was in so much pain and um, and you know, I mean I felt a lot of pain. but the fact is that it was. It didn't matter that time. t didn't matter, even as a young kid, because I felt that that man, I don't know who told me or where I was taught that, okay, you want to make it, you got to work harder. because everybody every time I told somebody I was gonna go, I wanted to play the NFL. t was either my mother telling me Yeah, baby, do whatever you want to do. r somebody say, you can't walk to me, you can't walk, you can't play NFL. I don't know exactly where that push came from. because, at that time, nobody had that push for me. And it was just something that was, I think, instilled in me that you have to do more to get more. So you have to, you want to walk, you got to, you got to do more than what was prescribed to you. the doctors and through therapy gave you this to do when you were with them. And then I'm sure they gave my mother some instructions on how to do it while I was home. but I never really dealt with my mother; I did them by myself. and so, and it was just like all night and day, night and day. A year after I had that desire, dream, and vision, I started taking steps on my own without support. And then, you know, after I started taking steps, I started moving. mean, it wasn't good steps, but it was steps without unassisted steps. So that was, that was good. and then, so, I faced another hurdle. the first hurdle was you can't talk, or you're not gonna be able to talk. you know, you know, I mean, it's gonna, you know. Obviously, I walked out of how I woke up by the hospital, and that hurdle was conquered. and then a walking thing me taking steps, it was very, it's very, you know, cripply walk, there's a cripple walk. but I was taking steps, and I had something to work, work, and work towards. Now I have something to work on. It just kept happening time after time. I got better again, better and better and better. and then that's when the guys these Okay, and that's when the the the thought of pop Warner came to mind, because the as I was walking, but it was with a really bad lip. They have football signups for Pop Warner. and so once I heard that I was the first one in line, like saying, I need that permission slip, I need to go, I need to go. and so I ended up getting a permission slip and brought it to my mother and told my mother because she signed it. said, I want to play football. and she turned me down right away. he's like, boy, you're not playing any football. because I was dead a year prior or not crippled. 're your prior. o you're not playing football. So I said, Mom, don't you say; I thought you said that I could play about you because she was not saying that she was. She lied to me. but she wanted me to believe in whatever I wanted to do. but she was afraid to let me play because it's a tackless and violent sport. o she's afraid let me play those mother those mother instincts man the mother bear instincts are going to protect the cub you know doesn't want to see you get hurt again you know i understand that don't seem to get hurt right so you don't seem to get hurt the last days when we do is have somebody talk to me and land on top of me or or else run into each other uh so she turned me down she said no and then i and then i you know i was you know obviously upset about a situation because now i have opportunity to actually play to work my way to the nfl and uh she said no so i found other ways uh i had my uncle which was my support system he was my very support system because he was a guy that wanted me to play and he um um you know he he was a football player himself so and so he signed my mister slip for me and i handed it in and and i was actually on the blog team for a couple weeks until my mother found out and then, and then I got kicked off the team again, which is another story that's in a book. h, but that was another trial but yeah, so that was my first introduction to football; I started permissioning myself and ended up on the team for a couple of weeks. ow. mean, that's, that's really brave. h, first of all, to do that with everybody, you know, telling you against, against including your mother and going behind your mother's back, which probably a scary thing all in all itself, you know, doing that.

Darin Hayes
I think you can all appreciate that. Oh, what was the medical community saying about you playing football? Do they have any input into you playing the game like football? eah. So, um, everybody, so the doctors, um, first of all, when I went to the doctor, um, the doctor that actually gave my diagnosis and gave my treatment when I went and saw him, cause we had to go see every now and then go see checkups and, and so like that.

Leroy Collins
So when I went and saw him, um, automatically you could see the tears coming out of space coming down. cause he was like, is that you? Can't believe it because he was 100% sure of what he thought. And, uh, cause my spine was messed up. y hips was, my pelvis was crushed. And my, and I mean, so it was like every door nerve damage was always messed up. o, um, so he was sure he was sure of that, that I wasn't going to be able to walk. Nd so when I walk in with a very crippled limp, um, he was like, he was like, first thing was like, is that you? I can't believe that. Can't believe that's you. And then, you know, I mean, then we went on to tell him that, yeah, I, um, I mean, I'm playing football. I'm trying to play football now and stuff like that. And it was like, uh, and that's why we had to actually do it because the physical had to do with physical and all this other stuff. And this goes back into my mother kicking off the team, whatever. But, um, but it was, he was just like, so, so impressed about, about my, I mean, me walking in there. And so. Hey, we're still like, nobody was like, no, you shouldn't play, you shouldn't play, you shouldn't play. You're gonna get hurt again. And then it came to the point that, okay, he could be on a team, but he's not gonna play much. I just wanted to be on a team to get a uniform. Basically, I became the crippled kid that everybody had to protect and that just wanted to be on a team to have a uniform. Ittle, do they know, in the back of my mind, I'm going to the NFL? Do you know what I mean? No, nobody saw the vision that I saw; nobody believed in me as I believed. o it was always that everybody protected me, everybody's looking out for me, everybody thinking, oh, because the whole community knows that when I, my car accident happened in our small community, the whole city was there, the whole city was behind me on this thing. o they saw my recovery, they saw my rise from the, From the wheelchair to the Pop Warner to, you know, me all the way up to College and then to the NFL. So they saw they saw me from the death from the debt when I was dead To I was crippled To love you know wheelchair and then I mean they saw the whole rise could we had a little small community, and that day Of the accident the entire city was there Was at that scene Nothing like having community support that's uh, but they but like you say They probably still don't have the same belief that you do. They're saying, hey, that the man can walk now? That's amazing, or the child can walk now that was, you know, Legally dead and not able to even get out of his wheelchair himself had to have his mother carry him, and now They're saying wow, this dude's walking around.

Darin Hayes
This is a miracle, you know, at that point. That's yeah, but you're inside saying, no, I'm playing in the NFL. You still have that drive going. So, where do you go from there? Do you want a high school?

Leroy Collins
Yeah, so I went from Yep to one side once I finished. Once I finished Pop Warner, I'd been Pop Warner for a couple of years, but then eventually, there was my second year, Dirty, and Pop Warner, and my lip kind of went away. I wasn't limping anymore, and I wasn't looked at as a handicapped kid anymore Because I made a dramatic play in which you saw a book. I made a dramatic play So I wasn't looked at as the handicapped kid that I wanted. I just wanted a uniform; I wasn't looked at looking like that anymore. I was looked at as a football player For the first time in my life. I looked at myself as a football player, and then, in my third year at Pop Warner, I wasn't. I didn't gain weight, So I had to sit out for a year, and I was devastated. I was devastated, and then I, um, but then the next year came around, JV's JV year came around. The next year that I was able to play JV, and then that's And I was, I was competing for a spot, a starting spot. And, you know, I mean, obviously, I didn't get it, but I was still playing, I was on a team, and I worked my way up there to be a starter. And then, and then I, you know, went off to high school, ended up breaking the New York state rushing record for the rushing, running back. And, then, you know what I mean? Hen, you know, that right there is like, is that some, so put it this way, my first year of football, my very first year, the year that my mother kicked me up the team and ended up letting me back on because I was just, I just wanted a uniform. I wasn't gonna play that much, which was right. Didn't play that much. That year, I was a lineman. So, I went from a lineman to a running back when I went to high school. And a lineman, when I was a lineman, they put me in there with the last two minutes left in the game. And they just put me in there, just, you know, put Collins out there, give him some playtime. Yeah, right now, how much time elapsed from that first season of your mother kicking you off the team to your setting, the high school rushing record in New York State? Em, so the first year I mother kicked, when she kicked me off the team, um, it was, uh, let me see. o I was, uh, eight, nine years old, between eight, nine years old. Do you think I did two years of Pop Warner? I was 11, and then I had to sit out a year that I was I was too big. And then I came back about 12, 13, um, my first year at JV and then, um, their first year of JV and I played two years of JV, and then I went at the varsity and I, when I played varsity, I, I took over the starting job. If I take a certain job? So, I took over the starting job, my, um, my junior year, and then I broke it into my senior year. Oh, maybe six years, seven years. Holy cow. That is amazing. And the whole story is amazing.

Darin Hayes
I think I've just got the word amazing going through my head, as you're telling me every step of the way here. That's some great stuff. Oh, so what was the feeling? Can you express in words what feeling you had that year at Pop Warner? Folks were saying, okay, there's the handicapped kid, now you're being recognized; hey, this is a player? And this is a player to be watched. His is a guy that's, uh, you know, important to the team. What was the feeling like? You know, so it was always, um, so I knew what my goal was. I missed out on a lot of stuff that happened to me.

Leroy Collins
Um, on my, on my way, you know what I mean? o, cause I, I had this so burning desire. First of all, it had never happened in my hometown. Nobody believed in me. And I was always criticized and always like, you know, at the point where I'm not big enough, or I'm once head away from being all of Caribbean done. And so, um, I, I would, I miss a lot of it, but I did look back and was like, like, wow. Nobody was giving me a shot. Now, people are traveling for hours to come see me play. And people that I didn't know, like, we should shut the city down. We just shut out, like our hometown and any hotels around us. We grew up in Hudson. Oh yeah, Hudson, Ichabod Crane, Chatham, and all these little towns around us. And we used to shut the city down. I just, our team, used to shut the city down. I had people traveling as far as an hour to come watch me play. And so just thinking about that, uh, somebody that got on a football field for only two minutes in the game. And, uh, you just want to put them and let them play because he won a uniform, too, you know what? They're doing whatever they can to cancel their schedule to make sure to be there to watch me. So it was I I got a chance to see that like, you know, Well, that's a dramatic change, but that showed that was a good testament to my determination and my relentless effort to become the best and to also to stick to my goal and because I mean, I was easy for me to the train to get my body ready to like to be different from a high school player like different to get my body ready all year long for football because I didn't see high school and College as a destination. I saw the NFL as the destination, so I knew I had to be ready for that. So it was that that that training thing that was ending, and plus, I was also I was behind the eight ball Cuz I was handicapped. Was I crippled? Had to hold on to stuff them to take steps. So that was another thing that just gave me that work ethic. Like, I have to be ready and be right. It was never on the back of my mind that that thing could happen to me again or something. Yeah, it was never a problem for me. It was always asking how much better I could get, right? How much more can I succeed? And you know, I mean the weekend. It's like something. Sometimes, I want to take a break because, you know, I did a lot. My uncle used to push me like, come on, No, get up, you know, I mean, but it's not that I was lazy. It's just like I did a lot already. You just be killing me, But the fact is that it was good for me because the fact that you know, I mean me as a human, even though I had the desire, I burned out too. But so somebody who knew saw my potential was able there to lift me back up. So, after a while, I had a support system. But still, there was still like the majority of Students that guy's gonna I was one hit away from the Caribbean do Wow. I imagine that you had to have the scouts from the college team just drooling over, you know, somebody setting a record of high school for a big state like New York, especially.

Darin Hayes
And how was the recruiting process, and was it any different from any of your peers that were being recruited that didn't have a prior, you know, weren't confined to a wheelchair prior? The magical part about this, the most amazing part about it, is that what I did in high school was never done.

Leroy Collins
In our town, in our area. As far as scouts, the way scouts came to school to see us was never done before. t was new for everybody. Ike, it was such a new process that the ACT, you know, the ACTs and SATs and stuff like that. If you need all of those, you need those right there to get into College. Hey, weren't you even teaching kids how to get ready for a college university scholarship? thletes. Ids were being taught that, but a lot of athletes weren't taught that to be prepared to receive a scholarship and be able to pass a clearinghouse so that whole process wasn't even a thing in my high school until I came when I came about and made it a thing. Made it I'm saying so and it's like oh you gotta take the SATs because this school wants you oh that school wants you that school wants you then it was then it became like now we gotta start preparing athletes for College because now we can see it be we can see it can happen now um so but but other than other than other than um the clearinghouse and all this other stuff I wasn't a student student so I wasn't even if I did go to SATs I wasn't doing I ain't doing good in the school I barely passed I just graduated on time uh in high school which held me back but I have schools like Florida State Michigan uh Miami you know you name a college I got I got stacks of letters from every division one school that wanted me I should talk with Bobby Bowden on the phone you know so I just have a conversation with him I just call his house so I wanted to be I wanted to play Florida State that's why I wanted to play for College um but so it became it became that uh that it was like not not known for what was happening like North Carolina came from North Carolina come to my school to watch me walk by just to watch me walk this is she my physique and see what I look like so they have a scout come watch me just so can't say Nothing to him but they want to see me a leeway come down walk down walk down by the gym so I walked down by the gym I gotta scout there watching me walk by so it was just it was just different for a whole town so um it was it was something but now what I'm happy about is that now the school understands the importance of it and kids are now getting opportunities and they're getting kids prepared for College that has an opportunity to get scholarships.

Darin Hayes
That's great, so you actually put your school on the map for these major colleges to pay attention to, and you help the school to open the doors to say, okay, here's how we're going to promote our athletes to get them further education. That's awesome.

Leroy Collins
Exactly, yep, so yeah, I mean, we had great athletes. I'm not saying had we had great athletes before me, great athletes, before me, but the way the level where I took it would have never been done before, and um, and now there's uh guys going still got guys going pro from um from our school uh so it's a big turnaround for what it used to be.

Darin Hayes
That is very cool. So, what College did you end up choosing from those stacks of letters? m so I end up from. Honestly, I went to none of those letters, and none of the calls I went to had to get a letter from.

Leroy Collins
I went to the University of Louisville as far as the one school I went to, but right out of high school, in which you were reading a book, I went to Dean Junior College, and then I got kicked out of College. Then I went back to College, and I started running back to my dream. Do you know what I mean? That whole running back thing, get back on track. o I got kicked out of school, and then I, and as you read the story, you'll see why I didn't get out of school, which I deserved to. Then, I got back on track and went to Alfred State. From Alfred State, I got a scholarship at the University of Louisville. Ow. It's a great story, man. It's a great trip. The hat takes a lot of determination, too, especially having setbacks and you're maybe not at the level you want to be in, but you mean hard work and determination just keep you jumping up and getting to the levels that are going to get you noticed by the NFL scouts, a lot more than some of the other schools.

Darin Hayes
So great job. Ep, yep, thank you, thank you. okay, so what was, okay, so after College, what was the process of the National Football League? ow were you getting noticed by them and what was going on there through your draft journey?

Leroy Collins
So the story goes back to when I got to Louisville and when I got Louisville, I wasn't a first string, second string guy, or even a third string guy. was number three and a half. ou know what three and a half is?

Darin Hayes
No, go ahead and share.

Leroy Collins
I was a backup to the third string guy and saying, so basically, I can't make it to the NFL from that position, right? Now, I have another hurdle across the way. I started training and working out. irst game comes by I get a chance to get into the game I mess up in the first game I get benched and now I'm just like now everything is against the whole world is against me now now my whole world come with it my whole world come with it because we lost that game my first game we lost and I think I contribute to that loss and I'm devastated so at that point is a turning point in my life even at that point that I had to either show him who I was or I was gonna give up I was gonna let it let it go let all go I had to show him I got had to show him while I was there I was there for a reason I'm not there to be number three and a half you know so I turned up and there's a process why I how it happened but I turned a new leaf man and I went into practice and I became a different person a different player and uh then a coach will start taking notice of that that uh you know they say it's very hard to take a person's position right a person that's a starter or a person that's um ahead of you it's hard to take that person's position because he's there because a coach notice something about him that they like right and you where you are because a coach don't like something about you you know or he'd think you're fit there so I had to become somebody different and show who I was so I went out there became a different player and I worked my way up from three and a half to second string to number one running back and then I went on to break the school record the school touchdown record I was top 10 in every other category running back and I was a junior I was a junior and I'm a football field but I was a senior in high school in in classes you know I mean so I had another year to come back had a rest shirt year to come back to play but I could graduate that year with my with my degree because I did that rest shirt year I made up that year at uh from dean so that whole thing whole debacle I wish I don't regret nothing because my life is a I have a have a tool now and the educational tool that I can teach young athletes coming up but I wish I had more guidance through the draft process back then because once I once I declared myself eligible for the draft I was a junior on a football field but I was a senior in classes but it was they said wise or needed for me to come back for that senior got another year of college football and I didn't I didn't come back and the reports came out about my cards that they they was like, I became a ref, I became the top, I was top in the draft, I was the top 24 in the draft that had put me at first round. And I went from there to becoming a red flag because they said I had a head injury because I had brain trauma; the truck ran my head over when I was a kid. o I became a red flag, and saying so, even though I had no injuries throughout the year in my life or head injuries throughout my career up until the NFL, they still became an issue. The team wanted to take a chance on me, so my stock started dropping. Went from the first round, to the second round, to the third round, to the fourth round, to almost the fifth and sixth round. I was in the fifth and sixth rounds of the entire draft, and then it was up to one of those teams to take a chance on me. Nobody took a chance on me, so I went to Washington as a free agent. o as I went out with the commanders, I was rescued at the time, but when I went to the when I went to the Redskins, I had to compete there for another shot. And as you read a book, that right there became another debacle. Could have walked away. Kept going. Then, I ended up getting released from Washington and picked up by the Jaguars. I was a Jaguar for two years. And then, you know, I mean, then I went on as they call a journeyman and a journeyman to go from one professional team to the next one. But still, that is like so motivational and inspirational for folks that have no limitations of your body getting, you know, run over by a truck and confined to a wheelchair.

Darin Hayes
Your drive, sir, is amazing through all the obstacles that are thrown in your way. nd your faith sounds like it's a very strong part of that too. o we appreciate you and applaud you for both of those. nd I assume your family has got to be so proud and so glad that they were incorrect in what they were thinking when you were a youngster and had had everything against you and you overcame it. mazing story.

Leroy Collins
Amazing. So they definitely have my; they understand when I say something, and usually, when I say something, they anticipate it is happening. Because if I say it, I kind of thought about it. I thought about the pros and cons, and so I usually say it: I throw it out in the universe. Throw it out there because I'm looking for it to happen. And so now they're anticipating for it to happen as well because they see my relentlessness and my determination that it might not be happening the week or two weeks. It might be a year, but they know that when I say it, eventually, it's going to happen. Now, just out of curiosity, let's say knowing what you know now, if you could go back in time and tell your young self that's in a wheelchair, sitting on the sidelines, watching your family and your friends play football, and you wish into it.

Darin Hayes
What would be a message that you could give to your younger self or to others out there, maybe in the same situation, or you'll have to overcome something to reach your dreams? What would that message be?

Leroy Collins
So I would tell my younger self to tell him, if I'm here now and I could go whisper in my younger self's ear, I would tell him, continue doing what you're doing. Work hard, continue working hard, but ask for help. Ask, don't be afraid to ask for help, to ask for guidance, to ask for assistance, but you're gonna do great things, you're gonna do amazing things, you're gonna change many of the lives, you're gonna touch lives to people that you ain't never meet before, but on your journey to wherever it is, you're gonna go, which I know where it is, start asking for guidance and ask for some help. That's what I would tell myself. A Great message. And that's great for anybody. You know, that's very inspiring. And, uh, you know, a lot of folks, uh, including us adults and older folks like myself could, could use some of that.

Darin Hayes
So that's a great message. hy don't you share once again, Leroy, what the title of your book is and where folks can get a copy. eah. So it's called the, the running back from the wheelchair to the NFL.

Leroy Collins
Um, it goes deep into the details of the story from which I am coming. Say, from death, I die for eight minutes, and come from there to have this dream to make it to the NFL; you can buy a book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. m, any, any site that sells, that sells, uh, books, um, that you could buy from anyone, any, any place, any place there, um, an audible version is coming out soon and, um, it's on digital. So it's digital, audible, hard, hard copy, or soft copy. And, um, and then after you get the book, be ready for book number two coming up, and then be ready for a movie. e have a movie scripted out and, um, and a movie, the movie is, is, uh, is, uh, is in the making.

Darin Hayes
It's in the making. Awesome. That is definitely something to look forward to. And folks, you know, we're going to put, if you're driving the car or any available to write down the information, we're going to put the title of the book in the show notes of this podcast and the YouTube channel, get you a link to get right to, uh, Leroy's book on Amazon. And, uh, so you can get a copy of it yourself and get reading the first part because more is coming. Just like he said, you know, we got this movie coming. It's an awesome story, sir. and I really appreciate you coming on and sharing it with us.

Leroy Collins
Yes. Thank you. Really appreciate you for having me here. Thank you for having me.

"Coach of a Lifetime: The Story of Lewis Cook Jr., Legendary High School Football Coach" by Gaylon H. White chronicles the inspiring journey of Lewis Cook Jr., a high school football coach in Crowley, Louisiana. The book goes beyond the realm of wins and losses, focusing on Coach Cook's dedication to developing young men on and off the field.

Here are the key points:

-Focus on Character Development: Coach Cook prioritizes building strong character and work ethic in his players, regardless of their athletic talent.

-More Than Football: The book highlights how Coach Cook acts as a father figure and mentor, offering guidance and support in all aspects of his players' lives.

-Success Beyond the Field: The story emphasizes how Coach Cook prepares his players to become responsible and successful individuals, not just football stars.

-Small Town, Big Impact: Coach Cook's dedication has a profound impact on the small community of Crowley, fostering a sense of pride and unity.

-A Different Kind of Winning: While the book mentions Coach Cook's impressive win-loss record, the true focus is on his ability to transform the lives of his players.

Overall, "Coach of a Lifetime" is an uplifting story about the power of mentorship, dedication, and the transformative impact a coach can have on young people. It's not just a book about football, but a testament to the power of positive coaching and the importance of building strong character.

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Myron Cope, the legendary radio color analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was more than just a broadcaster; he was an iconic figure who became synonymous with the team itself. With his unique blend of wit, humor, and passion, Cope captivated Steelers fans for decades, turning every game into an unforgettable experience.

Myron Cope, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers broadcaster, in this revealing interview with co-author Dan Joseph. The other author in this project was Myron's daughter Elizabeth Cope. Delve into the world of football media and learn about the colorful career of this iconic color analyst.

Learn about Myron Cope, the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers broadcaster, in this revealing interview with co-author Dan Joseph. Dan Joseph and Elizabeth Cope's book on Myron is titled: "Beyond the Yoi"

The YouTube page: Youtube Channel Official Myron Cope

Born in 1929, Cope began his broadcasting career in the 1960s and joined the Steelers radio team in 1970. His distinctive voice, filled with excitement and enthusiasm, quickly endeared him to fans. Cope's ability to break down the game in a way that was both informative and entertaining made him a beloved figure among Steelers Nation.

One of Cope's most famous catchphrases was "Yoi," a Cope Pittsburgh colloquialism for "Wow." This phrase became a staple of his broadcasts and a rallying cry for Steelers fans. Cope also created the Terrible Towel, which became a symbol of Steelers pride and is waved by thousands of fans at games, both at home and on the road.

Beyond his broadcasting duties, Cope was a beloved figure in the Pittsburgh community. He was known for his philanthropy and his commitment to giving back to the city he loved. Cope's legacy will live on for generations to come, as his voice and his spirit will always be synonymous with the Pittsburgh Steelers.