As a child growing up in Gibsonville, N.C., Torry Holt occasionally pulled tobacco for $5 an hour. Holt would later grow up to make millions in the NFL after starring at N.C. State, where the wide receiver was named the ACC’s Player of the Year in 1998.
Our interview subject this week for “Sports Legends of the Carolinas,” (https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/sports-legends) Holt once scored five touchdowns in a single game for the Wolfpack against Florida State. Following an All-American senior season at N.C. State, he was drafted No. 6 overall by the St. Louis Rams in 1999.
Holt quickly won a Super Bowl with the Rams as a rookie and became an essential part of an offense quarterbacked by Kurt Warner and known as “The Greatest Show on Turf.” He made the Pro Bowl seven times and had six consecutive seasons of 1,300 or more receiving yards.
Now 47, Holt has moved back to the Raleigh area. There, he and his brother Terrence, also a former NFL player, run Holt Brothers (https://holtbrothersinc.com/)Inc., and are involved in a variety of business and philanthropic ventures, including a successful construction company and a charitable foundation that supports children who have a parent with cancer.
This conversation was conducted while Holt was visiting Charlotte, serving in his role as an NFL global flag football ambassador for a USA Football event. The interview is edited for clarity and brevity.
Sports Legends of the Carolinas is hosted by Scott Fowler. It’s produced by Loumay Alesali, Jeff Siner and Kata Stevens. For lots more on the show, visit
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Hello everybody and welcome to this Episode of sports legends of the Carolinas I'm your host Scott Fowler Sports columnist for the Charlotte Observer where I've worked since 1994 and in this podcast I'm seeking out Some of my very favorite sports legends And asking them to tell the stories Behind their rise to iconic status for This interview we're so happy to have Former NFL and NC State star wide Receiver Tory Holt Tory Hol grew up in Gibsonville North Carolina starred for The wolf pack and was drafted number six Overall by the St Lewis Rams in 1999 Running down the field makes the catch Got it he's got it touchdown Specular play by Tory Hulk a juggling 67 yd bomb Hulk quickly Won a Super Bowl as a rookie and became An essential part of an offense called The Greatest Show on Turf now 47 years Old Holt has moved back to the Raleigh Area where he and his brother Terrence Hol also a former NFL player are Involved in a variety of business and Charity Ventures we caught up with Tori And Charlotte for this interview he was On the Charlotte 49ers college campus as Part of his role as an NFL Global flag Football Ambassador for USA football and I'll go ahead and warn you the interview Was conducted outside with flag football Games going on everywhere so there is
Some background noise my apologies in Advance for that but I think you'll Still enjoy this conversation very much And don't forget you can also see an Edited version of this interview at Charlotteobserver.com Slsports Legends Tory Hol next on sports Legends of the Carolinas Tor welcome to the show yes Sir thanks for having me guys appreciate It it's it's a real pleasure to have you You've always been one of my very Favorite football players so Smooth um that's change oh is that right Still that way okay good well uh let let Me start there though because some in Our audience uh wouldn't have seen you Play Live yeah describe yourself as a Player oh man I was um you mentioned it Smooth um determined competitive hard Worker um and love football like in love Sports in enal but obviously love Football and um and had a lot of fun man I I I enjoyed competing and having fun And doing what I had dreamed of doing Since I was a little kid growing up in Gibsonville North Carolina running Around in the backyard or running around Out in the streets in the neighborhood Throwing the ball up to myself shooting The basketball throwing the tennis ball Against the apartment buildings where uh Joyce would come out and say hey can you Stop throwing that ball I'm trying to
Watch TV uh but no just just just uh just Loveing the game football and then you Know having so many folks that come Before me like my uncles and aunties who Playing Athletics guys in the Neighborhood that played Athletics that I looked up to and wanted to emulate and Then obviously the guys in the collegan And the pro level particularly Tony D Art mon Jerry Rice Mike to give you a Name some guys that I uh that I watched And emulated uh and and and and wanted To uh share that experence wanted to see What it was to be uh at that level so That's that's that's me man uh that That's me and again really Uh I was very very conscious and very Aware Of sports and what it did for my life um And and handling handling it with care And now I have an opportunity now to Pass down that knowledge of the game um That I'm also grateful grateful for as Well speaking of we're in Charlotte Today and tell us why you particularly Are in Charlotte yeah I'm here with USA Football uh promoting flag football Which flag football has taken off it's At a whole new level now uh both men and Women and I get a chance to come here And share my experience of how I play The game the skills and what and what it Takes to play the game and play it at a
High level and then also to encourage These men and women to keep going you Know everybody can't play Collegiate Everyone can't play professional and Play at that at that level but there is A game for someone with in that flag Football and what I've enjoyed the most The last couple two days that I've been Here is the strategy and the skill is at A is at a is at an alltime high again Both me and yeah though it's interesting To watch the women play for me Particularly to see how part of that Game yes yeah and and and the women you Know listening to him and watching them Play yesterday they talk as much junk as The Men I mean they just as confident about This game as the men are which is good You know I think it's a I think it's a Good sign I have young ladies I have Daughters myself um I run across young Women all the time that are athletic and Uh and are expressing themselves through Athletics and flag football gives those W gives those women an opportunity to do That tell me more about growing up in Gibsonville small town everybody knew Each other uh a family Atmosphere though uh everyone wasn't kin To one another but it felt like that so If you got out of line you had Permission the oldest the adults had Permission to get on your butt uh and
Then they'll go and tell your mom and Dad you know that they got on you Actually they will they will walk you to Your mom and dad and say hey this is What was going on and uh here's what I Had shame yeah yeah yeah yeah but no Small town small small town loving town Uh I grew up pulling tobacco when I was Young I grew up working at at uh at Burger King which is which is right off Of uh I40 there I5 is near greensb Gville is near what I me know near whed Okay and it's near Greensboro and near Near Burlington as well so small town uh And a humbling experience man you Know not growing up in the big city Obviously there are some challenges Growing up in in the country but we had Everything we needed uh like I said the The families were good my uh friends and Cousins and everybody that I grew up With were all fantastic and it really uh It really made me who I am humble Beginnings and I never forgot where I Came from I never I try I tried not to But Forget Where I Come came from and uh You know gonville is holds near and dear Dear to my heart so many lessons uh from Growing up you were pulling tobacco you Mean in the summer yeah yeah so when I Got around when I got around 14 15 14 15 Years old I didn't have a workers permit You know you could get a workers permit Until you were 16 I think it was maybe
15 to 16 so you know I need I wanted Some money I wanted some new cleats I Wanted some new shoes I wanted you know They that most teenagers want well my Mom and dad was like Hey if you want if You want those things you need to go out P tobacco you need to find a summer job So uh so Marty who was our who was our Group leader who gathered everybody up In the neighborhood uh out to go out to Go out for tobacco um showed us how to Do it and uh so I would go out in the Summers 5 hours a day I was making $5 an Hour so I would come out of there $25 $30 you know for the day for the day uh Put a little bit away go down to Jack's Barbecue get me a big boy some fries and A sweet tea treat myself for the hard Work that I did and then the rest I Would give to my mom just trying to Build up some money you know to buy some Clicks or to buy some tenis shoes or buy Some school clothes or just buy Something for myself and then if my mom Or dad if they needed the money they Could also use it as well but uh but Yeah that was tough work but It really it really shaped and molded me And it also constantly reminded me that I don't want to do this for the rest of My life I did not want to pull tobacco For the rest of my life so I bet had Make sure that I took care of my grades As best I could take care of my
Athletics and uh and just try to go for There but tobacco really uh really Really shaped me and made me the guy who I am now literally grew up on Back Road It sounds like yeah I did absolutely Tell me about your recruitment it wasn't A straightforward process right there Was a year in between where you went to Was so so I didn't qualify academically Coming out of EAS Gilford high school And my teachers and parents and friends And family members were telling me all The time take care of your grades to Take care of your grades and I'm young Hard-headed thought I'd do everything And thought that just my Athletics alone Would be enough would take me to where I Wanted to go but I quickly got humble When I didn't qualify academically at Eent Gord and that was no scholarship to Here is this talented guy All Conference Player of the Year all these accolades That I was able to to gonor while Playing High School athletics but I Didn't have it I didn't have a home I Didn't have a place to go and continue On those Athletics so I was humble Pretty quick but hard gr Military Academy came along myself and Coach my My my uh High School coach at the time David vaugh uh thanks to coach vaugh Thanks to coach West and all those folks That helped me to identify hard gr Military Academy went up there for a
Visit everything worked Out they presented some scholarship Dollars for me then my family had to Come up with the rest and went to Military Academy for a year now my dad Is an ex-marine my dad OD off for the J So he loved it the whole he he he Couldn't get me to hard grade military C Quick enough is it in North Carolina or Virginia it's in Virginia Virginia yeah It's in Virginia and uh so he was good You going to get some military Discipline so I got military discipline And and and I needed it because I was a Little I was a little goofy silly Carefree it take a whole lot serious With the military academy got the Discipline that I needed got the Structure that I needed was able to get My SAT scores up pass and uh ITC State Before I went came down down signed a Letter they they offered me a letter of Intent I signed it and went there and When I got there and I I was doing well On my grades you know prepping for my SATs had all these other colleges Syracuse Carolinas everyone Tennessee Everyone out of in the country was was Talking to me wanted me to come to their School but I kindly declined and I told Our head coach at the time Coach Joe Freeland that I didn't want to take any More I didn't want to do any visits I Didn't want to accept any letters that I
Was going to in state the reason why is Because in state stuck with me the Loyalty that they showed the connection That I had built with Coach Cardwell Coach cwell and uh coach Simmons who Recruited me in high school as well as At hard gr Military Academy checking in On my family at the time my mother was Sick you know battling with cancer so State would you know check in and see You know see if she was okay and and That meant a lot to me uh that showed Showed me that they cared uh there was Loyalty there so I stuck with I got my Scores first people I called was Obviously was my parents my family and Then I called the folks in in state say Hey I'm in and I'm ready to come and uh And so rest was history after that that Was Michael Kane was so that was Micha Kan so head coach Michael Kane was was The head coach at the time coach was so Good to us so good to me and so good to Our family and um and I and I knew I Wanted to go play for him and when I got There one of the things I also loved About Coach was he had an open door Policy so his door was open you needed To come in and talk to him about Anything that was going on you could Come in and chat with him and then Coach Also would come down in the wait room he Was he worked out on the stair Master Coach oain had some of the more his legs
Were phenomenal you know he played Football himself but his legs were and It all came from the St so I used to Watch him I'm like okay if coach's legs Look like that I want my legs to look Like that I'm going start doing the Stair master so I started adding the Stair Master to my routine but a lot of That came from his influence but coach Oain was phenomenal his coaching staff Was phenomenal really good to me and my Family and uh and I knew I wanted to go There and play and he was loyal to me he Stuck with me he encouraged me he Challenged me he got on me he reminded Me uh of why I was there and and the Potential and the opportunity that I had If I continue to grow as as a player and It all worked out so shouts out to coach Okain and like I said coach Carwell Coach Simmons all those coach William Hicks who was our strm coach they poured A lot into me which gave me the Confidence to get it back out you Mentioned your mother and I know she Passed did she pass away while you were In college she passed away while I was Um um in college yes my sophomore Year uh which was which was tough that Was that was a that was a tough time in Was right around the holidays December The 27th 1996 so I'm just kind of I'm just Getting my feet wet in in school and and
Really you know trying to establish Myself and then the passing of my mother Was was tough uh traumatic and I didn't Know how to deal with it neither was Neither of my family my brother Terence My sister Tasha my pops Odell my Grandmother my auntie uncles none of us Knew how to know how knew how to deal With it at the time um and there was a Point in time where I didn't want to go Back to school cuz again you know Mothers tend to be the center of the Family the Bedrock and my mother was Hardworking loving encouraging loved her Kids so when she passed away a part of Me left so I started questioning if I Wanted to go back to school or not if I Wanted to go on and and pursue Athletics cuz I I was I was a large part Of reason why I was doing it was because Of my mom and my dad and with her not Being there I was like well why why Should I go on why should I keep going But my aunties and my coaches at his Estate talk to me and say hey Look you coming back to University Fulfilling your dream as a as a student Athlete playing Athletics that's what Your mother Wanted it's probably best you come back To honor her and I sat down and I Thought about it cried about it uh Talked to my family about it and decided To change my mind and go back to
University and I went back and boy when I went back things changed for me it Really did I was uh initially I was Angry I was Upset I was a little bitter cuz I would See my teammates and they would have Their family and have their parents and Stuff there and my mom wasn't there so That bothered me but it also fued Me to really get in the gym more get in The film room more listen better take Care of my academics a lot better uh Than what I was doing and uh so I I took A Negative Experience and and created and made Something positive out of it and allow That Fuel and my mom not being there really Propeled me to the next level boy did You ever go to the next level You throw to t h complete H in a foot Race withfield and H is going to win it Touchdown NC State 85 yd down field We'll be back right after This welcome back tell me about what you Would consider your favorite game or two At NC State oh Wow I have several but the the the the Two that stick Out was I think it was our I think it Was my sophomore junior we went to Syracuse played Syracuse and Syracuse is ragging on us
Man And they wasn't giving us a chance heck I don't even know if we felt like we had A chance that was Donan Mcav Conrad Donovan darus I mean they had They were loaded loaded with Talent and um we played them and we kept It close kept it close and then going in Overtime I caught the touchdown in Overtime for us to win that game they Didn't call the timeout Barnett got it w p win the ball game on A two-point conversion in overtime Tory Halt an incredibly G call and I remember Spreading down Syracuse's sideline and I Flipped the ball to coach calone I think His name was I just flipp the ball to Him and his team because they was Disrespecting us and you know I was I Was never a guy who who did a whole lot Of trash talking or disrespecting my my My opponent but that particular day I Had had enough you you you were tired of It I was tired of it hey you know I'm Drilling of the game and what had Happened so that's what that was so that Was one and and then then obviously the Second one is the year we be for state In car offender the most emotional days Of the year with an ACC team takes on Florida State and amidst the fireworks Here comes a wolf back 67,000 was in That had obviously made their way back
To the stadium to see that victory Um the year before I had scored five Touchdowns we mentioned early in the Opener and that game I had two Touchdowns they've got to now start Thinking it's second and long and start Thinking about looking for Tory hold Againn there's out there Mak the Catch H to the score cor H to the end Zone they were critical pivotal Touchdowns really changed the put the Game and the last one that I called the Post really sealed that game but when Winning that game with cter family for Our fans for our city it changed I I Think it changed the trory is stes Football um because we Prov That we could beat the Bulet that we Could beat stay back down was I tell I Tell the the young guys that are there Now at the stadium young folks that are Coming through look fla state is good They got a lot of talent and Coach is Doing a heck of a job with them but them Teams that we played against Derek Brooks w Dunn oh my go all those guys Was a whole another level of competition Whole another level of talent they were Pros they they were just on the Collegiate level they were already Pros So to get that win was huge like I said I thought it changed the trajectory of NC State I certainly believe it changed The trajectory of our recruiting we
Started getting so many other players From around the country wanting to come To State I think they I think at that Moment they believe that they could win And that they could be good so those are The two games uh that stick out to me But particularly that Florida State game Oh yeah that was and y'all beat him Pretty handily if I remember yeah we Like hav't they said the year before When you scored the five well we were Way ahead right right you know wasn't There some disrespect there a little bit They were well ahead uh that they that They had in like their second third SC Play we we heard all kinds of stuff yeah But we came away from that game like you Know what if we take care of the ball we Get some Turnovers we can beat them like we Really felt that like we really felt That on the way home we really felt that And that carried on into the offseason Carried on to the summer carried on into Training camp getting ready for my Senior year and we caught him early now Initially they bombed on us I think burn His cold called a deep post the crowd Was quiet and I'm sitting there saying Oh There you Go but that went away really quickly Because of the confidence that we had Gotten the year before and doing
Training camp and in the summer and we Went out there man and we handle Business and we caught up we caught a Flow and next thing you know we were up 177 177 I think it was something like That and then Jamie threw me a deep post Took us to 247 or 247 whatever it was um So yeah to your point we we felt like we Beat pretty hand that day our defense Was phenomenal think they had five seven Interceptions in that game so we had a Lot of possessions offensively and then We were rolling offensively like we felt Like with the talent that we had coach Kaiser called a heck of a game and we Were able to execute and then Jamie was Phenomenal the offensive line was Phenomenal phenomenal in that game but I Always tell people that was a total team Win I know I I received a lot of Accolades and a lot of praise for those My year C year for playing against Golda State but I always said that was a team Win uh that my C year total team win Both defensively offensively and special Teams we Played the best football that we could Have played collectively and it came out With the win nity state sitting on a Four-point lead play action for Jamie Barnett big rush on hit as he thre but It's complete the whole all the way in Touchdown NC State touchdown Tory h
How did he come up with that Football let's talk about the pros story And your career there you were drafted Number six overall in 1999 as you entered the League what sort Of goals did you have for yourself oh I Wanted number one was I wanted to prove That I was worthy of being the number Number six pick overall CU a lot of People in St Louis didn't know who I was Being out in the midwest they didn't Watch football in the South right it was All Michigan Ohio State Iowa you know All the teams in the midwest so a lot of People was like who who is he who is This kid from how do you spell that name Right who from where where is he from so I wanted I wanted to prove early on that I was worthy of the number six pick and Then I wanted to prove the the folks in St Louis that I can Play and that that was on my mind all The time and it was so my conversation With my agent was look I want to try to Get my deal done as quickly as I Can a fair deal good deal because I want To get in I want to be in Camp cuz I Want to be able to pick up the offense I Want to be able to get with my teammates I want to be able to get involved get Immersed in the Culture and that all happened and uh and I was able to pick up the Playbook Fairly quick which allowed me to play
Faster really showcase my skills pretty Quickly and I just remember in training Camp man just going at it man just Competing in this And just having a good time and making Plays and Ray agu who a former State who My who mentor of mine and still a good Friend of mine uh love rid to death and He would come to me and say you know on The low low key said hey Tor look couple Of the veterans saying this this kid This looking play and that just gave me Confidence just just just giving me the Fuel that I needed to go out and prove My work but that was all on that was the Thing that was on my mind was proving That I was worthy of being six pick Overall proving to the folks in sang L That I could play and then more Importantly proven to my teammates that I can play and that I was a good Teammate though I was a rookie I can Take I can take Direction I'm a team Player but I can play Warner back to Throw Under Pressure throws the end zone Touchdown Rams Tory hul and uh and I Think I was able to I think I was able To to win them over in my uh in my Rookie year particularly in training Camp and then you know as a rookie they Used to Haze us back there oh I bet what They do to you they don't do any of that Now yeah no he just tie guys up to the Goal post put the water down your pants
Put Icy Hot in your jock strap we had All that stuff happen um we said have to Sing at lunch breakfast lunch so when They would ask me to get up and sing cuz I like the sing no problem but I jump Right up and uh sing so my song was for The money by uh Horus Brown and I sang that at the lunch at Lunch day a little of it Um it's all good with Me finally I can afford life of luxury So that line in itself oh that's awesome They all stood up I know I had them I Know I had them they all stood up I Finished the song and uh and they never Asked me to sing again oh oh yeah cuz if It didn't bother you it didn't bother They so they was for one they was like He's a confident kid he doesn't mind Performing in front of his teammates he Doesn't mind taking Direction and he's Pretty damn good as a player and a Singer uhhuh I mean what a team you were Joining there too I mention Ray agnu Who's a mentor of mine still is I love Him to death Kurt Warner was there Kurt Wasn't playing at the time Trent green Was awesome he was our starting Quarterback Marshall faul Adam Timberman Orlando face Isaac Bruce Ricky Pro I Mean I had so many good veterans to show Me how to be a pro on the offensive side Of the ball as well as the defensive Side of the ball and then our coaches
Coach Frank G coach Mars alers who's my Position coach great positional coach Great coach and then d r who oversaw Everything and the environment that Coach bmil and the culture that he had Established there though they wasn't Winning was great because the veterans Led the veterans LED everything they ran The show um so again for me it was all About making sure that I had the respect Of the Veterans because again that gave me the Confidence to go out and play and play At a high level fairly quickly when you Raised your hands there I noticed your Finger is that from U cats or what did You break it what what's going on Catching balls over the years so it's 2005 2006 we're playing the Steelers I'm blocking the Shay towns and Marshall is Coming Shay went to get away my finger Got caught in his jersey it popped out I Popped it back in I was known for that Popped it back in ran over to the Sideline taped it up ran back in play The game so just over the years that was 2005 so I went on and played another six Five six years with those dislocations So I I've had so many there's no Ligaments in this finger now so gravity Is is naturally pulling it to the left So that's why it is the way it is but I Say this is my battle W I can have
Surgery on it but I'm tired of surgeries I've had so many surgeries knees Shoulders fingers I got two screws in This particular hand so it is the way it Is now so you joined that to get back to The Rams but it was your first year Right that you guys won the Super Bowl Yeah yeah and Warner took over midseason Or something so Warner took over so Trent got hurt in the second third Preseason game oh okay and then that's When he had the whole came that's right And then it just took off and when he Stepped in you know we we didn't skip a Beat and I think a large part of that is Because Kurt was ready certainly ready Had the skill his arena league football Skill set fit the type of offense that We ran because it was all about time and Precision getting the ball out quick Throwing the ball the spots throwing in Deep Kurt had one of the most beautiful Deep balls that I've ever ever seen in My life and then he also had the talent Around him Marshall Isaac myself AA King Ricky Pro Orlando Pace Adam Tim we were Loaded with Talent so he was immersed With guys who thought the way that he Thought and played at the level that he Could play at we all played at a very at A very elite level so it was a perfect Perfect marriage but my rookie year was Special making it to the Super Bowl in My first
Year having success in that Super Bowl Game I'm thinking to myself Scott this Is how it's was going to be every year I Bet well you had a 100 yard game in the Super Bowl and won it as a rookie you Probably thought you were going to win Five of I'm I'm like yeah I'm like we're Going to win several of these when you Think about the tal we had London Fletcher lonard little Kevin Carter on The defens side of ball Keith La Todd Like Dr live that's clean I can go on And on just Talent all over the field I'm thinking like okay I can get used to This my second year was humble pretty Quickly because things changed fre Agency you know guys may not be as Motivated as they were prior years teams Going to beat on you a little bit of Luck wasn't getting that kind of luck so Uh it was it was different but ended up Going back my third year going back to Another Super Bowl you say okay this This is what I'm this is I'm saying to Myself okay this is what I thought it Was going to be like Um but no I played in two Super Bowls in Three years and I never made it back I Never made it back to the Super Bowl Played 11 years in the National Football League and out of those first three Years I made it to two Super Bowls after That I never made it back so I say all That to say I'm glad that I was in the
Moment the year that we won and I was in The moment the year that we Lost I can sit here and honestly say to You I have no regrets I don't sit around And say man I wish I would have did this Better or I wish I would have done that I did it I did it all and I try to do it All at a high level and do it all with The thought that hey yes I want to get Back here every year but there could be A chance that I don't so let me enjoy it Let me not take anything for granted and Uh and I didn't so I can sit here with Confidence and say both of those Super Bowls I didn't take anything for grit I A do it every minute your fires left Side Acrobatic catch Touchdown we'll be back right after This welcome Back did you on a different subject You're your brother played in the NFL as Well yeah did you two ever play on the Same team at any level in college my Senior year he was a freshman but he red Shirted so he didn't dress out but one Game I think it was the game against uh Uh oh was ging in Syracuse my senior Year Syracuse came down and play us on Thursday night incredible atmosphere and Caught a family on Thursday nights I Think we got one of the best atmospheres In all of college football on Thursday Nights incredible atmosphere so coach
Decided to dress a couple freshman red Shirt freshman that that uh that game Well my brother happened to be one that Got you know got invited to dress out And he was a he was a safety but that Particular game he dressed out as a wide Receiver so he was in the line with me As we were warming up and getting ready For the game whole time man I'm I'm Choke I'm choking up the whole time in Tears the whole time just just watching Him seeing where we come from watching Him as a young kid seeing his Development uh and then being out there On the field with him at the same time Uh was special that was really really Really special and then he went on and Had a hell of a collegiate career went On and got drafted and for brown to the Detroit Lions um so yeah that was my my Senior year Miss R her freshman year With with time the time we were together You have um a number you mentioned the Great Rams teams uh and all those great Players and you have made the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame NC States Hall of Fame many many hall of fames the Pro Football Fame Hall of Fame has Eluded you so far you've been a finalist Extremely close how much does that Bother you it's Um It's it's it's it's um it's been it's Challenging it is just just being being
Transparent being very candidate with it It has its Challenges but I'm also thankful to be Mentioned as a potential Pro Football Hall of Fame that's that's really Cool that's been 20 plus thousand men That's played our Game I think that's 30 70 something now I think that's cross The finish line and our pro pro football Hall of fame that's that's an elite Group that's tiny so to be a to be a Finalist four years in a row is really Cool but I'm ready man I feel like it's My time I feel like I've earned the Opportunity to be voted in as a Pro Football Hall of Famer and the reason why I say that is Because Of the responses that I get from guys That are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and then the guys that I played Against the respect that we show one Another the respect that they have from The way that I play the game I'm in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame as You mentioned I'm in the Gilford County Sports Hall of Fame I'm in the College Football Hall of Fame and a large part Of that large reason for that is is my Teammates always give shout out to my Teammates always give thanks to my Teammates and to my coaches that helped Me get to that point it's the same thing
With the Pro Football the f great Teammates that pushed me showed me how To do it the right way great coaches Great competitors in the National Football League but I was able to do it For a decade I was on the all decade Team I got some records still hold in The National Football League uh that no One has ever done before I think I was Like the fastest of 10,000 yards ever in The league at seven consecutive 1300 Yard season that's amazing um you know Just just I can you know I can go on in Regards the numbers and stats and Accolades but I think for me getting the Respect and the love and the Appreciation from the guys that play the Game and more importantly from the guys That are considered the elite which is The Pro Football Hall of Fame it's great Now once my name is called and that gold Jacket is put On that that will be um that would be The best feeling best feeling ever and And I've had some great moments seeing My kids Born beating floida State as I mentioned Earlier winning the Super Bowl becoming All Pro coming all decade all those Things are great but be able to one day Have the opportunity to put on that gold Jacket it it takes me back to Gibsonville takes me back to pull it to Back it takes me back to our to our
Recreation uh director James Smith and Roy Williams takes me back to my first Coaches Scott and all those guys uh miam High School coaches my college coaches It'll be for them Too well it's going to happen it's just A matter of time I know it must be Frustrated yeah it's it's it's times It's times and particularly early on When I when I was first thrust into this The early stages of the hall it was Frustrating cuz I didn't know the Process but now understanding and Learning more about the process having That open dialogue with my presenter how Balls her having open dialogue with Others that are involved with the Pro Football Hall of Fame so allow me to Understand how the process works it's Allowed me now to have a syst of Resolve a calmness about how the process Works and I just got to sit back and Trust the process I got to allow the Process to happen but I think I have Enough people that are Champion for me I Need a few more cuz this past year was The first year that I have been voted Down to the final 10 so that tells me so so right there so My so my presenter and I Howard and I We've been talking so right there now I Got to get a few more folks to give me a Few more vks to get me across the fin Line it's like Florida State almost get
There almost get there right you're Going to do it one day probably handle It tell us about what you are doing now With your brother and and Raleigh and I Believe you're involved in some things In Charlotte as well give me give me a Sense of Tory hle today Tory ho Today husband Father man of Faith businessman Uh fic Philanthropist as well And really really thankful and fortunate To be in business with my brother I Think that's that's really cool Um and he is he's our leader he's the President of whole Brothers ink and Whole Brothers ink consists of whole Brothers Construction all commercial construction Whole Brothers Foundation our foundation supports young Kids with a parent or guarden as valent Cancer all of us Can resonate with that we either have Someone or know someone that's that's Valid with Cancer whole Brothers football which uh Which we put on football Camps um we' had seven on seven Tournaments but that story hold today oh NFL Legends Community Helping our current and former Players particularly our former players
Their transition from the game of Football uh my job as an NFL Legends Coordinator is to keep our former Players engaged active with their former Teams so I'm really excited about that Been doing that now for five five six Years now and then recently becoming the Uh USA Football Global flag football Ambassad yeah so I wear a number of hats A lot of hats but all things that I Enjoy doing so it doesn't feel like Work or maybe they make an impact with Our construction company on the state in Terms of Infrastruct seeing the buildings and Seeing the things that we're involved in Is really really cool I never never Thought in a million years that I would Be involved in construction but seeing The impact that we have on the state the Infrastructure is really Cool our foundation peace gives us an Opportunity to serve our community I Firmly believe that we're all here to Serve at some capacity it's up to you And how you want to do that it's kept me Sane it's kept me humble uh it's kept me Active it's kept me engaged it's kept me In shape uh it's kept me Enthused uh and it has it gives me an Opportunity to come around with football Be around these young folks and talk About football but not only that but Talk about life cuz often they ask what
Are you doing now and I'm able to tell Them how I how I transition from the Game of football into this life of mind Now as a father husband businessman you Know philanthropist tell me about your Children old are they so I have three Kids they're all at State you go go pack We all go to state go pack uh my son Braden is the oldest he's 22 years Old he's in the civil engineering Department at n State have two daughters Tor Brianna Who's a rising Jr she's on the soccer Team at NC State she's studying sports Management Communications and then my Youngest daughter Brooklyn is a rising Sophomore she just finished a freshman Year Uh she's also on the soccer team I got Two daughters that are playing on the Soccer team at NC State my youngest Daughter Brooklyn started 17 games last Year as a freshman uh was first team all ACC academics uh so very talented young Lady and uh and I get an Opportunity to travel around and see Them play you know soccer on thegi level Football the rest of the other football Right the other football right the Others would say the most important Football yes but uh but yeah that's Those my three kids and like as I Mentioned my wife my wife went to in State as well I met her at in state she
Played soccer wow so uh you guys really Do bleed red yeah so we so we bleed red We we we bleed red my brother is married As well his wife went the state so it's It's a family affair but uh but no Thankful thankful to be able to uh to Watch them come into their Own as I mentioned my son is a engineer Most folks ask me about my son they said Does he play sports like no you don't Play sports he used he was smarter than His dad he used his brain but uh he's an Engineer and and as I mentioned my my Two daughters as well they're doing Their thing with academics as well as Athletics last thing I ask you and I ask This of all NFL former NFL players who Do for this series how is your health And do you have any concussion issues or Any other sorts of nagging issues from Game and I'm glad you asked that Scott I Appreciate you asking that because one Of the things that I ask folks when I When I talk to them Particularly our former players King at Former players is how are you doing and I'm doing okay I'm thankful I'm I'm Healthy I'm able to get up and move Around now my knees and my back and my Hands and stuff sometimes give me give Me issues but that's just from the wear And tear of playing in the National Football League uh for 11 years for over A decade and the physicality that comes
With that but I'm able to move around I'm healthy I don't have to say this but I just have my colonoscopy oh good for You yes yeah was clean yeah right so now I'm a big advocate of encouraging other Men particularly men of color to go and Make sure that they're taking care of Their colonoscopy Mak sure that they're Taking care of their prostates and all That kind of stuff but uh but for the Most part no I I got a pretty clean bill Of health and um and my goal is to keep It that way and I try to make sure that I take care of my diet try to exercise Try to make sure that I take care of my Mental health uh as well I try to make sure that I pray and then My communication with my former Teammates is critical cuz all our life We've been in been in a locker room been Involved with Teams had Teammates so I want to make sure that I Keep that alive while I'm done playing Um so yeah so for the most part thanks For asking I feel pretty good that's Wonderful to hear I li I had one more Question for you that this will be a Thoughtful one that but you'll have a Good answer since you know ACC so well And grew up watching if you were going To construct a Mount Rushmore of ACC Sports legends players coaches anything Take yourself out of the mix obviously
But pick before and it can be just your Personal favorites but part of your Favorite ACC sports legends all time Dean Smith ly Bias Michael Jordan Ralph Samson David Thompson you have a fifth Mountain Rush That's okay it's your statues you can do What you want you got to keep an ny State guy here got to keep an in state Guy and he can actually go before a Couple those guys right right right oh My good what a you're a big basketball Guy he L basketball when I was growing Up okay it was you know it was it was Rap Samson it was Lyn Bas I mean it was It was James worth I mean I could have Added James Worthy in that wow was Amazing for people who haven't seen My phenomenal man Chris ciani Rodney Moro I mean say guys but uh no I grew up Watching ACC Sports from a young kid and I knew immediately if I had an Opportunity to play Collegiate sports That was the conference that I wanted To I just remember Sports and the Commercials the sound and just sale with The pilot oh yeah man oh it was Fantastic I was like I was like okay That's if I'm fortunate enough that's The conference that I want to go and Play un fortunately I was able to do
That and that's why I have so much pride In the and I T them the way that I do And I try to be around continue to stay Around the ACC certainly continue to Stay around NC State as much as I Possibly can I just think it's a great Conference with great coaches great am Administration great leadership um so no ACC is the best in the land well Tory H This has been a wonderful conversation Thank you so much thank you Scott I Appreciate that very much story holds I'm Scott F this is sports legends of The Carol thank you I thanks so much for listening to sports Legends of the Carolinas a production of The Charlotte Observer this show is Produced by Lum Ali Sally Jeff siner and C Stevens the sports editor of the Charlotte Observer is Lydia craer and The executive editor is Raina cash Remember you'll find much more about This interview and about all of our Guests including Steph Curry Roy Williams Dale Earnhart Jr and Don Staley And our sports legends book pre-order Your copy now at sports legends Book.com for lots more Sports content And to continue supporting this kind of Work please visit Charlotte Observer And consider a digital subscription and Connect with me on Twitter at Scott Fower or email at s Valor Charlotteobserver.com see you next
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