Warren Moon
Warren Moon
Harold Warren Moonis an American former professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, and the Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He is currently the color commentator for the Seahawks radio network, working alongside Steve Raible. He was the first African-American quarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth18 November 1956
CityLos Angeles, CA
CountryUnited States of America
I was always geared towards either wanting to finish number one or be number one as far as the best player that I could be, or be the best player at my position in the league. I wanted that to be a constant reminder to my teammates that they looked to their leader who is wearing that number, this is what you should strive for as well.
You look at me -- I played 17 years and didn't get one. That had a lot to do with how long I played. I was still chasing that elusive, one last goal that I had left to accomplish in my career. Unfortunately, it never happened. But I'll tell you what: I did try.
To be inducted in my first year of eligibility is mind-boggling. Not too many guys have had that happen.
Ben is so young, and he has so much to learn. Matt has arrived. But for the future, I would rather have Ben because of where he is going to go. His future is unlimited.
I wish this had come along a little earlier in my career.
Now that he's got this Collective Bargaining Agreement done for another six years, I guess he feels like his job is complete. He probably wasn't going to still be on the job when the next contract came up, so this is probably a good time for him to walk away with the league in very good shape financially because of the new TV contracts. He's done an unbelievable job as commissioner.
I think he'll be able to handle it very well; he's a very intelligent guy, very well-spoken, very humble. Look what it did for (New England's) Tom Brady; look what it does for any quarterback who wins this game.
I think all the guys that have played in the game before me as African- Americans have to share in this a little bit. We've made tremendous strides over the years and I really don't want to make this a racial thing because it shouldn't be. But it is significant because it is the first and I think whenever there is a first it is significant. When Doug Williams was the first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl, I think that helped a lot of things as far as young black quarterbacks getting more opportunities. I think this will be significant also. It shows we have arrived at the pinnacle of our sport.
I think that's what the whole 12th-man thing has done. It's made them really feel like they are part of every victory.
I went a different route but I ended up playing a lot longer than I thought I would or that I could.
Last year, he was somewhat frustrated with not playing,
He made a big jump this summer. That's when you create leadership opportunities. Isaiah is one of those special guys.
He's always been able to do just enough to give you hope that we're close,
He's passionate about it, but he's not so passionate that he has to be on the sideline at the end of every ballgame like (Dallas Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones or some of the others. He's going to try to hire the best people that he can get to run his football team because that's not his expertise and he'll admit that. And he'll give them all the things they need to work with.