EMQB NFL Blogcast

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2007 will be announced this afternoon. Former Detroit Lions TE Charlie Sanders is one of the 17 finalists. I had a chance for a quick Q&A with him recently and here’s what we talked about.

Charlie, after such a successful individual career and to have almost 30 years pass before finally being named as a finalist for the Hall of Fame, what would being selected into the Class of 2007 mean to you?

CHARLIE: Well, I think the biggest thrill is to be acknowledged by your peers. In my mind, I always felt that I had a pretty good career and I think all my peers would say that. To have the Committee come out and reiterate that fact by nominating me as one of the finalists and to look back on my career and say that I was finally accepted as one of the good guys, if you want to put it that way… It’s always nice to be acknowledged for what you tried to accomplish throughout your sports career.

I read so many great quotes about you from former teammates and people who were around you when you were playing for the Lions. One that stuck out to me was that you had class and went about your business the right way. You didn’t criticize coaches, management or teammates. Was that really important to you, the way you carried yourself?

CHARLIE: I don’t know if it was important or not. It was more natural than anything. I think a lot of it had to do with my upbringing. My father was a tough guy. (laughs) One thing he did not tolerate was complaining or feeling sorry for yourself. So, the fact that I was able to do some of the things people said I did and to remain humble, I always tried to do that and I always looked at it like — no matter what I accomplished on the field, that I could do better. It wasn’t good enough. And I don’t know if that was an added incentive for me to try and do better the next game or the next year or not, but it’s something I built my next play on or next game on. In a sense, I humbled myself by keeping myself or putting myself down to build myself up for the next game. I know I had Bud Grant classify me as a hypochondriac because I beat myself up. I was never ready. I was never good enough (laughs). So I don’t know if it was reverse psychology or not, but my career is over and if it worked, I’m glad I used that.