In today’s society, many people like to place labels on others for the slightest things. They judge you because of where you grew up, for who your parents are, your lack or abundance of education, etc. It is rare that people make a conscious decision to find out who a person is. While first impressions are important, my upbringing taught me that what’s on the inside of a person counts most.
One person that didn’t let their background or misfortune get the best of them is former Texas Longhorns and Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles.
Charles grew up in Port Arthur. His father wasn’t around and his mother, who worked as a nurse’s aide, wasn’t always present either. Therefore, Charles lived with his grandmother, along with his three brothers and a multitude of his cousins.
Growing up in the 1990s, Port Arthur had one of the highest crime rates in the United States. For this reason, Charles’ grandmother put him in sports at five years old to keep him out of trouble. While sports c a m e e a s y for Charles, b o o k s a n d schoolwork did not.
“Growing up, I wasn’t very smart,” Charles told E:60 News. “My brother would try to teach me, but I w o u ld n’t listen to him. I just couldn’t get it.”
Charles was diagnosed with a learning disability which caused reading to be difficult for him. His teachers enrolled him in special education classes in the third grade. Because of this, Charles was mocked and teased in school. His own family members would pick on him and tell him he would never be anything.
Despite his disability, Charles garnered confidence by playing sports. By his senior year in high school, he had become a state champion in track and an All-American in football.
Being recruited by every school in the country, Charles decided to stay close to home and attend the University of Texas.
During his freshman year, his 11 touchdowns helped the Longhorns capture the 2005 National Championship over the USC Trojans. After the 2007-08 season, Charles declared for the 2008 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the 73rd overall pick.
During his eight-year run with the Chiefs, Charles was recognized as one of the top running backs in the league. He became a four-time pro bowler and a two-time First Team All-Pro Selection.
In 2015, Charles tore the ACL in his right knee. After the injury, he never returned to full capacity and was released by the Chiefs in 2016. After short stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos, Charles signed a oneday ceremonial contract to retire as a Chief.
Till this day, Charles holds the NFL record for averaging the most career yards per carry with 5.4. He also reigns as the Chiefs alltime leader in rushing yards.
With that said, people had every reason in the world to look down on Charles. Despite having a disability and no father, Charles was still able to make a name for himself. As a youth, he was labeled as “dumb” and a lost cause. However, his talent and perseverance pushed him to become more successful than everybody that made fun of him.
A few months ago, I had a conversation with a gentleman at the “Domain” mall in Austin. As we discussed Texas football, he suggested that struggles for the Texas Longhorns started when they began recruiting “thugs” from Georgia and Florida.
I asked him what made him consider these players to be “thugs.” From his point of view, it wasn’t because they had committed any crimes, but rather becau se of the areas where they had g r ow n up and their low IQ levels.
A s t h e conversation progressed, it made me wonder how h e w o u l d view me if I didn’t tell him I was a sportswriter. Being from Georgia and not having the best grades in college, I wondered if he’d considered me a “thug,” too.
What this man failed to realize is that just because these players may come from impoverished communities or situations, it doesn’t make them thugs. Although some may come from low socioeconomic backgrounds, where they’re from doesn’t mean that they can’t rise above the low expectations that society has placed upon them.
For some of these young men, football marks their only means of escaping from a tough situation. They may not boast of 4.0-grade-point averages, but they demonstrate a commitment and work ethic worthy of earning a scholarship to try to make a better life for themselves.
While the dream of making it to the NFL will become reality for only a few, the degree obtained by many of the others will propel them to new heights in life.
Being fortunate enough to have both parents present and the benefit of receiving a great education at Georgia State University, I was blessed. Whereas those factors setup me up for success, I understand that they don’t make me better than anybody else.
Jamaal Charles wasn’t expected to be much because he wasn’t considered the smartest guy in school. Now that same “dummy” as some referred to him, has a net worth of $13 million dollars.
In the end, don’t judge a book by its cover. Just because a person doesn’t have the ideal background, doesn’t mean they can’t achieve greatness in their own right.
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