ARIZONA CARDINALS

Edgerrin James wants to know who did better ending Hall of Fame speech

Sep 2, 2021, 10:12 AM

Former Arizona Cardinals running back Edgerrin James was quick to defend that the way he ended his Hall of Fame speech was with the best line ever.

The Hall of Famer joined Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta when it was brought up that the line — “My career started with gold teeth and ended with this gold jacket” — was top-three all-time.

“So who’s one or two?” James asked.

Without a firm answer, it seems as though James takes the cake.

“It was a great (way) to cap it off with something that’s memorable,” James said. “My kids got a chance to kind of go through memory lane with myself because, you know, they were younger and they didn’t get a chance to really enjoy the whole process.”

The line was a bit of a metaphor for James, who saw it as a way to describe his career path.

“Gold teeth to gold jacket was kind of my journey,” he said. “I’ve always been myself. I’ve seen too many people try to conform and then they lose themselves, and I never want to lose myself in anything that I’m doing because you are who you are.”

BUILDING UP ARIZONA

After a long and successful tenure with the Indianapolis Colts, which included four Pro Bowls, James came to Arizona in 2006 after the Cardinals experienced a 5-11 season the year prior. It was the first season the Cardinals played in State Farm Stadium, then called University of Phoenix Stadium.

“When you decide to go to Arizona, you think ‘I’m going to defy the odds,'” he said.

James helped turn the franchise around and that he did, posting two consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns in 2006-07.

In his third season with the franchise, James led the Cardinals to a 9-7 record and a Super Bowl appearance against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“You always want to leave things better than you found it,” James said.

He played one more year in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Cardinals

Bidwill...

Associated Press

Former Cardinals employee files lawsuit against owner Michael Bidwill for verbal abuse

A former assistant to Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill filed a lawsuit against him, saying that she was verbally abused during her tenure.

9 hours ago

Larry Fitzgerald...

Damon Allred

Larry Fitzgerald praises Kenny Dillingham following ASU offer to son Devin

Larry Fitzgerald threw some credit Kenny Dillingham's way following his son's recent offer to be a Sun Devil.

17 hours ago

Arizona Cardinals is embracing change amid coaching staff carousel....

Tyler Drake

‘Part of the business’: Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon facing new challenge in Year 3

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is facing a new reality with the departures of multiple assistants this offseason.

2 days ago

A recent ESPN mock draft has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks in the first two rounds of the NF...

Brandon Cadiz

ESPN’s Matt Miller has Cardinals taking two CBs in Mock Draft

ESPN's analyst Matt Miller has the Cardinals taking two cornerbacks with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

3 days ago

Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort looks on. It's officially NFL mock draft season with Arizona's...

Tyler Drake

NFL mock draft tracker: What will Cardinals do with No. 16 pick?

A look across the NFL mock draft landscape when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals' No. 16 overall pick in this year's draft.

4 days ago

The Jaguars are hiring former Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next QBs coac...

Tyler Drake

Jaguars hiring Cardinals’ Spencer Whipple as their new quarterbacks coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring Cardinals pass game specialist Spencer Whipple as their next quarterbacks coach.

4 days ago

Edgerrin James wants to know who did better ending Hall of Fame speech