Washington drafted Champ Bailey with the seventh overall choice in 1999. Bailey made four Pro Bowls there, but Washington traded him (and a second-round pick) to the Broncos for running back Clinton Portis.
Portis had a successful career in Washington with 8,164 yards from scrimmage and 49 total touchdowns in seven years, but he wasn’t Bailey.
Bailey, who said a day earlier he didn’t hear from anyone in Washington until this week, paid his respects to those who drafted him and helped him. But he dedicated most of his 30-minute, 35-second Hall of Fame speech on his 10-year career in Denver
“The best thing for my career happened in 2004,” Bailey said. “I was traded to the Denver Broncos. “Once I began to learn about Mr. [Pat] Bowlen and the Denver Broncos, I was sold. There are a few things I learned to appreciate from the good leaders: They lead by example; they’re accountable; they’re competitive; and they know how to win. That was what I learned and loved about Mr. B.”
After finishing with his long thank yous to everyone in Denver, which he said will always be his home, Bailey ended with a message. Bailey pointed out that most of the people he mentioned in his speech are black men.
“My brothers,” Bailey said. “Some of you are athletes; some of you are not athletes. But we are all black men first, something we have more expertise in than any aspect of our lives. I’m a firm believer that if you want to create change, you better start with your friends and your family. So I’m going to start here today. The first thing people see when they look at me is not a Pro Football Hall of Famer or a husband or a father. They see me first as a black man. So on behalf of all the black men that I’ve mentioned tonight, and many of you are out there, you’ve had most of the same experiences I’ve had in my lifetime, we say this to our white friends: When we tell you about our fears, please listen. When we tell you we’re afraid for our kids, please listen. When we tell you there are many challenges we face because of the color of our skin, please listen. And please do not get caught up in how the message is delivered.
“Yes, most of us who are black athletes are black men first. Understand this, the things that make us great on the field -- our size and our aggression -- are the same things that can get us killed off the field. I believe if we start listening, there’s no telling the progress we can make. All of us are dads, sons, brothers, your friends. We all understand that if we can’t get our friends to listen, then no one will. And to my black brothers, if you do not have anything positive to say about our social challenges, please keep your mouths shut.”
Bailey, who had 52 interceptions and seven forced fumbles, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
