Farewell to a Legend: Charles Woodson

By Prentiss Jackson
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Updated: January 2, 2016

Charles Woodson career will come to a end this Sunday at the very location it began in 1998 at Arrowhead stadium vs the Chiefs. Sunday wil be a sad day because the NFL is losing a legend.

I almost became a Michigan fan.

Almost.

Charles Woodson would have been the reason I became a fan of the Wolverines. Once a year with my brother, who is a crazed Michigan fan, we head up to Ann Arbor to attend a football game. None of this is possible if Woodson decides to become a Buckeye.

The kid who lived in Ohio, signed with Michigan and became one of the greatest college football players I have ever seen. The only defensive player to ever win the Heisman. 3-time All Big 10 performer, Charles was must watch tv. Even as a youngster knowing about players but limited on the knowledge of the game, I knew he was special and he was incredible.

The one signature play or moment, for me, was the interception vs Michigan State. I have never seen a guy snatch the ball so gracefully out of the air. As the commentator stated, “Folks you can watch football for a long, long time before you see another play like that.”

As a guy who was drafted to be a lockdown defender, Woodson was able to show how versatile of a player he was by playing multiple positions and lining up anywhere on the football field. In his 18 years in the NFL, Woodson lined up at corner, nickel, both safeties spots and often blitzed from the outside. As he stated on ESPN on his farewell game:

“If I had to choose one game, the Packers’ 34-12 victory over the Lions on Thanksgiving Day 2009 ranks pretty high. I had seven tackles, two interceptions — one for a touchdown — a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a sack. Not only that, but I was going against Calvin Johnson, one of the best receivers in the game, and he finished with only two catches (on 12 targets) for 12 yards. I thought to myself afterward that if there was any game that displayed the type of player that I am, that was it. Someone who could do it all.”

Even as a 18th year vet, Charles was voted to the probowl and it was well deserved and a perfect ending to a brilliant career. He took a locker room full of young stars like Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper and showed them what the game was all about, a memory I’m sure they will cherish forever.

From college to NFL, it’s been truly a honor following you and watching you for your entire career. I’m going to miss you and you are truly going to be be missed by the fans of the NFL and Wolverines.

Thank you for what you have gave to the game of football.