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Which NFL Player Was Your Childhood Hero? (1 Viewer)

I didn't get into football until my teen years, and at the time Drew Bledsoe was the franchise guy so he was my favorite Patriots player at that time. My favorite non-Pats player was Barry Sanders.
 
TD
Tony Dorsett would probably be one of my all time favorites.

My earliest memories were of the Baltimore Colts, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. I loved the Purple people eaters, Carl Eller and Allen Page. I also loved the Dallas Doomsday defense defense with Bob Lilly. The Colts I remember the most were Johnny Unitas, John Mackey and Tom Matte.
 
When I was a kid watching football, I mainly only watched the Steelers and most of those guys were already named.

Also, it's hard to say any were my "hero"; just didn't look at the world in that way yet. As I got older into my teens and I grew more of a profile for what I considered an ideal/role model athlete the one that sticks out most in my mind was Larry Fitzgerald. He just always seemed to do everything the right way, at least by my definitions. He exuded class, gratefulness, humility, personal accountability, had a high work ethic, was a team oriented player, was great with fans, and just about always was wearing that million dollar smile. No showboating, no off the field issues, no "what about me" on the sidelines... He looked like he was always having just as much fun playing as I was watching, if not more. I always loved the story about his job as a ball boy for the Vikings in his teens and how he would pick the brains of Chris Carter and Randy Moss.

While Marino is always the obvious answer of a local kid the Steelers never should have let out of Pittsburgh; to me Larry was the guy I always wished I got to see play in black and gold over anyone else. TBH, forget in the NFL, Larry Fitz might be my favorite athlete as a human being across all sports.
 
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, memories, and childhood heroes. Reading through your posts has been a great reminder of the legends who shaped the game and the moments that made us fall in love with football. Whether it was a player’s incredible accomplishments or just the way they carried themselves on and off the field, it’s been special revisiting the past through all of your experiences.

Growing up in the '70s as a Steelers fan, I was beyond spoiled. Not only did the Steelers dominate, but nearly every season ended with a Super Bowl appearance. Names like Bradshaw, Blount, Ham, Harris, Lambert, Webster and Swann weren’t just great players they were icons. Watching those teams win again and again made being a fan an unforgettable experience.

My personal favorite growing up was Tony Dorsett. He wasn’t just an NFL star he was a hometown legend. His dominance at Hopewell High School made him a local hero long before he ever stepped onto a college or NFL field. Winning the Heisman at Pitt was just another chapter in his incredible story, and when he went on to carve out a Hall of Fame career in the pros, it cemented his legacy forever.
 
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Growing up my father always cheered for the Cowboys, so to have an in-house rivalry, my team was the St. Louis Cardinals and I loved to watch Jackie Smith.

As a Razorback fan, I also enjoyed the success of Lance Alworth.

Sort of an odd twist, both Smith and Alworth closed out their careers with the Dallas Cowboys.

Lost my father in 2012, but enjoyed recalling this today, so thanks for the thread idea!
 
Hot Sauce Guy said:
efactor said:
It’s like I don’t even know you 😡
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Bro I was like 5 years old. :lol:

A few years later I learned to only idolize players in red and gold, I promise you. :wub:
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I have a similar thing with the Niners Cowboys. I was just too young too have been impacted by “The Catch” so Montana never hurt me.

LOVED Montana and his Niners. HATED Steve Young more than any other player because he took Joes job (due to injury! :rant: )
 
STEADYMOBBIN 22 said:
LOVED Montana and his Niners. HATED Steve Young more than any other player because he took Joes job (due to injury! :rant: )
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This was a tough time for young Niners fans. I was bummed about Joe, and to see him go to KC was just 🤮

But then Young got the monkey off his back and was nothing short of awesome from there. The accuracy, completion %, and so, so much winning.

We never forgot about Joe, but it became easier to accept his departure.
 
My top 10 as a kid and into my teens:

1. Dan Marino
2. Roger Staubach
3. Tony Dorsett
4. Mark Clayton
5. Eric Dickerson
6. Ronnie Lott
7. Jerry Rice
8. Joe Montana
9. A.J Duhe
10. Dwight Stevenson
 
For the OPPOSITE of this thread but putting it here…

My least favorite “popular” player: Dan Marino. Dude seemed like such a jerk and bad leader. Disliked him a ton as a kid.

My least favorite “popular” player on my favorite team: Tim Brown. Always seemed like when he poked his nose into player decision stuff (vouching for a QB, etc) he was always wrong. I can’t remember specific examples. I just remember screaming at my radio about him when he said something that backfired. On top of that, for a “great” WR…it was when the end-of-career Jerry Rice came to the Raiders that it was obvious to raiders fans…”oh! Now THAT old dude is what a great WR looks like”. Eff Tim Brown.
 
More High School but Larry Fitzgerald. It's always cool when you latch onto a player who ends up going to the HOF as opposed to the hundreds of other players you could have chosen.
 
Growing up in eastern Canada, the NFL was barely a blip out there in the 80’s/early 90’s. However, I always hurried home after playing hockey on Sundays to watch the NFL. I loved the complexity of the game.

John Madden was a huge influence on me and how I watch the game. He was an amazing announcer with the way he would explain blocking, holes and BOOOM!

I’ve been a Bears fan since day 1, however I grew up having New England and Buffalo games on pretty much every weekend. The Bills and the hurry up offense was treat to watch. The frank Riech playoff comeback game was a game for the ages. So a big shout out to not one player, but that entire Bills team of the early 90’s.
 
As a 13yo living near Detroit in 1989, Barry was by far our favorite. Nobody came close. I still think he was the GOAT, unfortunately he was good enough to mask horrible coaching and most of the team was not good.

The true legend in our household was Bo Schembechler.

Looking back, that 1989 draft will never be beaten at the top.
1Dallas CowboysTroy Aikman qb, UCLA
2Green Bay PackersTony Mandarich T, Michigan State
3Detroit LionsBarry Sanders rb, Oklahoma State
4Kansas City ChiefsDerrick ThomasLB, Alabama
5Atlanta FalconsDeion Sanders dB, Florida State
​
 
Todem said:
My top 10 as a kid and into my teens:

1. Dan Marino
2. Roger Staubach
3. Tony Dorsett
4. Mark Clayton
5. Eric Dickerson
6. Ronnie Lott
7. Jerry Rice
8. Joe Montana
9. A.J Duhe
10. Dwight Stevenson
Click to expand...

This sounds like fun..... Id probably go with

In no particular order:

Emmitt
Irvin
Montana
John Taylor - Strickly a Tecmo Super Bowl thing - Caught EVERYTHING even if covered.
Walter Payton
Ronnie Lott
Charles Haley
Darrell Green
Larry Allen
Darren Woodson
 
Top 10 in no order:

Joe Montana
Reggie White
Barry Sanders
Sterling Sharpe
Jerry Rice
Walter Payton
Dan Marino
Don "magic man" Majkowaski
Brett Favre
Emmitt Smith

Loved Joe Montana as a kid and used to pretend I was him in the backyard. When i got a little older I started to focus on packer players.

Bonus least favorite player, Chris Carter. No, every first down does not need to be celebrated like you just won a super bowl, unless you never played in one and then i guess you take what you can get.
 
Larry Csonka
I met him when he was at Syracuse.
Was at a game with a family friend who was a big donor
He got access to the locker room before the game,I tagged along
Csonka was sitting on a training table getting taped up
I remember his legs were huge! Especially to a young kid,I was maybe 10 at the time
He shook my hand,exchanged pleasantries
And then we watched him rush for over a hundred yards and the games only touchdown
Followed him from that day forward.
Guess he was the closest thing to a "hero" I ever had
 
I met some bust of a QB pick at Patriots camp when I was real young. I forget his name. He was sooo nice and I was so excited. I raved of this guy for a while. Matt?
Years later I met Andre Tippet. He was doing some sort of martial arts exhibition. I couldn't believe it. During practice, he jumped over the OL and I swear he took off Craig James's head as his helmet rolled on the ground. My dad was laughing and I was green and about to vomit. He's correcting me and...all good.

After practice, I was terrified of him. He came by to sign autographs and my fear became a tremble then I ran. He chased me and said...heyyy are you ok? And I don't remember the rest of the conversation but I stood next to him walking with him as he signed many autographs and then he gave me a hug goodbye and I flinched and he's cmon now and then a hug I didn't flinch with.

I've got LT stories I've shared before of later in life.

Even now if I watch highlights, I legit think he was the second best LB ever and a terror like LT. I'm sure some was because of my experience but I'm well past that and as freakish as LTs athleticism was, this guy was just a bit less- still wayyy more than other LBs.

I'd see Cornelius Bennett later in life too. He was OMG but he was a bit less than Tippett.

I've had friends from PA tell me Greg Lloyd was like this. It's really something to experience. You're watching a game or a practice and why do you feel fear or that fight or flight instinct or I just watched Rocky instincts.

Rambling, I've got stories...
 
Backup RB Alfred Anderson came to our elementary school and signed a 6 x 4 purple piece of construction paper for us when I was in the 1st grade in 1990. So naturally, him.

Once I got more into the sport, I suppose Cris Carter and Randy Moss, but not sure I would call either of those a childhood hero. Kirby Puckett was him. All others were just players I liked.
 
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Childhood hero isn't really a thing for me - football clearly wasn't me first sport, I didn't really get properly interested until I was maybe 9 or 10, possibly later, and it would be later still before I could actually watch full games as opposed to just highlights. But in terms of the first player to make an impression on me? Seemed to be the case that every week Eric Metcalf was doing something cool
 
Man, I've been a Vikings fan for over 40 years and would have a hard time pointing to just one player. Grew up watching Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson throw to the likes of Ahmad Rashad, Joe Senser, and Michigan legend Anthony Carter. But, at that time, the true strength of the team was their defense, let by guys like Keith Millard, Scott Studwell, and stud safety Joey Browner.

If I had to pick one Viking from my early childhood, it would have to be Anthony Carter. He was just a special player who came up huge in some of the absolute biggest moments. Divisional round of the 1987 playoffs... Vikings were coming off of a wild card blowout of the Saints, and traveled to Candlestick to face the #1 seed 49ers. My parents were appliance shopping and my brother and I found our way to the electronics department at Sears, where we planted our butts on an endcap and watched Carter almost single-handedly dismantle San Fran. 10 catches, 227 yards, plus another 50-ish yards rushing/returning. We probably sat and watched that game from inside of Sears for over two hours. Unfortunately, Darrin Nelson dropped a game-tying pass the following week to come up just short against the Skins. Of the five NFCC games I've seen the Vikings lose, that one may have been their best chance to win a SB, considering how badly Washington beat up on the Broncos (the four MIN SB losses were all a little before my time).

Interesting side note (and a great trivia tidbit)... Anthony Carter still holds the NFL record for most all-purpose yards in a single NFL postseason (642 in 1987).

All of that said, if I'm being honest, the player I enjoyed watching the most growing up was Eric Dickerson (when they weren't playing MIN, that is). We didn't have cable TV growing up, and I probably listened to more Vikings games on the radio than I watched on TV. When we DID get a chance to watch games on Sunday (many times at my grandparents' house), it was more often than not the 49ers during that early/mid 80's time period. And, the divisional rival to those Niners were the LA Rams.... Jim Everett, Henry Ellard, Willie "Flipper" Anderson, and THE MAN.... Eric Dickerson. Talk about some classic battles between those two teams. The Niners were loaded, but the Rams were no slouch, and Everett, Dickerson, and company game them all they could ask for on several occasions. So, naturally, when I wasn't pulling for my Vikings, I was often pulling for the underdog in that SF-LA rivalry of sorts.

Dickerson was just fun to watch. I don't know how to describe his running style other than to say that he almost "glided" across the field. All the greats have their own style. Payton was one of a kind. Sanders could juke anybody out of their shoes. Riggins, Emmitt, Peterson... they're all unique. Dickerson was just SMOOTH. He made running look easy. Not quick, necessarily, and didn't have the moves that Payton or Sanders had. But, great vision plus a unique combination of power and speed. Just a pleasure to watch.
 
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