University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Randall Godfrey
October 31, 2019 | Football, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Before posing one-by-one Thursday morning with about two dozen Alps Road Elementary School students that were recognized as October Students of the Month, former Georgia linebacker Randall Godfrey (1992-95), wearing a red Bulldog jersey with his number, 42, on it, spoke to the children and their parents.
Everyone was in the school library, where the first thing that greets you is a poster showing a bunch of different types of dinosaurs. Across the room were row after row of books, covering topics from science and math to the Civil War and poetry. On a far wall, in the M section, was a notable children's book, "The Magician's Hat," written by Malcolm Mitchell in 2015 when he was still a Bulldog receiver.
Godfrey was introduced by Alps Road assistant principal John Iverson, the two men having grown up together in Valdosta. Godfrey only spoke for a couple of minutes, his message quick and to the point: Stay focused, he said numerous times. It wasn't that long ago, he said, that he was in the same spot as the children, energetic and eager, only his elementary school was at the bottom of the state.
Now 46 — his 12-year NFL career ended in 2007 — the All-SEC linebacker in 1993-94 still looks strong and fit, like he could run out on the field in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday and get a half-dozen stops when the Bulldogs take on Florida.
After all the photos and handshakes, Godfrey sat down for a Quick Chat about giving back, his NFL days, the Georgia-Florida days and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: Being back in an elementary school and participating in an event like this, does it bring back any specific memories for you?
Godfrey: It does. I think it's important to be around the students and just show them the importance of reading. One of my friends, Malcolm Mitchell, from Valdosta, went through my (football) camps years ago, and to see him coming back to the schools and reading to kids and making a difference, it's a great thing.
Frierson: How much of this kind of stuff, talking to kids or mentoring, do you do these days?
Godfrey: I don't do as much — I try to give back; I'm from Valdosta and I do a big football camp down there where I have about 250 kids and I try to instill in them the importance of getting a great education and staying out of trouble, as well as setting goals and being positive role models in their community.
I live in Atlanta, in Suwanee, and a do some things over there. I'm involved with All-Pro Dads, I'm involved with coaching in the local rec center, so I get involved with kids, but there is a lot more that I can do.
It's always good to come back to Athens and to see these kids and just hear these positive messages that these teachers wrote about their kids (for each award). ... You look at today, you never know what's going on at home. So when these kids hear these positive messages in their heads, they might go home and it's a totally different situation. That's what's important about school and honoring these kids for their accomplishments.
When you see them just thrive off of that despite the circumstances at home, that's what it's all about.
Frierson: Has post-football life been about what you expected? Did you have a plan when you retired?
Godfrey: I had a plan; I was truly blessed in that I set a goal to play 10 years and I ended up playing 12. I have a funeral home back in Valdosta that's doing very well and I have four kids, and that keeps me busy.
My oldest just graduated from Baylor last year and I have two in high school at North Gwinnett and my daughter's in middle school, so that takes up a lot of my time now. I just try to be a difference-maker; so many people helped mold me into the person I am that I just try to reach back and touch as many kids as I can, just to see them be difference-makers also.
Frierson: When you say that so many people helped you get where you are, is there one that comes immediately to mind?
Godfrey: It's probably my mom — my mom taught school for 30-plus years and for her to keep me focused; I complained a lot about not being able to do a lot of the things normal kids did back in the day, but it paid off in the long run because my parents were very disciplined.
They had me in church all the time, in bible class, they had me standing up reading and leading songs and just getting involved in church quite a bit. That set that spiritual foundation early. I made some mistakes but I can always fall back on the example they set and the way my parents raised me. ...
I remember one time my mom sent me into my room to write some goals and set some goals on how I was planning on getting to UGA. And I tell kids this all the time, I put those goals on the wall and it kind of gave me drive every day — just seeing those goals gave me a purpose. That was a game-changer for me because she really opened my eyes.
I had worked really hard on football and athletics but I had to put a lot of extra time in to get my academics in order.
Frierson: Since it's Georgia-Florida week, is there something that comes to mind when you think back on your experiences in this rivalry?
Godfrey: I tell you what, I came close (to beating Florida) one year, it was a monsoon and we took the lead and then they called a touchdown back, and that's the only time I came close to beating them, so I don't have many fond memories of Georgia-Florida.
[Godfrey's freshman year, Florida won 26-24; the following year it was 33-26 Gators and the less said about the next to meetings the better.]
I like what's happening now, we've kind of taken control of them the last few years, and I think this game here, on Saturday, is going to be a great matchup, I really do.
Frierson: I know you scored a couple of defensive touchdowns in your NFL career, including an interception return for a touchdown that I saw on YouTube yesterday.
Godfrey: Yeah, that was with the Titans (in 2000), and that was one of my favorite years. We had a stacked team, we were 13-3 that year and got put out (of the playoffs) by the Ravens. Just to be able to play with Steve McNair, Eddie George and that great defense with Jevon Kearse; I still have great friends off of that team and a lot of fond memories.
[Godfrey was drafted in the second round in 1996 by the Cowboys and spent the first years of his career in Dallas. He then played three seasons with the Titans, one in Seattle, three in San Diego and wrapped up his career in 2007 in Washington. He finished with 149 starts in 170 career games and 851 tackles.]
Frierson: As a kid from Valdosta, you got to live out your NFL dream for 12 seasons and you got to live in some great American cities. What is it like being able to experience this country the way you did?
Godfrey: It was amazing. Just to start at Dallas, and I really was brainwashed because I thought the entire NFL, I thought all the cities would be similar to Dallas as far as the players being treated and going through the airport ducking and dodging (fans). But at Tennessee, they (the people in town) didn't care as much about the players and we could walk through the airport or the mall, it wasn't crazy — they loved their country music stars — and I had to get used to that. ...
My most fun time, I wish I could have spent the rest of my career in San Diego. It was beautiful and you wake up every day and it's 75 or 80 degrees and you can practice outside every day. It was just fun, but unfortunately, I couldn't get my parents to get on a plane, I couldn't get family members out there, and I'm a family guy. But I just loved San Diego and I used to go back there every year. You can't ask for anything else.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
