North Carolina Sports Network Transcript:
Julius Peppers’ Touching Induction Speech
At The Pro Football Hall Of Fame (Part One)
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(NOTE: Because every other available transcript of Julius Peppers’ touching speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday included an unfortunate variety of meaningful errors and omissions, our North Carolina Sports Network staff re-watched Peppers’ words multiple times to produce the much more accurate transcript below. Enjoy!)
The Pro Football Hall of Fame increased its membership to 378 Saturday, when it formally inducted seven new members during its annual ceremony in Canton, Ohio.
Among the Hall’s 378 inductees, only 90 were selected during their first year of eligibility, and the only Class of 2024 honoree who fit that description was North Carolina’s own Julius Peppers.
Peppers is the first and only Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee whose biography includes 1-being born and raised in North Carolina, 2-becoming a high school star in North Carolina, 3-representing a North Carolina-based university at the college level, and 4-playing for the Old North State’s only National Football League franchise.
Born in Wilson, N.C., and raised in tiny Bailey, N.C., Peppers was a multi-sport star at both Southern Nash High School and the University of North Carolina before spending 10 of his 17 NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
Below is both Part One of a transcript of Peppers’ speech on Saturday and a link to the YouTube video from the official Hall of Fame website.
Julius Peppers:
All right, let’s do this. Thank you, Carl (Carey). Thank you for that. Thank you for that (video) introduction.
I want to start by thanking God for aligning the stars and allowing this to happen.
I want to thank everyone — all of you — for being here to celebrate with me, the other enshrinees and our families.
I want to thank (Pro Football Hall of Fame president) Jim Porter and the whole Hall of Fame staff for making this a smooth and enjoyable process.
And I want to thank the other 370 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — all of these guys (points to the men seated around him) — for making us feel welcome and paving the way.
Also, I want to congratulate my classmates. It’s an honor to be a part of this class, the Class of 2024. All of these guys were phenomenal players, but more importantly they are phenomenal people, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know you guys a little bit better for these past couple of months.
I want to thank my family for coming up from North Carolina and a lot of other places and being here for this special night. They’re over there (points into crowd). See, the old proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, that’s especially true with us. My mother was one of nine kids, and my father was one of 11. So we have a large village, and a lot of them are here tonight, so thank you all for being here, again.
Speaking of my mom, her name is Bessie Brinkley. Since the day I was born, she’s been in my corner, not just for sports but in life. My siblings and I, we didn’t really grow up with a lot, but whatever we needed, she made sure we got it. And even though we didn’t say the words a lot, I knew that you loved me. Sometimes all you need is a mother’s love and support, and I’m very fortunate to have a mom that gave me that and so much more. She instilled a great work ethic and discipline in me and also a willingness to sacrifice to help others. Today, I officially become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but she’s always been one of the greatest of all time at being a mom. So, Mom, thank you for everything, and I love you.
My dad is here, too. His name is George Kurney. And even though, when I was a kid, our relationship was a little bit inconsistent, we got closer as we got older. So I’m happy that you’re here tonight, too, and I love you, too, man.
Now I was a baby of my family, and I want to thank my sister, Yolanda, and my big brother, Stephone. You both were positive influences for me, and you set great examples for me. Even though you didn’t say it a lot, I always knew you were proud of me. You know, it’s not necessarily what you say to somebody, it’s how you make them feel, and I always felt loved and supported, so I want to say thank you, guys, and I love y’all.
The man who did that video that you guys just saw, his name is Doctor Carl Carey. He’s been my copilot on this journey since I met him in 1998. I was an incoming freshman at UNC. He was my academic adviser, a mentor and a big brother. We met as friends; we became family. Carl has been a godsend to us for the past 26 years. And I want to share a little tree analogy that I heard Tyler Perry use before that I think best describes our friendship, and it goes like this. Some people come into your lives for a season, and their purpose is temporary; when the wind blows, they fall away. Those are your leaf people, right? Some people come into our lives for support, and they’re a little stronger than the leaves, but if you put too much pressure on them, eventually they break. Then sometimes you meet people that are solid, that you can depend on, and they hold you up through the storms. Those are the root people. Carl has been a root person in my life. And, Carl, we both know that I wouldn’t have accomplished what I accomplished without you being there. So thank you for everything, my brother. It’s been a hell of a ride, and we’ve still got a lot more to go.
Another root person in my life has been one of my high school coaches, Brian Foster. He’s here somewhere, too. Foster would give me rides home from practice on the days when my mom couldn’t make it, and sometimes he would give me insight on what it would take to play sports on the collegiate level. One day, after a bad practice, he told me that I would have two choices in life. I could either be complacent and waste my talents, or I could work harder and one day make it to the Hall of Fame. There will be no in-betweens, he said, and it turns out he was right, because I’m here. And everything that we talked about came true, Foster, so I want to thank you for your guidance, your friendship and your foresight. You guys are our family, too, so thank y’all.
Now that I’m retired, people always ask me: What do I miss most about the game? Well, the thing I miss the most is the camaraderie, the friendship and the relationships that you build in the locker room. And while I don’t have that at work anymore, my fiancé and our three kids have become the new locker room.
My fiancé, Claudia (Sampedro), she’s a great mother, a great partner, and a star in her own right. She’s loving, caring and very thoughtful when it comes to all of us. She’s the manager of our house, and she leads with love and positivity. She’s not just my partner but also my best friend and confidant. So, Claudia, you mean the world to us, and I’m looking forward to many years and many memories ahead. Thank you, and I love you.
Our oldest daughter, Keana, just turned 16. Keana, you’re smart and beautiful, and it’s hard to face that you may be leaving the house soon. You have such a big heart and a beautiful soul, and I love how kind and thoughtful you are to others. Watching you grow up has been one of my greatest rewards, and it’s an honor to be your dad. And I love you, Kee. Don’t ever forget that.
Our oldest son is Elijah; he’s 10. My baby boy, Amare, he’s 8. Amare and Elijah, those are my little athletes. I love how you guys have each other’s back, and you look out for each other. And while brothers have disagreements from time to time, you guys never take it personal, and within five minutes everything’s fine and you guys are playing again. I hope you guys keep that quality throughout life; it’s special. And whatever you do, whether it involves a ball or not, just know: I’m gonna be proud of you, and I’m gonna always have your back. Y’all already know, I love you guys.
(You can find Part Two of Peppers’ speech HERE.)
