The Kansas City Chiefs have had many unheralded players come through the franchise, with only a special few rising above expectations to make a significant impact.
Former Chiefs wide receiver J.J. Birden experienced the highs and lows of the NFL journey while pushing himself through a nine-year career from draft pick to practice squad player to starter. I spoke to Birden about enjoying the Arrowhead Stadium crowd on the home sideline and his favorite moment while on the team.
“It’s awesome, knowing that when you walk into Arrowhead Stadium, 80,000 people in red will be cheering for you and celebrating with you,” Birden said. “You felt sorry for your opponents because it was loud, especially when the offense had the ball. I was so glad I went to Atlanta (after leaving the Chiefs) and we never played at Arrowhead, because I didn’t want to play them there as an opponent.
“Still, it’s one of my cherished memories because every time we played it, I just wanted to get in the end zone, get that place rocking and celebrate with them. It’s really cool to see the consistency today, as Arrowhead fans are still rocking. They’re still having fun. There’s a lot to celebrate, as we have a pretty amazing Chiefs team doing some pretty amazing things.”
Birden’s experience at Arrowhead Stadium in contrast to legendary Raiders WR Tim Brown, who tried to avoid the sound of the fans.
Birden, a former track and field standout, also revealed his favorite moment as a member of the Chiefs.
“I think it has to be my first NFL touchdown, which took place on Oct. 19, 1990,” Birden said. “We were playing in Seattle in the Kingdome. Steve DeBerg was the quarterback, and I scored a 33-yard touchdown. That moment stood out most because it was a three-year journey. That was three years of adversity, setbacks and rejection.
“The year before, the Dallas Cowboys had me on the practice squad. I was there all year, and Jimmy Johnson’s like, ‘Go do something else. You can’t play in the NFL.’ So I had all these moments of adversity and rejection, but I never gave up because I knew I could play. I just needed to get healthy. And I needed to be in the right situation.”
Birden’s story was far from over. He would earn an opportunity in his third NFL season with the Chiefs.
“Third year, the Chiefs cut me for two weeks; I was at home, but Marty [Schottenheimer] said, ‘I’m going to bring you back’, and he did. Then I scored the next week. So that moment was so special because I felt that combination of, ‘I made it, I’m here, I’ve proved [to] everybody [that] I can do this. Now, let’s go have a career,’ and I went on to have my career. So I think that at that moment, because of all the setbacks and challenges, I never gave up, and I just kept plugging away, and I knew I could. I got the shot at some point and proved I could do it.”
J.J. Birden is a motivational keynote speaker; check his official website for more information.
