The New York Jets honored Curtis Martin prior to the home opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. 1495 Sports is proud to bring these quotes from the Hall of Famer.

On how it feels to be honored today:

New York Jets logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CM: “Words can’t express how I feel.  I almost feel like it’s the Hall of Fame. There’s a part of this that’s even bigger than the Hall of Fame because it’s the hometown, it’s the crowd that I’ve played in front of for all these years. I’m just excited.  I’m usually not really excited until I’m coming through the tunnel, but I’m already excited.”

On if he’s excited to receive his Hall of Fame ring:

“Yeah, I mean everything surrounding this, the Hall of Fame, the retirement of the jersey, these are some of the highest honors that you can receive as an NFL football player.  Again, I never even thought I would even come close to anything like this.  I’m just so humbled and appreciative that people think of me this way.”

On what the ride has been like:

“It’s been incredible.  Everyone in my family and all my friends, they always joke with me because I’m not a very excitable person.  I get excited right in the moment, so leading up to things I’m usually just the same old Curtis.  But I think they’ve all been able to see a little difference in me today and leading up to this moment, even more so than the Hall of Fame.”

 On what he wants his legacy to be:

“I think my legacy starts with me as a man.  A lot of times I try to read as much fan mail as possible and it’s rare that someone talks about a game that I played or a run that I’ve had. Most of the people tell me about the impact that I’ve had on their lives, how I inspired them, or aspired them to do something better or more in their lives. That’s what I want my legacy to be. I want to be known as the man more so than the football player.”

On the public’s reaction to his Hall of Fame speech:

“Oh my gosh, I think one of the most telling things for me was being at an autograph signing the next day and there was a little eight-year-old boy who tried to express to me in his little eight-year-old words how much my speech touched him. And literally, a few people down the line was a guy who had to be at least 90-years-old or so in a wheel chair, trying to tell me or express the same things that the eight-year-old was trying to express.  So it really made me feel good.”

On the importance of maintaining a good attitude:

“I always believe that it’s the man that makes the game and not the game that makes the man. I put a lot of work, as much and even more work into myself and becoming who I am just naturally so I don’t have to try to be someone or try to be a good person. I’ve tried to really create my life around doing what’s right. A lot of people say the good guy never wins, I feel like I’m proof that if you do things the right way and if you work hard enough the good guy can win. I’m not calling myself good, but I just feel like I’ve tried to do things the right way and if there’s anything I could pass onto younger kids it’s to do things the right way. Don’t take the shortcuts because shortcuts never last long.”

On if he’s been able to soak it all in and think about his journey…

“I have. I don’t think that it’s fully set in yet. But, I’m enjoying the process of it setting in. I can’t remember feeling this excited in my life before.”

On being the fourth Jet to be honored in the Hall of Fame:

“Every day, I went out there on that field, I practiced the way I would want to watch myself practice if I was the owner. I gave it my best on and off the field to represent the New York Jets organization as well as all the fans who I held myself accountable to. Even to the media, a lot of players may feel that, “it’s the media, it’s the fans,” but I always felt that you guys were as much a part of the game as my teammates because at the end of the day what people know about me is what you guys write, so I appreciate all of you too.”

Related articles

• Kurtzberg’s Corner: Curtis Martin Reflects On His Hall of Fame Career (1495sports.com)