If you are an Ohio State fan, you know by now that some of Michigan’s best players came from the state to the south of them. That Team Up North likes to say that the best players from Ohio know to go to Michigan, but we know the real story. Michigan’s past history wouldn’t be what it is today without utilizing the historically football talent-rich Buckeye state.
Some of those players that left Ohio to star for Michigan no doubt sting, and maybe none of them caused more pain than Fremont, Ohio native, Charles Woodson. Not only did Woodson shun the colors of Scarlet and Gray to don the Maize and Blue, but he became an All-American and Heisman Trophy winner as a defensive back that got some run on the offensive side as a wide receiver as well.
If you’ve ever wondered why Woodson left Ohio for the state of Michigan, thanks to an NFL Icons episode on MGM+, you can stop the inquiring mindset.
NFL Icons is a docuseries that explores some of the most iconic and noteworthy personalities in NFL history, detailing their lives before, during, and after football with some never before seen footage. It has featured players like Walter Payton, Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, and Emmitt Smith. There’s even a fantastic episode on former Buckeye receiver, Cris Carter that we encourage you to digest. In fact, there are three very entertaining seasons, and if you want to catch up on any of it, you can go to MGM+ and sign up to watch them all.
MGM+ releases trailer for ‘NFL Icons’ Season 3, on Bill Cowher, Mike Singletary, Charles Woodson, and Jim Brown https://t.co/f4w1pWyapH pic.twitter.com/gSTEu39NfJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 26, 2023
Season 3 has one of the episodes centered around Woodson, and if you are an Ohio State fan, you have to wonder what his career in college would have been if he landed in Columbus instead of Ann Arbor.
According to Woodson, it wasn’t really a slight towards Ohio State, but rather, his upbringing.
“It’s a very simple reason. You know, there’s really nothing complex about it … “you have to blame my older brother. You have to blame Terry. He was a Michigan fan,” Woodson said in the episode.
“And so him being my first childhood idol, that’s who I liked, Woodson continued. “To me, it didn’t make any difference that it was Ohio State and they were right there down the road from an hour and a half south of where we grew up. That was their rival, so it was — in the back of my mind, I could never really like them because they were the rival to Michigan, and that was my team.
“I was in love with that winged helmet, in love with the Maize and Blue, and so I feel like my decision was made a long time before I even made the decision.”
And there you have it.
Ohio State never really stood a chance apparently and that’s OK. We can appreciate what Woodson did in college and during his remarkable 18-year NFL career, but still not loathe those winged helmets that one of the game’s Hall of Famer’s fell in love with at an early age.
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