Baller Alert recently got the chance to catch up with Green Bay Packers linebacker Sam Barrington, who also happens to be up for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Each year, the award is given to an NFL player who exhibits excellence on and off the field through their contributions to their team as well as to their community. Sam, who partnered with the Dreambuilders Foundation to start educational programs for kids in Green Bay, was nominated by the Packers this year for the prestigious award.
During our interview, we asked Sam about his work in the community, playing with Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ last-second win over the Detroit Lions last week, and of course, how he deals with groupies.
BA: Can you tell me a little bit about your career and experience playing football?
Sam: This is my third year in the NFL. I graduated from the University of South Florida and got drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2013. I gained the starting position last year and that’s when things really started to take off to where you consider a platform level. I’ll be going through my fourth and final year of my contract next year.
BA: I know that you got injured at the beginning of this season. How has the season been different for you because of it? Do you find yourself with a lot of down time or are you still keeping busy?
Sam: Contrary to what most people believe, I’ve actually been just as busy if not more from a personal level since my injury. I have a TV show I’m working on at least once a month, I got my own radio show that I’m working with biweekly, and in addition to that, just continuing my community outreach. I’ve multiplied my efforts in that field since my injury…and continuing to improve things in my personal life. People think just because you’re in the NFL, you got everything together but it’s a lot of stuff you don’t have time to do while you’re playing. So now that I have that time, I’ve been continuing to do those things so I can make sure I got all my stuff taken care of.
BA: How is the recovery process going? When do you expect to be back on the field?
Sam: The recovery process is going pretty good, I’m a little bit ahead of schedule with my injuries so I’m happy about that. I just started back walking officially so I’m able to travel with the team now. I’ll continue training in the offseason down in Miami after the season is over, and I expect to be back first game next season.
BA: Were you on the field during the game last Thursday? What was going through your head during that last play?
Sam: Yeah I was there. I mean, we have a very resilient team. It was tough, I was just watching, like “Aw man, I hope we can pull this through.” We started off slow but then we picked up and guys were making plays. It may sound like B.S. but we all believed that something was gonna happen and then when it happened, everybody was just happy. We know what type of player Aaron is and the guy who’s the unsung hero, Richard Rodgers, he has some of the best hands on the team. So once we saw the ball in the air, and we saw his position, we weren’t surprised that it was a catch and we’re just happy that we could pull it out.
BA: Where would you rank that game in comparison to other crazy games you’ve witnessed or played in before?
Sam: I definitely wish I could’ve played in it but that was probably number one, because plays like that, they never happen for you, they’re always gonna happen to you. So I’m glad that that was able to happen in our favor. It’s still unbelievable today because we didn’t have any time on the clock.
BA: What’s it like playing with Aaron Rodgers? Describe him as a leader.
Sam: He’s a leader vocally and with his actions. He was actually up for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award last year. That award basically epitomizes, it defines who you are, and he’s one of those guys that is prominent in his community and does what he has to do off the field. He’s one of those guys who exemplifies great character as well and he just always does the right thing. Growing up you would hear about a lot of guys that possessed a certain amount of talent, but they weren’t great people. He’s a great person so that’s what I appreciate about him.
BA: I see you’re up for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award this year. How does it feel to be nominated?
Sam: It felt great because when you look at the guys who have been considered for that award, it puts me among them as far as off the field. Of course, I want to continue my growth on the field but I’ve been limited by injury or whatnot. It’s definitely an honor and it’s not just about the award, it’s about the potential platform that you will have if you win this award. It will give me the platform I need to continue to be the man I need to be for my community here in Green Bay, Jacksonville, FL and Tampa, FL.
BA: Can you talk about the work you do in the community?
Sam: I do work in Florida, where I’m from, and Green Bay and I’m also laying the foundation for some things in West Africa, where my father is from, particularly in Ghana. In Green Bay, I teamed up with the Dreambuilders Foundation to help underprivileged kids and we got three focal areas that we’re focusing on. One is a custom bus route for kids to take courses at another school that they may not be able to take at their school, so that they can get all the credits and courses they need and they can accumulate and have them ready for when they go to college. Second is a summer literacy program, where we’re teaming up with kids at school and they’ll have the opportunity to select a book. The third one is creating synthetic football fields. In Green Bay, in the winter months, it gets horrible. These football fields would be great for the kids to use in the winter months. So that’s what we’re working on, and I had a Green and Gold mixer in the month of October where we raised 20,000 plus dollars to go toward these three focal points.
BA: What is your dream when it comes to charitable work? If you had unlimited resources (money, staff, time, etc), how would you use it to help others?
Sam: I would want to instill the desire of doing good in the community among other people. With so much negativity in the news about athletes, especially football players, I just want to be able to spread some positivity.
BA: When you’re not playing football or helping out in the community, what else do you like to do in your free time?
Sam: I love to travel, spend time with family and friends, but I would definitely say traveling. I’ve been to a lot of places, Amsterdam, other places in Europe, but the coolest place I’ve been to is West Africa.
BA: Do you read Baller Alert ? What’s your favorite feature that we have?
Sam: Yes, I do. I’d say, probably just the news and what’s going on with celebrities, I just like to stay in the loop about what happens in the urban community.
BA: Being a successful guy who also does good in the community, you’re definitely a good catch and the ladies of course are going to want to know if you’re single.
Sam: *Laughs* No, I’m not single.
BA: Before you got in your current relationship, did you find yourself dealing with groupies?
Sam: It’s kind of everywhere but I just try to stay away from it. I’m involved in social media but I don’t let that stuff get to me. I fly under the radar when it comes to that stuff. I just try and use social media to build my brand.
Shout out to Sam for taking the time to talk to us and also for all the awesome things he’s doing in the community. We wish him the best of luck with everything and a speedy recovery!
BAers, make sure to vote for Sam for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award using the hashtag #BarringtonWPMOYChallenge on social media!
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