“My journey wasn’t easy. And I was blessed to have both parents in my house. They gave me a spiritual background and had me in church on Sundays and Wednesdays. Kids need a father figure around to point them in right direction, to stay on them. If they aren’t brought up the right way, can go in the wrong direction easily,” says Randall Godfrey, a 1992 graduate of Lowndes High School, an All-SEC linebacker with the University of Georgia, and a veteran of 12 NFL seasons.
Godfrey enjoyed one of the greatest post-Lowndes careers of any Viking. At Georgia, he was SEC Freshman of the Year, All-SEC, and All-American. After finishing his playing career with the Bulldogs, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He would play 12 years for five teams – the Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers, and Washington Redskins. During his career, he played in 170 games (149 of which he started), recorded 653 tackles, 17 sacks, six interceptions, and two touchdowns (one on an interception return, one on a fumble recovery).
Godfrey retired after the 2007 season and moved to Atlanta. He still calls Atlanta home but he remains well connected to the Valdosta-Lowndes County community. He is engaged in a variety of activities in the community, including a football camp he hosts each summer for local youth. The goal of the camp, he says, is to teach kids the life lessons that can be learned through football. “Our camp isn’t really about football,” he says. “It’s about how to make the right decisions and make the most of the opportunities you have.”
The journey from the halls of Lowndes High to the National Football League was one of hard work, opportunity, and making good decisions. “I was very fortunate growing up in Valdosta. I was in the city school system for a while then moved to the county system when I was in middle school. I was touched by so many people who molded me into the person I am. They kept me going and helped me achieve my goal of playing in the NFL. I was able to do that only because of the right people being around me and mentoring me,” he says.
And that’s why Godfrey hosts his camp every year. He would like to give back to the community and show them what it takes to be successful. Not everyone can play in the NFL. Everyone, however, can get an education and set themselves up for success. Opportunities are out there for the taking but kids must make the right decisions to seize them. “A lot of people came before them, and before me as well, who laid a foundation for success. This is TitleTown. Colleges watch this community. If you stay out of trouble and play well, you can play college football and get a free education. All you have to do is take care of your business on the field and in the classroom and have positive people around you,” says Godfrey.
The Randall Godfrey All-Star Football Camp takes place at Martin Stadium during the first weekend in June. The camp is designed for both beginners and seasoned players alike, ages six to 16. The instructors are some of Godfrey’s former teammates as well as local players. Godfrey wants the participants to know that if they put in the work, they’ll get a return on their investment. “That return is a free education. You know, these kids are being challenged. A lot of gangs are pulling away some of our athletes. I want to keep energy in our city. This town was built on sports, Winnersville is a mainstay in our community. We all come together to support our kids. That’s what I love about it. I want our kids to understand the tradition behind these games so they’ll understand what it’s all about,” he says.
For more information on the Randall Godfrey All-Star Football Camp, visit www.randallgodfreyfoundation.com.
Sidebar #1:
Education is a focal point of Randall Godfrey’s message to youth. In his post-NFL career, Godfrey has been successful in a number of different areas: He owns a funeral home in Valdosta that’s celebrating 10 years in business (he actually started the funeral home two years before retiring from football), has trained college athletes for the NFL Combine with Competitive Edge Sports, and works in real estate. One of the first things he did after retiring was return to school. He left Georgia for the NFL without graduating. He went back to Athens and finished his degree in housing and home economics. Now, he’s pursuing a master’s degree at Georgia. Godfrey also has four children which occupy a significant portion of his time. Still, he finds time to get to Valdosta about once a month. “We run the funeral home out of our office here in Atlanta. But I get down there regularly to check on my family and visit the funeral home. On the weekends, I’m absorbed by my kids. I don’t even make any Georgia games,” he laughs.
Sidebar #2:
Another issue with which Randall Godfrey is closely involved is domestic violence. In 2005, his sister, Deidra Miller, was killed in Valdosta by her estranged boyfriend, Julonda Clayton, in front of their four-year-old son. Deidra’s death rocked Godfrey and nearly derailed his football career. Instead of giving up in the aftermath of his sister’s murder, he returned to the field and soldiered on. “That was a dagger that affected my entire family and me. I came back and played several more years but I had some negative thoughts. I didn’t know if was going to play,” he says. To this day, Godfrey assists women in negative relationships. “I try to help people get out of bad situations and into safety. That’s my main goal – to help women get out of bad relationships.”
Special Feature/South Georgia/December 2015
Randall Godfrey
Lowndes High School
Valdosta, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
Vikings’ Godfrey uses football to teach life lessons, accountability
