The Game Before the Money: Oral History of Pro and College Football

John Wooten truly is a legend. Coming into the NFL in 1959, he blocked for Jim Brown, played for Paul Brown, and was a key part of the 1964 Cleveland Browns NFL championship team. Hear him share stories of his friendships with Ernie Davis and Muhammad Ali, including great info on the famous "Cleveland Summit" with Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and many other sports superstars. In college, he helped the Colorado Buffaloes to the Orange Bowl.

John worked as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys for 16 years, then worked for the Eagles and Ravens. He now chairs the Fritz Pollard Alliance. He worked with Commissioner Pete Rozelle and other NFL legends to establish an important program to develop African-Americans for coaching and front office positions. John's amazing story -- which includes working with Pete Rozelle to avoid filing a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL in the 1960s and Clemson mailing a threatening letter to Colorado before the 1957 Orange Bowl because he and a teammate were African-American -- is told in this episode. 

Bert Bell founded the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933. In 1946, he took over as NFL Commissioner. His innovations provide a backbone for the modern game and pro sports in general. A few of his innovations include: the player draft, overtime, and the weekly injury report. He also vaulted the NFL into the age of television. Learn the backstories to these innovations -- as well as Bell's role in the foundation of the American Football League -- from Bell's son, Upton Bell, in this episode of The Game before the Money Podcast. 

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Ron McDole on The Game Before the Money Podcast. He is the NFL's all-time leader in interceptions by a defensive lineman. His storied 18-year career includes winning the 1964 and 1965 AFL Championships with the Buffalo Bills, and playing in Super Bowl 7 as part of Washington's Over the Hill Gang. Please visit our website, https://TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com . Podcast Brought to you by NBAutographs.com .

Pete Koch joins The Game before the Money podcast. Pete was a first-round draft pick of the Bengals in 1984, and later played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Raiders. He also starred with Clint Eastwood in the movie Heartbreak Ridge. 

He discusses what it was like to be a first-round draft pick, the glory years of the 1980s AFC West, and what made Howie Long such an exceptional defensive lineman.

Dallas Cowboys legend Chad Hennings joins The Game Before the Money. The 3x Super Bowl Champ discusses the adversity the Cowboys overcame to win, his fighter jet experience in the Gulf War, and assiting others toward their own victories.

Opening episode describing podcast and announcing first guests. Take a step back in time with pro and college football legends. Based on the book, The Game before the Money: Voices of the Men Who Built the NFL, published by the University of Nebraska Press.