ATLANTA — Former Norfolk State football standout Don Carey said he cannot wait for his alma mater to be in the national spotlight this weekend.
The Spartans will compete against Florida A&M University for the MEAC-SWAC Challenge in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, August 24.
"The exposure they are going to gain from this game is going to pay great dividends to the players and to the organizations all together," said Carey, who is a member of the school's athletic hall of fame.
In 2009, Carey became the first NSU football player drafted into the NFL in the school's Division I era leading to a 10-year professional career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions.
“The same music. The same sound that got me ready at Norfolk State is the same sound that got me ready for my ten years in the NFL. In my headphones, before I went out, it was [hums tune imitating the Spartan Legion.]
He said opportunities like the MEAC-SWAC Challenge can attract new eyes on the school and its athletic program.
“It reminds me when I was at Norfolk State, I was having phenomenal games against MEAC teams, but it wasn’t until I got exposure that the scouts in the NFL began to take notice," he said recalling matchups against future top NFL talents Ray Rice and Kenny Britt at Rutgers University.
Carey attributes his success in the big leagues to his time as a Spartan and said he often referred to his college playbook to help learn new defensive concepts early in his NFL career.
As Norfolk State prepares to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers this weekend, he reminisces about the atmosphere when the two squads faced off during his freshman year.
"Their band was right behind us, and our band was in the corner. And they went at it the entire game," Carey said. "The whole environment was electrifying. Typically, the referee would tell you to stop playing, but they did not care. It was a party, a non-stop party."
It's an atmosphere that Carey describes that comes with the culture of a historically Black college, which helped shape the Norfolk native on the field and in the classroom.
Carey is now a Chesapeake city councilman and no longer wears the Spartan uniform. But he says he proudly represents his university everywhere he goes.
"I am one of the first ones to yell, 'Behold the green and gold!' everywhere I go," he said. "To wear that green and gold emblem means so much to me."
The MEAC-SWAC Challenge will kick off Saturday, August 24 at 7:30p on 13News Now. Don't miss the "Battle to Behold" pre-game and post-game shows at 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
