31. Bill Curry and the NFL Strike of 1974

It was the summer of '74 and the WFL was looking to compete with the NFL... only one problem... the NFL was on strike. And 6 weeks into the work stoppage the owners not only weren't interested in the players demands... neither were a bunch of the players as well. They were in need of some leadership and the great Hall of Fame Tight End and first NFLPA President John Mackey was ready to turn the control over to his teammate and friend Bill Curry. The only problem was... Bill didn't want the job. A 2-time Pro-Bowl Center and 3-time NFL Champion including Super Bowl I and V wins, Curry has a football resume that is 2nd to none. But that summer 50 years ago was a stressful time for him as the owners refused to negotiate, the players were not united, and the union was in shambles. But the cool handedness of Curry settled things, and while the players returned to the field without a deal, the foundation was set for the players to finally get a piece of the action... and then some. Curry talks about his time in Green Bay and his relationship with Vince Lombardi and his wife, Marie and how a death bed conversation with his coach changed his life. He went on to be a coach himself at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky and then capped off a football career as an analyst at ESPN. He's a thoughtful, kind and wise man who has seen it all and done it all. Now at age 81, Coach Curry looks back on a life well lived... the highs, the lows... the good, the not-so-good... the wins... and the losses. We talk about it all starting with the strike of 1974 on the Past Our Prime podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices