(NEXSTAR) – Ronnie Lott has been driven since the moment he joined the NFL. The Hall of Fame defensive back was a hard-hitting legend during the golden era of San Francisco 49ers football, but now his impact may be even greater off the field.
In the interview above with Nexstar’s Jarrett Payton, Lott discusses the drive and commitment that famously led to the amputation of a piece of his finger in 1985, and how that set of values translates to entrepreneurship, mentoring, and charity through his All Stars Helping Kids foundation.
“I have seen a number of people who have played in this National Football Leagues who have had injuries and who have played through a number of injuries. It’s all due to, in their minds, what you are committed to do,” Lott says.
Lott says the mentality is similar to the mindset of greats like Jim Brown and Mean Joe Green. That commitment is now applied to his charity work.
“That’s what we count on. We count on making sure we do all we can to exhaust the moments of life,” says Lott.
Lott points to football as an extremely fulfilling chapter of his life, but he says he now has the chance to talk to young adults he helped as small children and can see how a lifetime of commitment on and off the field has brought rewards far beyond the scoreboard.