Growing up on Jacksonville's Northside, Brian Dawkins spent his youth playing a game that would eventually earn him immortality. On the practice field at Yancey Park, Dawkins developed his love for football, a hobby that he turned into a hall of fame career.
Dawkins played at Raines High School before enjoying a successful college career at Clemson. He then went from the ACC to the NFL, starring on the Philadelphia Eagles' defense and leading the team to five NFC title games and a Super Bowl, which took place in his hometown in 2005.
During his 16-year career with the Eagles and the Denver Broncos, Dawkins was a five-time first-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowl selection. Those accomplishments led to Dawkins being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He will be inducted by former Eagles teammate Troy Vincent on August 4.
A key theme during Dawkins' journey to the hall of fame has been his toughness, a trait that he attributes to his time growing up on the First Coast.
“Growing up where I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida on the north side of town, it’s a tough environment," Dawkins said during a conference call with national media on Tuesday. "Not the worst [place] in the world but there was some toughness to it and a lot of the toughness that’s in me was developed where I grew up.”
GALLERY: Looking back at Brian Dawkins' hall of fame career
Yancey Park was Dawkins' safety net in an area of town where crime was prevalent. He focused on football instead of mischief, choosing to hone his athletic skills instead of causing trouble.
“I was a very energetic, very daredevil-ish child growing up," Dawkins said. "I took a lot of risks, I have a lot of stitches and broken bones to prove it and I had anger and a chip on my shoulder, so that could have easily been taken into another direction. But because of football and having the ability to play the game of football and basketball, because I played both, it allowed me to harness those things and push them in the right direction.”
Dawkins will become only the second Jacksonville native to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as Bob Hayes made it to Canton posthumously in 2009. Dawkins will also be the first inductee from Raines High School, a program that also featured the likes of Harold Carmichael and Lito Sheppard.
“It’s hard to really put into words the significance of that, not for me, but for those who are growing up where I grew up,” Dawkins said of the honor. "Think about it, it’s actually possible for someone who is growing up there now, who is very energetic, who may have anger issues, who may be going through some things to adjust those things and focus that energy in the right direction, and particularly sports, to have an opportunity, not just to play in the NFL, not just to play in the NBA but to actually be recognized as one of the best to have ever done it. The possibilities and the hope – to me – increases. I know that’s what different people coming out of Jacksonville did for me [as a child].”
During the conference call, Dawkins seemed to hint that he would have a lot more to say about his upbringing during his actual hall of fame speech. For now, he is just honored to be bringing attention to his hometown.
“Here I find myself representing Jacksonville in a major way when it comes to being blessed to be a hall of famer,” Dawkins said. “So that’s huge. Like I said, it’s not just for me. It’s not just for me.”
The enshrinement ceremony for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class will take place on August 4 at 7 p.m. in Canton, Ohio and will air live on NFL Network.
Follow Mike Kaye on Twitter: @Mike_E_Kaye.