Shields' Motivator Has a Super Bowl Ring

 

Follow Randy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RandyYorkNsider

By Randy York

Unlike Will Shields, now a College Football Hall-of-Famer, Dave "Red Man" Redding describes himself as a marginal athlete who can't imagine growing up with any more football passion than he had. "Everybody's gotta have a dream, and mine was to play for Nebraska and for the Green Bay Packers," Redding said after retiring from football eight months ago after spending 24 seasons in the National Football League as a strength and conditioning coach. We mention Redding today because Shields acknowledged the ex-Husker letterman this morning as someone who kept reminding him as a Kansas City Chief that he got paid every day to play the game he loves. No wonder Redding realized the first part of his dream. The son of the late legendary North Platte (Neb.) High School football coach George "Crump" Redding, Dave lettered three seasons as a Husker defensive end in 1973, '74 and '75 - Tom Osborne's first three years as Nebraska's head coach.

The second part of "Red Man's" dream turned out OK, too. After all, Redding walked into football's sunset at 58 with a Super Bowl ring on his hand, courtesy of a two-year stint with old friend Mike McCarthy, who hired him with the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy credited Redding with putting the strength and conditioning program in place that helped produce Green Bay's 2011 Super Bowl championship, and that was enough for "Red Man" to believe that he really did achieve both parts of his childhood dream. "Man, when I was in grade school and Nebraska lost on Saturday and Green Bay lost on Sunday, I was a mess," Redding recalled. "I could hardly make it to school. I was obsessed with those two football teams." To end his career in Green Bay was pretty unusual. "What that city is and represents is so much different than the rest of the NFL," said Redding, who also coached for the San Diego Chargers (2002-06), the Washington Redskins (2001), the Kansas City Chiefs (1989-97) and the Cleveland Browns (1982-88).

Red Man's experience in Green Bay reminded him of his experience in Lincoln. "In Nebraska, there's corn, there's cattle and there's the Huskers," he said. "In Green Bay, there's cheese, there's beer and there's the Packers. In both places, football is the show. That's it. It's what the whole town thinks about all year long." Interestingly, both metropolitan area cities are similar in terms of population, passion and persistence. "I really idolized Vince Lombardi and Bob Devaney," Redding said. "Lombardi reminded me of my dad - same style, same personality. Devaney recruited me. He even tried to hire my dad to be on his coaching staff, but my dad couldn't afford to do it."

Redding will never forget when the late Jim Ross offered him a football scholarship after he seemed to favor an anticipated appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. "We were having a hamburger at the Holiday Inn in North Platte, and Coach Ross asked me what I thought about becoming a Cornhusker," Redding recalled. "I am not kidding. The second he said that, I reached across the table, grabbed the pen out of his hand and signed that letter before he had a chance to change his mind."

Send a comment to Randy at ryork@huskers.com (Include name and residence)

Randy's Latest Blogs

Randy's N-Sider Columns

Voices from Husker Nation

Great article and it was great growing up with all the Reddings. The whole family was an awesome inspiration. Dave always talked me into getting into the Punt, Pass and Kick competition, and he would always win, naturally, and get a Chicago Bears helmet for first place. It would just bum me out that I could never get one of those helmets so Crump gave me a leather helmet with a good face mask on it and a nose loop. Wow, if I only still had that helmet! The Reddings were such an inspiration in all facets of life, not just football. And my hat's off to Dave for sticking to his dream and living it out! Awesome job, big guy! Ed Johnson, North Platte, Nebraska

Personally, I've never been to Green Bay but I've heard several people tell me that it reminds them of Lincoln in terms of culture and mindset. What a cool story about a Nebraska native, an ex-Husker and a Super Bowl ring from his boyhood dream team. Well done. Really enjoy these daily blogs. Keep 'em coming. Matt Christensen, Rapid City, South Dakota

Love the connection between Will Shields and Dave Redding. I knew the Chiefs had a strength coach from Nebraska, but couldn't remember his name and lost a friendly bet. Next time I won't forget the name and will even remember his dad, who has to be the only guy I know called "Crump". Steve Harris, Lee's Summit, Missouri

Red Man is a piece of work, isn't he? Nice article! Dave Finn, Lincoln, Nebraska

Growing up in a West Big Ten Conference town (Kearney), we always heard that Crump Redding was the closest thing Nebraska had to a national high school football legend. Sounds like son Dave was one, too. Congratulations on living your dream and finding a way to help inspire a Hall-of-Famer like Will Shields live his.  George Brown, Scottsdale, Arizona