When Georgia Tech great Calvin Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last weekend in Canton, Ohio, Tech running backs coach Tashard Choice was there, sneaking in the trip during the Yellow Jackets’ preseason. Choice and Johnson were Tech teammates for the 2005-06 seasons, leading the ACC in rushing and receiving, respectively, in 2006.
Choice called the induction an unbelievable experience and, as ever, was eager to celebrate his renowned teammate.
“To see him go in and to see him do it the way he wanted to do it and how hard he worked, man, it couldn’t go to a better guy,” Choice said. “He worked his tail off, and he never wanted any recognition. Hardly ever complained. Did things the right way, and he chose the hard way a lot of the times.”
Choice was touched when Johnson asked all of his former teammates and coaches to stand up during his induction speech to recognize them.
“It just shows you who the type of person he is,” Choice said. “It showed a gratitude, for one of the best receivers ever to play the game. He acknowledges his teammates, people that he loved and went to war with him on the football field. That sort of means something to me.”
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