CANTON, Ohio Before generational wealth and international fame came with the deal, Johnny Robinson played pro football for a love of the game predicated in part on the inherent camaraderie.
His first contract in 1960 was a three-year, $43,500 deal with the Dallas Texans, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate. And from that time to the end of his career in Kansas City following the franchises move in 1963, he never became a millionaire.
For that matter, his wife, Wanda, recently joked, he may not have been a thousandaire in the early years of running his Boys Home in Monroe, Louisiana.
But that wasnt what motivated Robinson.
Football is a brotherhood that you will always carry with you, he is quoted as saying in his official Pro Football Hall of Fame bio. The locker room creates a bond for life.
He lived that in football, as former teammates and now-fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier and Emmitt Thomas affirmed the last few days while Robinson became the sixth defensive inductee from the 1969 Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
They knew each other like the backs of our hands, Bell said, alluding to the trust formed by never having to look over your shoulder with free safety Robinson manning the back line. It was a bond that Thomas said also was cemented by Robinson generously sharing his considerable knowledge with younger players.
You could say Robinson also lived the spirit of brotherhood in his tireless work through numerous health issues on behalf of his boys home, which since 1980 has served thousands of troubled adolescents many of whom still refer to him as Dad.
Now he is living that notion in an entirely new way as part the Hall of Fame in general but the class of 2019 in particular, something that was on poignant display for a roundtable discussion Sunday at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
A smart, charismatic group that embraced Robinson since the class was announced in February lovingly punctuated that Sunday.
It started with Robinsons entrance to the stage, when Kevin Mawae waited to help him to his seat, watching over him again as he had in various ways over the weekend.
At a round table Sunday, Kevin Mawae and other new Pro Football Hall of Famers paid various tributes to Chiefs great Johnny Robinson. By Vahe Gregorian
It poured out when Robinson, who years ago suffered a severe stroke that limits his speech, was asked to express what this means.
Its very special to me, he began, trailing off for long seconds as moderator Steve Wyche and other class members gently told him to take his time and Mawae walked over to help him adjust his microphone.
Reset by the tender assistance, Robinson soon added, I guess everybody knows that I had a stroke, and sometimes my speech is difficult. But Im honored to be in the Hall of Fame. Better late than never.
