“We getting ready to play the Ravens this weekend, I want Ray Lewis to see me & say that’s that young dude there.” The first time I ever approached this individual was in the year 2008, He was a sophomore corner back for Virginia Tech University. We spoke, and something he said stuck to me. He looked me straight in my eyes, “Ima be in the league one day you know, I’ma make it. Im still young now.. Im just learning. Just wait and watch you’ll see bruh, I’ma make it.” He said this with so much conviction and fortitude, that if it were up to those words alone, he would have ‘made it.’ Yet in its own way, these words encapsulate the personality of a rookie corner back for the Houston Texans, a brother to few, a friend to many, and an inspiration to all: Rashad Carmichael. Though, Roc, he’s the man now, he’s the husband, the dad, the brother, the everything. He says, “I don't know if I was even ready for the job, for the role. But it chose me." He takes on the role courageously, valiantly, and without hesitation.
Rashad, whom goes by Roc, a name which he says he’s always gone by, “I’ve been writing roc on my papers since I could write,” says Carmichael, “the only time I hear Rashad from my mom is if I’m in trouble or something of that sort.” Currently situated in the city of Houston, Rashad is enjoying the current atmosphere and environment. “Tornado warning, Houston got flooded, but this the first time the Texans been in the playoffs so you can kinda feel it, That’s pretty cool,” says rookie corner back Carmichael. Yet in Roc’s world, this doesn’t mean he should stop working, or even let off. His days customarily start around 7:30 which is his position meeting, then followed by his team meeting at 8:30, which is a general breakdown to see how everything is looking for the day, then this is followed by a defensive meeting which is to analyze what the offense does, then he finalizes his meetings with positions meeting. His day doesn’t end here, he follows this with practice which usually lasts from 1 to 3 pm. Then, if Roc doesn’t have to participate in a weight room sessions, he can start to think about going home. If you thought the pro life was easy, Its not. Though, Roc says the professional life is everything an individual thinks it is and, more than often comes with many distractions. He claims, “You go anywhere, you do anything, you buy anything. You go in the club everybody,” and as to how he stays focused, Roc says, “[It] Depends on you, can you stay focused?”
Roc describes his job, a professional corner back for the National Football League, as more riskier than any other job, “you can get cut at any time." he says, “[Players] are unconsciously worried about their spot.” This is on account of there is so much talent in the sport of American football, teams are always bringing in people to compete with each athlete’s spot. But all Carmichael wants to do is pick the veterans brain. “Im a rookie, ‘im just trying to learn as much as I can,” Carmichael states. According to Roc, It’s as much as you can learn even as much your athletic ability. Yet eve as a rookie, this is where Roc has always imagined and dreamed himself to be, playing in the NFL. Even as a youngster, he always told his mother this is where he would be. Even though others may not have believed it, Roc believed it … whole heartedly. When scouts said “Carmichael is too small to play the position,” all Roc thought to himself was, “These guys don’t know what they are talking about,” and he kept working. When the lockout was in place, and all Carmichael could think was why this would happen to him when its finally his turn, to get closer to his dreams, he stayed focused and determined, because as Roc says, “everything has its time and everything happens for a reason.” When corner back for the Kansas City Chiefs Brandon Flowers told him he had what it takes and “the thing that separates great corners and good corners is how much offense you have," He cut off his cable in college and all he watched on his television in his apartment was football film. If this doesn’t define a dream chaser, there’s not much in the world that can. To Roc, if this was in the earlier days, football players like him would be the gladiators. “We’d be the dudes that fight the lions & everybody cheering.
One of Carmichael’s main beliefs is “There’s a time for everything,” and he adds to that, that, “people who don’t understand that, don’t understand patience.” For Roc to say that, especially after losing his grandmother, aunt, uncle, and father all within 3 months, it shows his great forte and symbolizes his strong belief within himself and acceptance of sheer reality. “God’s got his way man, you know what I’m saying. You just got to stick with it.” After losing his father during his junior season, Rashad vowed to himself to keep his father’s spirit & memory alive. As the eldest child in the family, Roc took it upon himself try as best as possible to hold the family together and collected. Roc says “[I] just had to do what I had to help the family. Even if it was to call my mom in the morning to make sure her day goes easier. Or call my lil brother to make sure the trash is out, or see if his homework is done” With these words it became evident that Roc’s upbringing was like that, which wasn’t similar to his peers. His father instilled in him a sense of pride, meekness, and accountability to his surroundings. Roc says his father always treated everything as if it was a live game, so every morning he wakes up, he turns on his music and prepares for that day as if he was preparing for a game, knowing within himself that to get what he wants, he has to work... harder than the next. His father told him since he’s been younger “I can’t promise you you’ll make it in football, but I guarantee you will know how to work.” And that he does. Something his father implanted in him. With that hard work, it can be said, that Rashad Carmichael has held his own in college against, Julio Jones, Demarryius Thomas, as you know… some of the best upcoming receivers currently in the NFL.
Every game Roc has played, he has still been able to hear his father’s voice in his head, "Come on, baby," Carmichael will say. "We've got this. No pressure. This is the fun part."
To others, it seems, by making a roster on an NFL team, he’s made it. He feels he hasn’t. He’s still working because even after 10 years in the league, your still 32, you still have life and there is still plenty you can do and him being a firm believer that there is a time for everything he feels he has only climbed one stepping stone. In his words, “I’m going to make it.” You would be a fool not to believe him.
BAP. You’ve heard of it. If you haven’t, I suggest you get hip to it. It stands for Bless All People. It originated from Carmichael’s junior year. When asked how it came about, Roc says, “every time I’d make a play. [I’d] Beat on my chest and younger brother said I resembled a Baboon. .. .we’d call ourselves baboons. Every time I beat on my chest, it’s for the baboons.” Why BAP, well its simple, if you understand Carmichael, you fathom a glimpse of his mindset, to bless all people, something his father instilled in him, and something which helps him make it through life. Even with some of his peers making jokes and negative comments such as ‘who you think you are’ he used that as motivation and started doing things for the community, why? “because that’s what my Dad believed in,” says Roc, “he used to pick up kids & help them however he can.” BAP has done just that, helped the community in every which way it can. From planning field trips for kids to visit the renownly known Lane stadium, to organizing an upcoming Valentine ’s Day party at a retirement home. And this is just the beginning. About the message of BAP, Roc says It’s a “message in itself, if you can’t see & understand that.. your perspective is wack.” I must agree.
A song that Carmichael says would summarize his life is, Jay Z – can I live.
“While I'm watchin every [dude] watchin me closely .. /I keep my head, both of them where they supposed to be … / I don't sleep, I'm tired, I feel wired like codeine …”
This lyrics accurately describes the cool headed, hardworking, Rashad Carmichael.
Roc's twitter is: twitter.com/BappNAinEZBino