(Story courtesy of Trinity University athletics)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Trinity University football Head Coach Jerheme Urban will play in "A Game of Honor" with the Wounded Warriors Amputee Football Team prior to Super Bowl XLIX.
Coach Urban, who is also a nine-year NFL veteran, will participate in the flag football game January 28, at Phoenix, Arizona. It may seem unusual, at first, that a former Trinity All-American and NFL wide receiver would engage in a recreational game of flag football.
But, this game is definitely special. Joining Coach Urban will be former NFL players against The Wounded Warrior Amputee Football Team (WWAFT). All members of the team have lost a limb while serving our country in Iraq or Afghanistan. A large crowd is expected at Shadow Mountain High School at the event, which will benefit the WWAFT and Disabled Veterans Initiatives of Arizona. Four days later, the Super Bowl will be held in nearby Glendale at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
This will mark Coach Urban's second foray into the game, as he was a member of the San Antonio former pro team which played in September at Toyota Field. Approximately 25 former players from the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers, the University of Texas, and Texas A&M University competed in the event.
One statistic, the wounded warriors lead the NFL players 9-0 in the friendly series! A small number of the former pros play with the wounded warriors, and Coach Urban said he will get to be on the undefeated team this year!
"Seeing their athleticism at Toyota Field was phenomenal," Coach Urban said. "It's amazing to see someone who is a double-amputee and is able to fly around the field. They are extremely competitive. You can see why we are proud of them for protecting our country."
During his NFL career, Coach Urban played for the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs. He was on the injured reserve list with Seattle in the 2006 Super Bowl, and played in the penultimate game for Arizona in 2009. He snagged a total of 91 receptions for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns as an NFL player.
A 2003 Trinity graduate, Coach Urban is the Tigers record-holder in career touchdowns scored, single-season receiving touchdowns, and single-season touchdown receptions. In addition to receiving All-America accolades, Coach Urban was a three-time All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) honoree. A versatile student-athlete, Coach Urban was named the SCAC Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year four straight times.
Coach Urban joined the Trinity football staff in 2012, and became head coach in 2014 when longtime Coach Steve Mohr decided to retire. Coach Mohr is now Trinity's Assistant Director of Athletics for Football Development.
Back to the "Game of Honor," some of the NFL participants will include Rocky Bleier, Danny White, Dan Hampton, Jack Youngblood, Randy White, and Jerry Kramer. Additionally, Snoop Dogg will perform!
"We are all competitors," Coach Urban said. " Anytime you can get a competitive group of people to play a game we have all loved since we were kids, it turns out to be a great experience for all of us.
"The veterans are fearless, and they have paid a huge sacrifice for us. You can tell that competitive vein still pulses through them today."
Information about the Wounded Warrior Amputee Football Team may be found at www.wwaft.org.
