From Staten Island to Super Bowl XXV, Vernon Turner’s ‘Relentless’ Journey Remembered

Where were you on January 27, 1991?  Do you remember?  No doubt if you’re a Giants’ fan, you probably remember it well.  That’s the day the New York Giants won the Super Bowl, by a score of 20-19, and a day that RB, Ottis Anderson would claim the title of MVP.  Over 73K people were present that day, including future Hall of Famers from the New York Giants, Wellington Mara, Bill Parcells, and Lawrence Taylor.

Vernon M. Turner knows where he was that day.  In fact, it’s a day he’s not likely to ever forget.  On that day, Vernon was not in the crowd, like he was years back when he went to his first NFL game and watched the Jets takes on the Chicago Bears, nor was he home watching the game with family and friends.  No that day, he was wearing a Buffalo Bills uniform playing for the same team as Jim Kelly.

How on earth did Vernon Turner make it to the NFL?  After all, according to Vernon, it’s not as though he was ‘good enough’ to play for the National Football League.  Only that did not stop him from accomplishing his dream, and suiting up in an NFL uniform for six+ years.  According to Vernon, it was as a result of a relentless journey that involved hard work, commitment and a desire to always move on to that next level.

This site focuses on the Greater New York/ Philadelphia area, so perhaps you are wondering just why its featuring a story about Vernon Turner, who did not play for either the New York Jets or the New York Giants, and rather played against the Giants in Super Bowl XXV. Well, it’s because this site also focuses on local heroes who play their hearts out when in high school, and Vernon did just that when he attended Curtis High School in New York City, New York [Staten Island].

This past weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Vernon Turner, who just so happened to make his way to the National Football League, not for any reason other than hard work, determination and a commitment to protect and care for his family, after his parents died. An in-depth interview we will have for you soon, will focus on Vernon’s ability to beat the odds, and succeed even though he was dealt a very difficult hand early on in life.

His journey is being considered for the big screen, and when you see the film based on his life story, chances are you will realize just why Vernon Turner, a man who grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Staten Island, is one of New York’s finest!

To learn more about Vernon Turner, follow him on Twitter @VernonMTurner and visit www.VernonTurner.com and watch for my interview of VT, here at Double G!