We recently connected with JMU football legend Charles Haley, who is a five-time Super Bowl champion and NFL Hall of Famer. He finished his JMU career with 506 tackles, which remains the most tackles ever recorded over a JMU career. He then became a standout edge rusher for the 49ers and Cowboys, finishing his NFL career with five Pro Bowl appearances and 100.5 career sacks.

Here’s a snippet of our conversation with Haley, which has been edited for clarity and brevity. The full interview can be found on our YouTube channel. 

On his JMU career/strength gains

JMUSN’s Bennett Conlin: When you got to JMU, did you realize right away what your potential was? And when did the coaches realize they might have a I-AA All-American on their hands?

Charles Haley: I was 160 pounds walking into JMU, so I don’t know what they were thinking. I think Coach [Challace McMillin] was thinking, a year, build him up with strength, and then play. But I asked him, I said, ‘Coach McMillin, am I going to get a chance to fight for the starting job?’ And he kept giving me these excuses about me needing to put on weight, me needing to lift. I asked him again and he said, ‘Yes, you’ll get a chance.’ And that’s all wanted was the opportunity. I told him, ‘I don’t sit on people’s benches.’

JMUSN’s Jack Fitzpatrick: How much weight did you put on? Because you ended up being a freshman starter and ending your career with 506 tackles. 

Haley: I think I got to 180 my freshman year. By the time I graduated I was about 200 pounds. I went into the NFL at 200 pounds.

Conlin: What did you end up playing at in the NFL? Was it similar?

Haley: No, they made me put on 25 pounds at the 49ers … it ain’t about the size of the dog. It’s the fight in the dog.

Fitzpatrick: What was it like playing at JMU under Coach McMillin?

Haley: He was one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever had, and he was a phenomenal man. He was a man of honor and a man of his word. He told my mom I was going to graduate, and that was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Even though he got fired, he kept his foot on top of my neck to make sure I graduated. That’s the character of who Challace McMillin is. 

On JMU’s rise over the years

Haley: The other thing that I loved about JMU was back then all the students used to be up on the hill watching the game. It used to remind me back in [my hometown of] Gladys where there were only five or six rows of bleachers but everybody else was on the bank watching the game, cheering. It just made me feel like I was still back at home.

Conlin: What’s it been like to see JMU’s rise from I-AA and people watching on the hill to now they’ve got this 25,000-seat stadium and they’re playing at the FBS level?

Haley: I came down, I’m going like wait a minute. They had money back then when I was playing why haven’t you built? I’m like if you build, they’ll come. JMU, the campus is phenomenal … I tell everybody, nobody can beat our campus. Our school is rated top of the line. I’m so proud to say I’m a JMU graduate. I played for the greatest team, the JMU Dukes. We’re putting a lot of players into the NFL, and we’ve got a players who won Super Bowls and some that lost a few of them. We’re a family and that family is strong. 

Other highlights

Find the full interview here. Haley discusses his draft day story and making an NFL impact, among other topics. He also discusses his mental health journey, which has included him being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and using medication to help stay healthy. He’s spoken openly about the diagnosis for years, hoping to break the stigma surrounding mental illness. 

In addition to closely following JMU football as well as the 49ers and Cowboys, Haley helps lead his foundation, Tackle Tomorrow. Here’s the foundation’s mission, per its website:

” … To improve early childhood literacy rates for students in underserved communities throughout Dallas, TX. Our mission is to improve early childhood literacy rates for students in underserved communities. We accomplish this through the use of dedicated educational programming, community engagement, and family support services. Our vision is to improve the long-term quality of the communities we serve by replacing cycles of poverty with hope, advancement, and prosperity. Tackle Tomorrow has made a profound impact on the education of over 3,000 students since its founding, inspiring and motivating the next generation to become life-long learners.”

Haley started the foundation in 2014 and says it’s his purpose and mission these days.

Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications