One Way Out: Paul Dunn Jr's Journey To The NFL

Paul Dunn Jr., was twelve when he saw his first football game in Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California between the San Diego Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs. When he saw the Chiefs run out of the tunnel in the bright California sun in their red and white uniforms he decided then and there that he wanted to be a professional football player.
He had no idea just how he would achieve his dream but never the less he was to begin his long, difficult journey to the NFL in spite of the many obstacles he would face. Paul grew up in the 1950's and 1960's in the black community of San Diego called South East. His family was poor having eight children to support so he would have to depend on hard work and scholarships to get through college. He was a wide receiver in Jr. and Senior high school receiving recognition as one of the leading young men in his position in the U.S., and had many offers from colleges around the country. He chose San Francisco State University as it was close to home and their football program was one where they primarily passed the football.
Little did he know that in 1968 the football program would be in jeopardy for all the black players due to threats of violence from militant organizations like the Black Panthers and others that were protesting the Viet Nam war and discrimination in general. Riots were common on the campus and the streets of San Francisco.
Paul had to transfer to another college for his own safety. For a time the Cincinnati Bengals scouts had lost track of Paul, but as fate would have it they finally located him, and in 1970 he was drafted by the Bengals and his life-long dream of playing in the National Football League did indeed come true.
If you love the game of football you will enjoy learning some of the inside facts of the game as told by Paul and some of the trials and tribulations he went through to play the sport that he loved so much. He has a wonderful since of humor and the readers will have a few laughs and may also shed a few tears.
Paul says, "Not everyone can be a super starit takes eleven men on the team and they all have their parts to play." The author, Judith Smith Wilson asked Paul if he knew then what he knows now, ie: the injuries he has suffered and the health problems he now faces because of playing the game of football, would he do it all again? Paul replied, "IN A HEART BEAT!"

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