Jets DE, Marcus Dixon Interview

Marcus Dixon had a rough time growing up. He played for Pepperell High School, but due to a court case and his conviction, Marcus Dixon’s scholarship offers were revoked. After he was released because of his conviction was overturned, he enrolled and played football for Hampton University. After his completion of college, he entered the 2008 NFL Draft, but went undrafted. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He then signed with their practice squad and was a member in 2008 and 2009. [UPDATE: He just recently signed with the New York Jets.]

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Strauss : So, Marcus, why do you make it extremely important to connect to the fans?

Dixon : I feel like the fans keep us going. The fans are always there for you and I feel like, if I’m able to, I need to stay connected with my fans. Fans make a lot of difference in a game. They are the 12th man. Gotta love the fans!

Strauss : If you could meet anyone who would it be and why?

Dixon : I would want to meet Martin Luther King Jr. No explanation needed at all. He was a great powerful man that I would love to meet and follow around for a whole day. It would really be awesome.

Strauss : Who was your childhood star?

Dixon : I loved Reggie White. Tremendous player and just an all-around great guy.

Strauss : If you weren’t playing in the NFL, what would you want to do?

Dixon : I would like to teach and to coach in high school or even just land a coaching job in college.

Strauss : What is your favorite song to listen to before a game? What pumps you up?

Dixon : In college I used to listen to Standing Ovation by Young Jeezy. Crunk music with great bass usually pumps me up. A loud crowd always has me pumped up as well!

Strauss : What is your favorite movie of all time?

Dixon : This is hard because I have a lot of favorite movies, but two movies off the top of my head would be Harlem Nights and Life.

Strauss : What is your favorite snack food?

Dixon : Chips.

Strauss : What is your favorite TV-Show?

Dixon : Martin will always be a favorite TV show of mine.

Strauss : What is your favorite restaurant meal?

Dixon : Olive Gardens’ Lasagna, the all you can eat salad with the shredded cheese over the top, and that bread they bring me.

Strauss : What is your favorite homemade meal?

Dixon : My favorite home meal is Fish and Grits. My grandmother makes it for me all the time!

Strauss : What is your favorite video game?

Dixon : Not really good at video games… but I like to play NCAA football.

Strauss : What is the one thing you can’t leave your house without?

Dixon : My iPod.

Strauss : How long have you played football?

Dixon : I’ve played since I was seven years old.

Strauss : When did you see your first live NFL game?

Dixon : My first live NFL game was when I was about nine or ten years old, and I went to see the Falcons play and I even think it was against the Cowboys and if I’m not mistaken, the Cowboys won.

Strauss : Did you play any other sports in high school?

Dixon : I played baseball in 9th and 10th grade. Track 11th and 12th grade. I also played basketball all four years.

Strauss : What is your favorite sport to play other than football?

Dixon : I loved baseball, but basketball is more of my favorite now. The best experience in basketball was during my 10th grade year, and we were the first in school history to win the regional championship and make the playoffs. Actually, we ended up going to the Sweet 16 that year.

Strauss : When did you realize that you were going to play football in college and in the NFL?

Dixon : I realized my 10th grade year when I went to a football camp and received a verbal scholarship offer from the former Auburn Coach, Tommy Tuberville.

Strauss : Why did you choose the number 94 in college?

Dixon : I’ve always like the #4 for some reason, so 94 is what I chose!

Strauss : What is your favorite memory from Hampton University?

Dixon : I don’t really have a long story but some of favorite memories were definitely at the football cookouts. Everybody would come to that. The Block Parties were always great. Fishing outside of the dorm rooms with the fellows will always be a great memory. The Classics that we played in. Those games were always live. Scoring a touchdown against Morgan State my senior year will always be a great memory. So many things I will never forget!! Hampton was a great experience for me.

Strauss : How does choosing a number in the NFL work?

Dixon : The number, 95 was given to me during my rookie year, but now I’m 92 which is great, because that was Reggie White’s number!

Strauss : What impact did your high school coach have on your career?

Dixon : My high school coach, Lynn Hunnicutt, was a tough guy that gave out tough love but always gave you the tools you needed to succeed. He had a major impact on my career. He really showed me how to work for what I want.

Strauss : What impact did your college coach have on your professional career?

Dixon : Three coaches in college really helped me on my way. Joe Taylor, Tim Edwards, and Jerry Holmes constantly stayed on me and never let me slack. They are the reason why I believe in doing the little things right all the time!

Strauss : What is an experience you have had that changed your life?

Dixon : When I was eighteen, I got put in prison for 15 months. Wasn’t suppose to be there at all! That experience really changed my life. That experience made me grow up fast and realize that I can’t take anything for granted. It strengthened my faith and it also brought me even more closer to my family

Strauss : For someone aspiring to play football in college and in the NFL, do you have any advice for them?

Dixon : Give it your all on the field and off the field because it never goes unnoticed. Keep striving and remember when you’re laying around, the man across from you is working so you always need to keep an edge. Most of all is stay prayed up because without God it’s not going to happen anyways.

Strauss : Thank you for your time.

Dixon : Thanks for the opportunity, and God Bless!