Clemson’s Dabo Swinney rants: Football could help fix Congress

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike Show on Monday, weighed in on Congress, the unifying nature of football regardless of race or religion, concussion scandals, why some parents won’t let their kids play the game and rule changes.

“I think the game’s never been better. I think there’s an agenda. I think when North Korea gets a nuclear bomb, it’s going to be football’s fault. I think we’re in a culture that everything is football. It’s because football has the stage. But football – I don’t care what people’s agenda is – yes, we have got to always get better, we’ve got to always learn, we’ve got to always create ways to protect our players.

“But at the end of the day, I got all kind of education. I got a business degree. I got an MBA, but the greatest education I got was between the lines.

“Football is a great example to this country. Football unifies. Football brings people together. I go to Death Valley and there’s 85,000 people in those stands and they’re packed. And you know what? Monday through Friday, a lot of those people wouldn’t talk to each other because they’re different religions, they’re different colors, they live in different neighborhoods, they drive different cars, they have different bank accounts. But on Saturdays when the Tigers score, they’re hugging each other’s necks. They’re high-fivin’.

“I have brothers for life that I met in between the lines that when you put them helmets on, it doesn’t matter what color you are, it doesn’t matter what religion you are. It’s a singleness of purpose and nothing brings people together like the game of football.

“You want to fix Congress? Let’s go create some football teams, let’s have some inside drills, some 1-on-1s. You’ll bring people together real quick. I’ve always said that. This game is special. It’s unique. It’s dynamic. It’s culturally diverse. You’ve got the kid from over here and the kid from up here and they become brothers through the game of football. And it would have never happened without that experience.

“Football has gotten under attack. But there is far more good from this game. I’ve seen people’s lives changed. I’m passionate about it because you’re looking at a guy whose life has changed by the game of football.

“I could go on and on and on about the power of this game. You can throw all of the stats you want out there, but football ain’t going away. It ain’t going away.

“For some of these people who say they won’t let their kids play, that’s such a terrible perspective in my opinion.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Clemson’s Dabo Swinney rants: Football could help fix Congress."