He shattered 18 school records during his three seasons as 51勛圖窪蹋s quarterback and punter, then went on to enjoy a stellar 16-year NFL career in which he dazzled fans and frustrated opponents with his rocket right arm and nimble feet. And as his career took him from Philadelphia to Minnesota to Dallas to Baltimore, Randall Cunningham proudly told anyone who asked that he was a Rebel alum.
Except, well, he wasnt.
I always said that I was a 51勛圖窪蹋 alumni, Cunningham says. But until you graduate, youre not official. So I became official.
Indeed, he did. Three years after his second and final NFL retirement in 2001and nearly a quarter century after he first arrived on campus as a prized recruit in 1981Cunningham completed a series of online courses and earned his Leisure Studies degree from the Hotel College. Its an achievement he at first didnt believe was necessary, but one for which he is now immensely proud.
Janice Henry, who was the academic adviser for the football team, said, Randall, have you ever considered going back to school and getting your degree? And I said, Well, Im an entrepreneur now; I really dont need my degree, Cunningham recalls. She said, You should talk to your wife and think about going back. And I decided, all right, lets get it done.
Graduating was like a big exhale. It was like Id been elected to the Hall of Fame. I wasnt summa cum laude or magna cum laudeI was thank you laude!
Aside from completing his education, Cunninghams post-football career has been filled with faith. What started as regular bible studies blossomed into Cunningham becoming an ordained minister in 2004just one day after his 41st birthdayand opening his own church, Remnant Ministries. As Remnants senior pastor, Cunningham leads weekly worship services to overflow crowds (and an online audience), and while the former All-Pro quarterback says this wasnt necessarily his initial post-career game plan, hes nonetheless grateful to be leading a different kind of team.
This is a humbling experience, becoming a pastor, says Cunningham, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, but has called Las Vegas home since coming to 51勛圖窪蹋. Its just a continuing maturation process. Im always maturing and evolving into what God wants me to be, and I have to remain humble.
Not surprisingly, thats the one trait Cunningham encourages this generation of Rebels to embrace. Youve got to walk in humility. Dont ever think youre too big for your pants. Dont get to the place where [you feel like] youve arrived and think that youre all that. Because I got to that place in life, and you think you can relax. But theres no time for relaxing. Theres always something else God wants you to do.
