Fans Love The Story Randy Moss Told About Why He Wore Sunglasses To Heisman Ceremony

The 1997 Heisman Trophy ceremony was one for the football ages. It involved three of the greatest players in NFL history and, well, Ryan Leaf.

Three of the finalists that year went on to have Hall of Fame careers in the NFL: Charles Woodson, Peyton Manning and Randy Moss.

Woodson ended up winning the award, becoming the only player to take home the Heisman for playing on both sides of the ball since the early 1960s. He intercepted seven passes, had 43 tackles, caught 11 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, and served as Michigan’s primary punt returner.

Manning and Leaf were the consensus top two quarterbacks that year and there was much debate about which one would be the first pick in the NFL Draft.

Moss, on the other hand, came to New York for the ceremony after playing just one year at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

Despite putting up insane numbers (96 receptions for 1,820 yards and 26 touchdowns receiving), it turns out that the whole Heisman experience was more than a little intimidating for the young wide receiver.

During Monday night’s ManningCast, Moss explained that while it looked like he was being cool at the Heisman ceremony wearing sunglasses, he was anything but.

“I was just so nervous being on that stage with those guys,” Moss explained. “The biggest platform I had ever been on up to that point. I was just nervous. So being able to find those glasses on the street from a vendor… I wore them and got in trouble by my mom coming down the elevator.”

He said the sunglasses made him feel like he was hiding.

“That’s what I felt from those Oakleys. I was just so nervous from the glitz and the glamour; the celebrities that was there. So I had those glasses on,” Moss said. “Didn’t know the magnitude behind it.”

Moss also explained during the show that if Peyton Manning had been more punctual he might have gone to Tennessee. Imagine that combo in college!

“When I went to Tennessee, all I heard was ‘Peyton Manning’s in Virginia at a family member’s house. He’s trying to drive back here just to recruit you.’ And I was like well if he’s driving here just to recruit me, why isn’t he here right now to get me? It was kinda like Peyton being late,” Moss said. “He wasn’t punctual so that was the reason why I didn’t become a Volunteer.”

Many football fans both loved the stories Randy Moss told and were also flabbergasted by the idea that Peyton Manning could have been throwing to Randy Moss at Tennessee.

Think Manning and Moss couldn’t have been on the same page back then?

Watch how they each reacted to Tom Brady’s bad interception Monday night?