How Jackson State's Vernon Perry is leaving a legacy far beyond his NFL record playoff game
As Vernon Perry sat at a cafe in Jackson, Mississippi, on Friday and tore into a plate of chicken, black-eyed peas and cornbread, the 70-year-old former NFL and Jackson State player looked like he could still line up and play in Super Bowl 58 between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11.
Forty-four years earlier in the 1979 AFC Divisional playoffs, Perry lined up and played the best game of his career.
In that game, between his Houston Oilers and the San Diego Chargers, Perry had a historic performance. He intercepted future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts four times, including with less than 10 seconds remaining to clinch a 17-14 upset.
As Perry was hoisted into the air by teammate Robert Brazile and then the rest of the Oilers defense, NBC sports commentator Dick Enberg described Perry’s performance as "improbable."
It may have been improbable for Perry, an undrafted rookie free agent from Jackson. It also was for the Oilers. Houston entered as an 8-point underdog because it was playing without star running back Earl Campbell, quarterback Dan Pastorini and wide receiver Ken Burrough. In large part because of Perry's play that day -- he also blocked a field goal attempt and returned it 57 yards to set up an Oilers field goal -- Houston pulled off the upset.
Only 13 players have made four interceptions in a game in the 104 seasons of NFL play. Perry is the only player to accomplish it in a playoff game.
“That record will never be broken,” Brazile said.
Perry's achievement goes largely unrecognized
Despite the historic nature of Perry's accomplishment, it's an achievement that is largely forgotten, perhaps because it didn't launch a Cinderella story. The Oilers' season ended a week later in the AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh
Perhaps it's because Perry's career was relatively short -- five seasons -- and didn't include Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections. Perry is very grateful to the NFL for the opportunity and experience he received -- "Just being able to go to the NFL was great," he says -- but is disappointed that his achievement hasn't received more recognition.
"People talk," Perry said. "To them, it is nothing."
The disappointment extends to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which fills its building with memorabilia from historic moments but hasn't inquired about the game ball he has kept since that night.
"No, they have not put it in there," Perry said.
Contacted by The Clarion Ledger, Jason Aiken, curator of collections for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said the organization would be interested in talking with Perry.
“In the last 20 years whenever a record is broken, we contact the person," Aiken said. "We haven’t gone back in time. Occasionally, we have. At the time, if someone from the team had called the Hall and said, ‘so and so football,' we would have accepted it. At that time, it was never offered.”
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Perry gives back to Jackson community
During a plane flight in 2010 while sitting next to Brazile, Perry came up with idea to give back to Jackson. For the past 13 years, Perry has given tirelessly to the community. He started the Save A Kid 2 Save A Life Foundation. With the support of local businesses, the foundation every year gives away gifts and toys to needy families, and to kids who are doing good.
"I don't do it for a reward. I just do it," Perry said.
“Vernon is the type of man,” Brazile said, “that if he sees a homeless person, he will stop and help that person and give them shirt off of his back. That is the kind of person he is.”
One year, the foundation gave away 500 bicycles at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Another year, Perry took kids on shopping sprees at a local Walmart to buy whatever toys they wanted.
After his NFL career ended, Perry became a teacher in Houston and then at his alma mater, Wingfield High in Jackson, until retiring in 2018. A year or so ago, he noticed while riding around in Jackson that kids never wear the NFL jersey of Brazile, Walter Payton, Eddie Payton, Marcus DuPree or Jackie Slater jersey, among other former players from Mississippi.
This past Christmas, he and Brazile gave away 450 autographed NFL jerseys of 19 NFL players from Mississippi. In 2024, Perry said they will offer white jerseys so kids can have a home and away jersey. He said he would like to give away 600 to 1,000 jerseys this year.
“I am from Jackson,” Perry said, “and giving back to the community and knowing that these kids finally know there are a bunch of athletes, from right here in Jackson, Mississippi, that played pro ball. We got tons of athletes that played in the pros, and we have a lot of Blacks history here. I remember when we could not drink out of the same water fountain a white person could. That is our history.”
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State's Vernon Perry is leaving legacy beyond record NFL game
