For Chris Blair, football is everything
That’s how it is for many players that grow up in Louisville. The community and Winston County has lived and breathed football for decades. The Louisville Wildcats are one of the most tradition-rich programs in the state with 11 state championships and zero losses in those games. Add in another six state titles at Winston Academy, two at Nanih Waiya and one at Noxapater and championships are always the goal around those parts.
Blair knows a thing or two about titles. He won a state championship with the Wildcats his sophomore season and then won two SWAC championships during his time at Alcorn State. At the time of the interview, he was preparing to play for the XFL championship with the DC Defenders against the Arlington Renegades.
It all started on Ivy Ave.
“Football at Louisville is a big deal. It’s tradition. We hate to lose more than we love to win,” Blair said. “We’re going to put the work in and do the things that separates us from other teams. That mentality carried over to college and now professionally. I can’t thank coach (M.C.) Miller and all of the coaches that I had a chance to play under enough. It started right there in Louisville.”
The wide receiver Blair followed up a strong career with the Wildcats by starring with the Hinds Community College Eagles. His production there earned him a scholarship with Alcorn and he began to do big things in Lorman.
In year one during the 2018 season, Blair caught 43 passes for 529 yards and six scores. The next year, he had just one more catch at 44, but his yards per catch skyrocketed to 21.2 as he became a major big-play threat for the Braves. Blair hauled in 931 yards and had seven receptions for touchdowns as he led the team to back-to-back SWAC Championships. He also had five 100-yard performances on the year.
Blair’s dream has been to play in the NFL since he was a kid and he got an opportunity by working on the practice squad with the Green Bay Packers. That taste that he got rubbing elbows with some of the best in the game has fueled him.
“In the NFL I learned a lot with Green Bay,” Blair said. “I was in a room with veteran receivers like Davante Adams and Randall Cobb. We had one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rodgers and some of the things that they taught me I carried over to the XFL. It didn’t last as long as I liked it to but I’m working to get back.”
The goal is to return to the NFL soon, and Blair is currently making a name for himself in the XFL. The DC Defenders came up just short, losing to the Arlington Renegades 36-25 in San Antonio, Texas.
Blair was a big reason why his team was in that position after grabbing 26 receptions this year for 594 yards and three scores. He’s third in the league in yards and leads the XFL in yards per catch this year. Having a chance to show his talent in another organization has been a blessing for Blair.
“It’s been a great opportunity to showcase our talents and abilities nationally. Playing for the Rock and Dany Garcia’s league gave us a chance to do what we do even if we aren’t playing in the NFL,” Blair said. “We’re playing on a great team and accomplished a lot.
“I’ve learned a lot from these guys here Everybody has different journeys and learning everybody’s journey has been great. Everybody in this league has the same mentality and wants to get to the NFL. It kind of gives you a junior college feel. This is a spot in our path that we had to go to get to that next level and I’m attacking it.”
Blair has never taken his opportunities for granted because he knows how limited his time in the game could be. Time is something that he cherishes and it’s why he uses it wisely – including when he’s back in Louisville.
Plenty of youngsters are in the same spot he was in many years ago, with hopes and dreams of playing in front of thousands of screaming fans and doing what they love the most. He wants those to know that their dreams are never out of reach.
“I don’t get to come home as much, but when I do, I try to go by the high school and work out with them to tell them they can do anything that they put their mind to,” Blair said. “Anything worth having is not going to be easy. No matter what you come from, you can be the standard. Anything is possible if you put God first and chase after your dreams.”
