Blogging Dirty
FanSided

Promise Kept: Takkarist McKinley Fulfills Vow to Late Grandmother

By Carter Breazeale

Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Takkarist McKinley (UCLA) is selected as the number 26 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Takkarist McKinley (UCLA) is selected as the number 26 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in the first round the 2017 NFL Draft at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

For new Atlanta Falcon Takkarist McKinley, the 2017 NFL Draft meant just a little bit more.

When the Atlanta Falcons moved up from No. 31 to No. 26 to select UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley, a dream was fulfilled and a promise was kept.

Raised by his grandmother Myrtle Collins, Takkarist issued her a deathbed vow that he would get out of Richmond, California, play for a Division-1 football team, and make it to the NFL.

As he walked down the steps after hearing his name called, McKinley proudly held a framed picture of his late grandmother, the woman who inspired and motivated him to be great.

The overwhelming emotion of the moment was evident to all. Visibly moved, McKinley clutched his grandmother’s photograph as he proclaimed to the nation — and more importantly, to himself — that he had fulfilled his promise.

"“This is who I do it for, man. I made a promise to her and I stuck to it. I made that promise, man. I told her, before she passed away, I was going to win my dream, I was going to go D-I, I was going to get out of Richmond, I was going to get out of Oakland, and I was going to go to the NFL. I made that promise to her, man, and 30 seconds later she passed away. This is who I do it for!Get to the damn quarterback! We’re going to get to the quarterback!” — McKinley said live on ESPN immediately after being selected"

That unbridled passion is what head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff covet in the players they seek. McKinley channeled that passion, achieved his lifelong dream, and was selected by Atlanta in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Must Read: Atlanta Falcons: Takkarist McKinley, How to Feel the Morning After

A promise was made, and a promise was kept. Somewhere, Myrtle Collins is smiling.