Reggie White

In 1997 and 1998, White was named the top defensive player in the NFL. In 1998, he had led the NFL in sacks, with 16, and was also voted Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. After that season he told a reporter from Jet that he was retiring from play due to several nagging injuries. In November of 1999, White was honored when the Packers retired his number, 92, from play. In 2000, White returned to play when he signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers; he played with the team for one year.

In an interview in Sports Illustrated for Kids, White advised, "Sometimes, being a leader means that you have to become independent of everybody. That's not easy. But you have to stand up for what you believe in, even if you're standing alone."