Bethel High graduate C.J. Anderson looks to shine in his second Super Bowl
Bethel High graduate and Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson will turn 25 years old on Wednesday and he already knows what he wants for a present. It doesn’t even need to be wrapped, but a lot of confetti will suffice.
“Most definitely I know what I want,” Anderson said on the phone earlier this week. “Hopefully, we win the Super Bowl on the 7th and then we host a parade on my birthday on the 10th. That would be perfect.”
Although the former Jaguar is only in his third NFL season, he will be playing in his second Super Bowl on Sunday in Santa Clara against the Carolina Panthers. This time the game is a little different for Anderson, as evident from how he reacted moments after Denver defeated the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game two weeks ago.
“Going back home ... for free!” Anderson said on video, with a huge smile.
This week Anderson has been back in the Bay Area where he played football at Bethel High, community college football at Laney College and then NCAA football at Cal. It is also where he had his breakthrough game a year ago in the NFL at Oakland against the Raiders. However, the 2014 Pro Bowler knows that for now, he’s here to work.
“The fact is that I’m here to try and help my teammates win a championship,” Anderson said. “Whether I’m far from home or at home, I have to treat this as if I’m playing just another game. I have to treat this like I’m in Oakland to play the Raiders. I know what this game holds and how it stacks up to others, but winning the game is the priority. Carolina has a very good defense and is a very good football team. We need to stay in the moment.”
Anderson also said that his trip to the Super Bowl this year is a little easier to not get caught up in all the hoopla that surrounds the big event for two weeks.
“Two years ago, I had never been to New York in my life at that time,” Anderson said. “This time it’s easier to get ready for the game because I’ve already been up and down everywhere in California. I’ve been to San Francisco, I’ve been to the Mission, I’ve done all of that. So the festivities are not as big this time.”
Anderson said that he’s left it up to his mom and his grandma, Barbara Gaddies, to handle who gets tickets to the game at Levi’s Stadium.
“My mom is taking care of that,” Anderson said with a laugh. “I’ve cut it down to about five people. Five people get to go to the Super Bowl but I think that’s it.”
Hundreds of Anderson’s fans in Vallejo, however, will be watching the game and cheering him on from other venues.
The Empress Theatre is holding an event and has his name up on the marquee. Jeff Turner, Anderson’s former head coach at Bethel, said he’ll be happily watching the game from his home.
“You know as an athletic director, I don’t get enough time to spend with my family, so I’ll be watching from home,” Turner said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to building new memories of him. Me and my son will be yelling at C.J. on the television. ‘Good run C.J.! Good catch C.J.! Hold on to the ball C.J.!’”
This time around in the Super Bowl, Turner will have a lot more opportunities to cheer for him.
Two years ago Anderson was a reserve and he entered the game late and had two carries for nine yards to go with one reception.
Since then, the 2009 Bethel graduate has seen more action than a Sears catalog near Christmas. Last season he was named the NFL’s Player of the Week and he made his first Pro Bowl.
This season he has split time with Ronnie Hillman, but shined in the last few months. He had a game-winning touchdown in November to give the Patriots their first loss of the season, scored a touchdown in a playoff win against the Steelers and had 72 yards in the AFC championship game two weeks ago. Anderson knows that his number will be called eventually in Super Bowl 50.
“I think more than anything I need to protect the ball,” Anderson said. “We can’t have any turnovers. We (himself and Ronnie Hillman) need to be patient in the running game. Me and Ronnie are going to have our spots. When we get a chance to have those spots, we need to hurt them (the Panthers).”
In 1998, the Broncos won the Super Bowl and owner Pat Bowlen showed his appreciation for then-starting quarterback John Elway with his remark, “This one is for John!” Nearly two decades later as Bowlen is ill with Alzheimer’s disease, talk has circulated about the Broncos returning the favor and “winning one for Pat.” There has also been talk that the game may be the last for Denver’s legendary quarterback Peyton Manning and the Broncos trying to win the game for him.
“You know, I don’t really know him (Bowlen) that well but I hear a lot of great things about him,” Anderson said. “We want to win for him but all year long we’ve played for each other. We play for the other 53 guys in the room. Of course we want to win for Peyton, of course we want to win for DeMarcus Ware, who’s had a great NFL career and never won one. But we mostly play for ourselves, the fans and the great city of Denver.”
Anderson also admitted that he wants to make Vallejo proud. On March 5, Anderson will be inducted into the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame. Now, he just wants to add another note to his always-growing resume and have the Vallejo Hall of Fame add the words “Super Bowl champion.”
“I love my family, I love the city of Vallejo,” Anderson said. “It feels good to have people there be behind me. Hopefully I can bring them a championship on Sunday.”
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