Where Are They Now? Isiah Robertson

Isiah Robertson grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana with fanciful dreams of being a great football player. Throughout his childhood and teenage years, he exhibited immense athletic aptitude. During his high school he excelled especially in football, earned a scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was during his collegiate football career that people began to take notice of the extraordinary talent Robertson exuded. He received multitudes of honors, including being named in both Sporting News and Time magazine’s All-American Teams, as well as being named on the AP and UPI College All-American Teams. Robertson, a linebacker, holds the longest interception record (102 yards) and had 11 interceptions in 3 years. He concluded his college career by receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing from Southern.

In 1971, Isiah was chosen as a first round draft pick for the Los Angeles Rams as an outside linebacker, in which he was the 10th player chosen overall. During his rookie year at the Rams, Robertson achieved the title of All-Pro, was named the Wheaties Rookie of the Year, the Rams Rookie of the Year, and the National Football Conference Rookie of the Year. Robertson started in 163 consecutive games, recovered 14 fumbles, made 13 playoff starts, 24 interceptions for 349 yards (avg. of 14.5 yards) and 4 touchdowns.

Robertson sustained a 12-year career that accredited him no less that a big play maker and an outstanding pass defender. Robertson appeared in 6 All-Pro games having been selected to 6 All-Pro teams. All of that, not to mention being the 5 time Linebacker of the Year.

In July of 1979, Robertson was traded to the Buffalo Bills. In 4 years, Isiah helped Coach Chuck Knox restore Buffalo from one of the worst teams in the NFL to a playoff contender. Robertson was directly involved with Special Olympics for 10 years, coached Little League baseball for 10 years, coached 8 years in the Junior All-American football, and held football camps for underprivileged children in Southern California for 6 years.

Robertson retired from the NFL in 1983. Subsequently, he opened a cellular telephone system franchise in California. As a successful business man, Robertson, among California’s wealthy and elite, became entrapped in California’s wealthy social drug scene. Robertson’s drug use escalated and spun miserably out of control.

Eventually, in the grips of full-blown drug addiction, Robertson lost his 14 homes, his family, his business, and almost his life. Through the loss of those things which he counted so precious, Robertson came to realize his own inadequacy in stopping drugs on his own and faced the fact – he was an addict.

After 3 years of hard work and rehabilitation, being delivered and restored from the pit of perilous chemical dependency, Robertson started the House of Isaiah, a long-term residential recovery program for men. Initially the House of Isaiah started as a shelter, and over the past 17 years it has become a flourishing recovery program offering a clean sober environment, spiritual growth and recovery education, and a second chance to many young men on the verge of having their lives totally consumed by chemical dependency.

For over 17 years Isiah Robertson has been proclaiming freedom from the chains of addiction through the power of spiritual transformation and learning how to live again. He has lectured all over the United States and Canada to thousands with his dynamic platform message: Run To Win!