Jack-of-all-trades Champ Bailey takes on two new roles
It’s fitting that Champ Bailey hasn’t slowed down much—if at all—since his legendary football career ended a dozen years ago. Georgia’s speedy and spectacular cornerback/receiver/return man from the 1990s, Bailey has been busy since he retired and was soon inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.
Bailey serves as a college football studio analyst for a major media outlet, works and models for an apparel company, and assists in the licensing and operating of a medical cannabis company—and that’s not all.
Bailey recently broke into the movie business as the Executive Producer (as well as having a cameo appearance) of the upcoming feature film, Signing Tony Raymond.
A sports comedy-drama, Signing Tony Raymond is a grounded and sharp-witted look at the high-stakes world of college football recruiting in the NIL era.
“I don’t shy away from anything. And, once I was approached by Glen Owen, the writer and director, and heard the movie’s storyline and read its script, I fully bought into it, wanted to get behind it, wanted to get involved, and wanted to provide my own insight,” Bailey recently informed UGASports.
Owen is a Georgia native who attended UGA and played on the school’s 1989-90 SEC championship basketball team.
“From a recruiting aspect, I, and many others, can relate to the Tony Raymond story. It’s a fictional story, but what Tony and his family go through in the movie is not much different than what I went through when I was being recruited,” said Bailey, who had been considered one of the top overall prospects in the South in 1996 as a jack-of-all-trades recruit at Charlton County High School in Folkston, Ga. “Whether back then, or today in the NIL era, a constant has always been when certain people really want you to go to their school, they’re willing to do most anything to get you to that school—and I mean anything.”
Signing Tony Raymond stars Academy Award Winner Mira Sorvino and Michael Mosley. Former NFL star running back Marshawn Lynch appears in the film, along with cameos from Richard Sherman, Charles Woodson, Harry Douglas, Takeo Spikes, and Brian Bosworth. On3’s Rusty Mansell makes a cameo appearance as well.
As far as Bailey’s role in the movie, he said he is most proud of the fact that he was fortunate to play multiple roles on the project.
“I was so fortunate to see all of the pieces come together for the movie by doing a little bit of everything,” said Bailey, who is considered one of the most versatile players in college football history. “I helped with the talent acquisition, all the production, being on the set, raised the funds to get the movie off the ground, had a small cameo. Yes, I was part of all that.”
Some Georgia fans might recognize another familiar face in the movie: actor IronE Singleton, who plays the character Lonnie Crowley. According to UGA football records, when he was known as “Rob,” Singleton walked on the Georgia football team as a senior running back prospect in 1997.
“Of course, I remember when [Singleton] walked on at Georgia! I don’t remember why, but we called him ‘Hustle Man’ when he played,” Bailey said. “I stayed in touch with [Singleton] and watched him get acting roles. He’s a great performer, a great actor. I honestly decided at one point that if I ever did anything in this kind of work (acting), I wanted ‘Hustle Man’ to be a part of it. He had to be!”
Outside of work, Bailey remains passionate and dedicated—and we’re just naming a few of the charities/foundations he’s involved with—as the Lead Athlete for the Positive Athlete organization, to his Champ Bailey Family Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Okefenokee Swamp Park.
Residing in the Atlanta area with his wife, Jessica, and their children, he also stays heavily involved with youth sports.
Still, now that he’s got “movie producer” under his work-role belt, is Bailey looking for something new to add to his plate? Perhaps he would consider coaching beyond assisting with one of his son’s high school teams? Bailey often communicates with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, a teammate of his at Georgia, and was recently spotted on the field in New Orleans for Georgia’s game against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. We just had to ask.
“I would say it’s not something I see myself doing. But, again, I look at pretty much everything, and I’d weigh any opportunity that presented itself,” Bailey said when asked if he would ever consider coaching at the collegiate level. “But, overall, I don’t see myself coaching. That’s a lifestyle that I don’t know if I’m ready for and, right now, there are other things better suited for me.”
One of those things undoubtedly better suited for Bailey is what he labels a “Georgia-based movie: filmed in Georgia, most of the money was raised in the state, and most of the talent and behind-the-scenes staff were from Georgia.”
“I think most people will find Signing Tony Raymond to be much more than an entertaining recruiting story,” Bailey said. “It reveals insight into the obstacles that these coaches face when trying to sign top talent while resonating with recruits’ parents. After all, it’s the parents’ role to make sure their children fall into the right hands—or, in this case, go to the school best suited for them.”
Signing Tony Raymond hits theaters nationwide this Friday, January 16.