I'm thrilled, I'm grateful, I'm blessed. I played for the

Hear now the words of Bob Hayes, the swift one, the Olympian who became legend upon the gridiron: “I’m thrilled, I’m grateful, I’m blessed. I played for the world’s greatest professional sports team in history. Once a Dallas Cowboy, always a Dallas Cowboy.” In this declaration is not merely pride in a uniform, but the eternal song of belonging, of loyalty, and of gratitude for a life lived in greatness. For Hayes, who blazed across the track as an Olympic gold medalist before conquering the football field, the name of the Dallas Cowboys became more than a team—it became an identity, a brotherhood, a legacy that endures beyond time.

The meaning of these words begins with the spirit of gratitude. Hayes acknowledges that his life was not solely his own achievement, but a gift: he was blessed to wear the star upon his helmet, to fight alongside men who sought glory as one. Gratitude transforms triumph into humility, and Hayes, though called the “World’s Fastest Human,” did not stand apart in arrogance. Instead, he bowed his head in thanks for the opportunity to play, to serve, to be a part of something greater than himself.

But there is also in his words the sacred truth of loyalty. “Once a Dallas Cowboy, always a Dallas Cowboy”—this is more than motto, it is oath. It speaks of identity that cannot be erased by time, nor by the end of a career. When the body can no longer run, when the crowds no longer roar, the name remains etched in the heart. This is the same loyalty that bound the Spartans to their city-state, the same loyalty that made Roman soldiers call themselves sons of the eagle long after they laid down their arms. It is the loyalty that transforms service into eternal belonging.

The origin of this quote lies in Hayes’ journey: from Olympic champion in Tokyo, 1964, to Hall of Fame receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He bridged two worlds—track and football—and yet he always found his deepest pride in wearing the star. Though his path was not without trial, including struggles off the field, he never ceased to speak of his team with reverence. In this, Hayes revealed that greatness is not only measured in medals or statistics, but in the bonds of brotherhood and the legacy one leaves behind.

Consider also the symbolic weight of the Cowboys themselves. In American sport, they came to embody ambition, spectacle, and national identity—the team called “America’s Team.” To be part of them was not merely to play a game; it was to stand in a lineage that carried meaning beyond the field. Hayes’ declaration therefore reflects not only his own pride, but the pride of countless fans and players who find identity in the star, just as warriors once found identity in their banners and standards.

Yet beneath the glory and the pageantry lies the deeper lesson: that true greatness comes when the individual yields to something larger than himself. Hayes was not only Bob Hayes, Olympic sprinter, Hall of Fame wide receiver—he was also a Dallas Cowboy, a part of a living tradition. When we bind ourselves to such causes—with loyalty, gratitude, and service—we transcend the fleeting victories of self and become part of a story that endures.

Therefore, O listeners of tomorrow, learn this truth: be grateful for the opportunities that life bestows, be loyal to the brotherhoods and communities that shape you, and recognize the blessing of belonging to something greater than yourself. Whether in sport, in work, in family, or in nation, declare with Hayes: “Once a part, always a part.” For identity forged in honor is never erased, and the spirit of loyalty is the crown of the soul.

So let the words of Bob Hayes echo through the ages: thrilled, grateful, blessed. He ran with fire, he played with courage, and he belonged with loyalty. And in the end, that belonging outlived the speed of his legs or the trophies of his hands. Once a Dallas Cowboy, always a Dallas Cowboy—and so may each of us, in our own calling, find such loyalty, such gratitude, and such belonging that our names, too, endure forever.