Grambling State News

For the love of Grambling.

Being a part of GramFam gets into your blood and becomes a part of your soul. That’s how it happened for former Grambling State University (GSU) tight end and current Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Eric Washington.

This connection has inspired Washington to support his alma mater over the years. Most recently, he and his wife Amy contributed $50,000 to the institution, designating the funds to three areas close to their hearts: the GAP Scholarship Fund, the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, and the GSU baseball team.

“We donated to the GAP scholarship, part of our donation was for that, and part of our donation was to the World Famed,” Washington said. “And also the baseball team. I’ve gotten to know (GSU baseball coach) Davin Pierre. I have so much respect for what he’s doing. And all of the sports teams. My son (Ellis Washington) is really enthusiastic about baseball, so we have that in common.”

“It was a privilege and honor for us to donate to those three causes. Baseball, the GAP scholarship and the World Famed, which is an ambassador for the university and we’re so proud of what they do, and my son is a trombone player. I was a trombone player in high school, so we have that in common. Before I started playing football I actually marched in the band in high school. This goes back a long way. I grew up on the World Famed. We wanted to do something that was close to our heart, but at the same time areas that we thought we could really make the kind of impact that we desired to make.”

The football coach’s love of the game of baseball has led his family to follow Grambling baseball players across the country to show their support.

“We’ve gone to The HBCU Swingman Classic (All-Star baseball game) two of the last three years,” Washington said. “We went to The Swing Man Classic in Seattle in conjunction with the All-Star game and we were all in Texas last year and had a chance to go to that event. And to watch all of the outstanding players representing all of the HBCUs was great. I filled up with pride as they announced the players from Grambling and got to watch them perform on that national stage. That was a treat and we’re going to try and go to that every single year because we’ve had so much enjoyment out of watching that.”

While Amy Washington didn’t attend Grambling State University, she is still a proud and contributing member of GramFam.

“Amy might as well be a Gramblinite,” Washington said. “She’s actually been the one who’s been the point person and had the most contact with (GSU Vice President for Advancement and Innovation Brandon A. Logan) in putting this together. Amy graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. I was a young coach there way back in the day and she got her undergraduate and Master’s degree from there.”

Washington said it’s his love of being part of GramFam that leads him to continue giving back to GSU.

“It’s providing support, not necessarily monetarily, but like being there for your family,” Washington said. “I look at Grambling as family. My formal education came through Grambling. I grew so much through my experiences at Grambling as an athlete, as a student-athlete, through all the different areas that I was able to engage in. I just have so much pride in the university and the lineage and heritage in the university.”

“So, to now be in a position to give back, to provide resources that the university can use that will go directly to students for their benefit, it’s like being there for your family. And now it’s my turn to provide the uplift and to provide perspective for all of these young people who have their entire lives ahead of them and have aspirations of doing everything they possibly can at the highest level.”

That makes not only the university itself, but the people at Grambling State extended parts of his family that inspire him.

“The relationships with a lot of the faculty there, the relationships with my classmates that I formed are some of my best memories,” Washington said. “In fact, I’m about to get involved in something called Project 100. That’s an NIL fundraising initiative. I’m about to get involved with that. Herman Arvie, who was a former teammate of mine at GSU, is in a leading position with that effort.”

Arvie, an All-American offensive tackle at Grambling State, went on to play professionally for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.

“To talk with Herman and see where our lives have gone and what we’ve been able to accomplish and now to be inspired by what my former classmates and teammates are doing to continue to support the university — that’s one of the highlights, just knowing that these relationships have sustained themselves for 30 years. I have so much respect for these people and what they’ve accomplished as people, as husbands, as business people brings back great memories.”

But that’s only part of the treasure trove of memories Washington took with him from GSU.

“Being around (legendary Grambling football coach) Eddie Robinson is at the top of the list,” Washington said. “Having been directly coached and mentored by him. It’s ironic that while I did aspire to have a playing career in the NFL, he inspired me to coach, and now I’m coaching in the NFL. So, I took a cue from him in that respect. I’ve been coaching in the NFL for 17 years. I just finished my 17th year. And my inspiration comes from what I saw from Coach Rob — the discipline, the drive, the organization, the demand for excellence not only from himself but from his teams and his coaches, too. That’s a tremendous memory.”

“Winning in the Bayou Classic is a great memory. I definitely grew as a person during my time at Grambling and continue to use that as a point of reference for the things I do even to this day.”

And that’s what makes giving back to Grambling State so special for Washington and his wife.

“God blessed me by taking me to Grambling,” Washington said. “And when you get it, you have to give it back. GramFam is a real thing and that’s why we’re doing what we do.”