MIDLAND, Texas — Some people may see District 2 Midland City Councilman John Norman around town or at city council meetings.
However, Norman's life wasn't always suits and meetings.
Born and raised in Midland, Norman has only recently entered the political arena.
His predecessor, John Love, left mid-term to run for senator.
Norman himself never considered going into politics.
“I got quite a few calls saying I should run," Norman said. "I prayed about it, I talked to my wife about it. It was a decision to go ahead and run because I was already doing what a city councilperson does, and that’s being involved in the community.”
There’s more to the man than just his city councilman status.
Norman was an All-American free safety with Lee High School (the school's name before it was changed to Legacy) before playing college football at Texas Tech.
After college football, he signed on with the Philadelphia Eagles, rubbing shoulders with guys like Donavan McNabb and Jeremiah Trotter, but he was cut in the final days of spring ball.
He bounced around in the arena league for about seven years, but at some point, every player has to hang up the pads.
“I think I knew it was time when I was in Lakeland, Florida," Norman said. "It was my last stint playing arena football and I just wasn’t as fast as I used to be. I wasn’t getting to the plays as quickly as I used to do it.”
He was able to get back somewhere quickly, and that is back to his old stomping grounds, to a place he calls home.
“The main reason for me coming back was to help my dad," Norman said. "I was one of those kids that when I left to go to college, I was like 'man, I’m never coming back to Midland.' Upon coming back, it was always a deep love for the place you were born.”
He has certainly done more than just help his dad.
Always an active member of his community, Norman has helped out the cities youth on the football field, as both a mentor and a coach.
“I think football teaches a lot of those characteristics about some of the things that I teach our kids today: discipline, trust, respect, hard work, integrity and accountability," Norman said. "Those are things that I take with me and that can be applied not only on the football field but in life.”
Those lessons Norman learned on the gridiron can be applied to not just the youth, but to daily life.
As the only African American sitting on the council, those lessons stick close to him as the calendar turns to February, the start of Black History Month.
“The reality of it is that black history is American history. It's a part of American history," Norman said. "All of these things that our ancestors and in people like that went through I think it's a great thing to finally get to speak on those things and have it broadcasted out so that everyone wants to know about it."