About a minute into the discussion about his bicep tattoos, Phillip Hunt breaks into song.
“Won’t you take me to,” Hunt warbled right on tune. “Funkytown.”
Lipps Inc., the group that released the catchy disco tune in 1979, couldn’t have done it better, 16 years before Hunt entered this world.
Even though he knew the words, that Funky on his right bicep and Town on his left have taken on an entirely different meaning for Hunt.
It’s more a tribute to the place he grew up in – Fort Worth, Texas – self-identified by its residents as Funky Town.
“It’s just a nickname for the community I stay in,” said Hunt. “We always called it Funky Town. Don’t ask me why.
“Since I was a kid, that’s the name that’s been going around, so I decided to get a tattoo that looks crazy on my arms that says Funky on one arm and Town on the other. That’s something I always laugh about as I get older.”
Growing up in the greater Dallas area, Hunt naturally had his Cowboys role model that he hoped to emulate someday. Defensive lineman/linebacker and Cowboys Ring of Honour player Charley Haley fit the bill.
“He was one of the big-time guys I looked up to,” said Hunt. “He could rush the passer with power and speed. He had a lot of moves in his repertoire. I tried to emulate him as a kid growing up.”
Hunt continues to do a good job of it.
After a 16-sack season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers that earned him a CFL all-star nod in 2010, Hunt spent the next five seasons in the NFL.
A few weeks back, Hunt was available and after weighing several offers, he decided to sign with the Eskimos.
“This team had a great core,” said Hunt about why he signed with the Eskimos. “Mike Reilly at quarterback, Walker and Bowman as receivers. Then you have Odell Willis. This team was just made for making it to the Grey Cup. I want to be a winner this time around in the CFL This was the best team for that.”
Talk about making an instant impact. In his first game for the Green and Gold, the Labour Day rematch, Hunt sacked Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell twice. Mitchell had been sacked just 10 times in the Stampers 10 previous games.
“First off, I just want to thank God for the opportunity,” said Hunt. “Coming over here is not a given that you’re going to have an opportunity to play. I’d like to thank him for the courage and athleticism that allowed me to play here.
It did mean a lot to Hunt to be able to strap on the pads and get into game action so soon after he got the call.
Being a father and a mentor has its rewards, but Hunt knew he still had plenty left in the tank as a football player.
“Football now, for me, is therapeutic,” said Hunt. “When I was away from the field, it’s like ‘what do I do with my life now?’ I was at home training, teaching my kids and other kids how to play sports. Honestly, it wasn’t fulfilling me as a person. I’ve always had football in my life and I felt like I still had some good years ahead of me. Being able to come here and perform and play in the CFL was a stress-relief an fulfillment.”
Not many players can say they survived for five seasons in the NFL and that fact in itself attests to how well-regarded Hunt was during the last five years of his career.
“It was a lot of trials and tribulations in the NFL, but it taught me a lot about life,” Hunt said. “So much of football is about overcoming obstacles, still fighting when you’re down and out. Perserverance is the main thing. I think playing in the NFL for those five years has taught me a lot about perserverance and how to handle myself as a man.”
In his NFL roles, he didn’t get beat up too badly and has made his return to the CFL as a relatively healthy 30-year-old.
“It was all a grind, but I’ll never take it back for the world,” Hunt said. “Everything I went through to this point of my life I would never take back because it taught me so much and it was a great point in my life.”
Now that he’s made the decision to return to the CFL, Hunt would like nothing better than to play out whatever time there’s left in his football career with the Eskimos.
“As long as God gives me the ability to perform at a high level, I’ll be here,” said Hunt. “I’m out here playing football and I love everything about it. I don’t see myself quitting any time soon. This is a great organization. I would love to finish out my career right here in Edmonton.”