Retired DB Erik Coleman praises the impact of former Kansas City Chiefs HC Herm Edwards

USA Today

21-07-2025

This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to retired NFL safety Erik Coleman and acclaimed car customizer Will Castro about his new show, Unique Academy, and their NFL coaching influences, including former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards.
"I'm going to relate to Bill Parcells, I noticed that even if you have superstars, on an NFL team and Parcells comes into the locker room, those players, no matter what they're young or whatever, they're going to respect Parcells," said Castro, "so at the end of the day, they do respect the struggles that I went through and all the stuff that we had to do to get 'Unique' where it is, so at the end of the day, they respect that, so they listen to what I'm saying."
Castro's new Roku show, 'Unique Academy', is a one-of-a-kind automotive training program that puts students on the fast track to success by taking them behind the hood of a celebrity car.
"These students were amazing. They listened. They worked very hard. They, I'll be honest with you," said Castro. "One student came late, and he called me, and I told him, Listen, if you're going to be late and you're going to take off on a Saturday, have the respect to text me a day before or two days before, so at least I know that you're being accountable and responsible. We had amazing kids."
Former NFL safety Erik Coleman, one of Castro's friends and long-time clients, shared his thoughts on coaching and referred to his former New York Jets head coach, Herm Edwards.
"It was awesome playing for Coach Herm (Edwards). He's probably my favorite coach that I played for, and the cool thing about Herm is that it is much like what Will (Castro) is doing with these kids," said Coleman. "He was more excited about developing you as a man than a football player. So, he knew that if you could become a good father, a good husband, a good person in the community, take care of your business, and be accountable, then those are tools that you can use in life. That's something that always stuck out with Coach Herm. It was like, yeah, he wanted me to be a great player, but he was consumed with me being a better man, and that's how we all felt. And you know, someone caring for you and taking interest in you makes you want to run through a wall for him."
Coleman played his first two NFL seasons under Edwards before the latter was traded to the Chiefs and became the new head coach for the 2006 season. Coleman believes many of Edwards' traits can be said for Castro during the show.
"I can see that in Will, and what he's doing with these kids, he's not easy on them," said Coleman. "He works hard. He expects their hard work, attention to detail, and for them to put in their work, and that's how you develop men. Will is doing a great job of that."
Acclaimed car customizer and TV personality Will Castro is back with an inspiring new series, Unique Academy, streaming now exclusively on Roku.