Detroit Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes returned to his alma mater on Saturday to deliver a rousing commencement address to North Carolina A&T State University’s Class of 2025.
He urged graduates to embrace life’s challenges and take pride in their Aggie heritage.
Holmes, who played defensive back for the Aggies and helped lead the football team to the 1999 MEAC title, spoke before a packed First Horizon Coliseum, sharing personal anecdotes and hard-earned wisdom from his journey from Greensboro to the Detroit Lions’ front office.
“However you slice it – whichever path you choose – it’s going to be hard,” Holmes told the graduates, referencing the poem ‘Choose Your Hard’ to underscore the inevitability of obstacles in life. “Be proud of where you come from. That blue and gold you bleed hits different. That statue of the Greensboro Four should mean something to you. Those bullet holes on the side of Scott Hall should mean something to you. That A/C window unit that I put up and duct-taped in Cooper Hall means something to me. It shaped me”.
Holmes’ speech struck a chord with the audience, as he highlighted the unique grit and determination that define A&T alumni. “When people disrespect Aggie Pride, that say, ‘So you went to AT&T?’ – that strikes a nerve in me. It makes me cringe. A&T is where the real ones are made. Aggies are gritty. Not verbatim, but in light of W.E.B. Du Bois, a highly educated Aggie is dangerous. It’s scary in a great way. You’ll be dangerously successful. And that fires me up because you are the future.”
He also challenged the new graduates to reflect on their approach to life’s opportunities and responsibilities. “I want you to think about this as you enter your next chapter,” Holmes said. “What’s your attitude? Do you wake up thinking you have to do something, or do you wake up thinking I get to do something?”
“Always remember: The shortcut may feel good in the short term, but life’s going to catch up to you,” he cautioned, emphasizing the importance of consistency, reliability, and producing quality work.
Holmes’ address was part of a weekend of celebrations that saw more than 1,600 undergraduates and over 200 graduate students receive their degrees. His words served as both a tribute to the university’s legacy and a call to action for the next generation of Aggie leaders.
“A&T is where the real ones are made,” Holmes repeated, his voice echoing through the coliseum. “Aggies are gritty. You’ll be dangerously successful. And that fires me up – because you are the future”
