“It’s a Huge Honor…”: Derek Jeter Once Candidly Revealed True Feelings on Career-Changing Yankees Responsibility That Meant the World to Him

The captainship holds great relevance in the history of the New York Yankees. Only a few names had the luxury to be termed as Captains. And one was Derek Jeter, who played in the Pinstripes for two decades. Though he won 5 World Series titles, with the team, Jeter’s role as a captain remains one highlight of his career. Because of this, the conversation still revolves around that role even years after his retirement. The same was visible during one of Jeter’s interviews.

Given the legacy of the Yankees, the captain has a huge role in the clubhouse. It tested the patience and leadership skills of players who wore this armband. Because of this, being named a Yankees captain was an honor. Jeter, who held this position for years until his retirement, accepted the same on his revisit at the start of his captainship days.

Derek Jeter terms Yankees captainship an immense honor

Given that in a competitive environment, there is always pressure on athletes for performances. And when it comes to the MLB and the New York Yankees, it doubles up. Because of this, any additional responsibility puts more weight on the job. Especially when it’s about captaining the team.

Derek Jeter, who went through this additional responsibility, understood the need. He also addressed the same in an episode of The Eli Manning Show. Jeter recalled his first day of being named a Yankees captain. He said, “Yeah, I mean it’s not a title that’s thrown around lightly in our organization. And um, Don Mattingly was the captain before me, but you go back to Lou Gehrig being the captain, Thurman Munson. So it’s a huge honor.”

While doing so, the ex-Yankees captain said he never changed himself to perform this duty. He said he continued his normal work, and everything else came along with time. The same was visible in Jeter’s comments on the Yankees’ famous win in 2009. Although he was instrumental in the win, he credited his teammates for the success, which made him a true captain.

Jeter termed the 2009 win a team effort

Jeter had a prominent role as a batter in the Yankees’ success. In 153 games that season, the shortstop scored 107 runs, averaging 0.334 with an OPS of 0.871. He added more to it in the playoffs by averaging 0.407 and leading the team to another big victory.

Read More: “Where the Hell…”: Derek Jeter Once Broke Character in a Rare Fit of Anger as 2001 Yankees Approached Crucial Championship Game

But even after that, Jeter credited his team for the ultimate prize. In terms of the narrator

,” For Derek, this season was all about the team and the rings his teammates all got to wear.” These words were powerful and added another chapter to his inspirational journey. It will continue to inspire upcoming captains who will look to continue the legacy left by him. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!

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