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Eric Dickerson and Ronnie Lott exclusive interview

Hall of Fame Hand-off: NFL legendary running back Eric Dickerson hands off to fellow Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, who tries to lay a finger on the new BUTTERFINGER® Peanut Butter Cups.

Legendary NFL Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson and Ronnie Lott have teamed up with Butterfinger in a new action packed and downright delicious Super Bowl commercial. Can just taste the scrumptiousness! The football superstars took a time out from the shoot to talk about everything from how they like their the NFL concussion their best advice for making it on the field and off.

NFL Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson (left) and Ronnie Lott (right) show off their best  smooth and crunchy football moves with the new BUTTERFINGER® Peanut Butter Cups

MM: The count down is on for your Super Bowl commercial! Can you give us a taste of the shoot?
Ronnie Lott: Without giving too much away, the two of us compete against each other to find out what the new Buttercup is like. You'll have to tune in to see. Is it crunchy or smooth? Is it hard or soft?

Eric Dickerson: We're having a lot of fun and eating Butterfingers. We've been eating them all day and will eat at least 5 more.

MM: How do you like your Butterfingers?
ED: I like mine a little cold.

RL: I like mine a little warm. It's easier for us old guys to get at it [laughs].

MM: Did you eat Butterfingers during your NFL days?
ED: Of course. That's one really exciting thing. We both have sweet teeth! This peanut butter cup takes me back to Sealy, Texas. The stores had a big jar of Butterfingers and you could get a bunch for 10 cents.

MM: Who in the NFL could use a Butterfinger pick me up?
ED: Jim Harbaugh would love it. He can be a little agitated and grumpy. He could really enjoy a Butterfinger [laughs].

RL: Peyton Manning. He's such a smooth QB. It's all about the smoothness. Sometimes he's crunchity, too - there's also the crunchiness.

MM: What are your plans for Super Bowl Sunday?
RL: This year we'll be eating Butterfingers and watching ourselves in a commercial.

ED: I wish I could be running on the field!

RL: When you're in the end zone, Eric knows - there's nothing like it.

MM: The "concussion crisis" is really rocking the NFL right now. What's your take on it?
ED: That's very real. A lot of players have medical problems and a lot of them don't have medical coverage. Whether they played in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90s. Football players are only making great money in the last 10 to 15 years. It's really about medical coverage. We live a lot
longer than we used to, so we're also playing a lot longer. Until you actually live a life of a football player, or are married to one, or living in the same house with one, you don't know how badly they're hurt.

I love the sport but it's definitely taken a toll on me. The first two years after I retired I was in pain and couldn't even sit in a chair for 2 years. 2 years! You want a sport that takes care of you the way you take care of the sport.

RL: I'm echoing what Eric said. The league is adhering to the fact we have to do something. It's an aggressive game and we both love it and appreciate it. But the league needs to find a way to look out for players, and mitigate any challenges they have after their career.

MM: Do you still hang out with your fellow NFLers?
ED: Most of the time we see each other at NFL events or meetings. I have a lot of respect for the guys.

RL: Every time we went out to play, we had to earn respect from each other. I always tried to be humble, and to go out and exhaust respect every time I was on the field. I carry those characteristics with me off the field. Eric and I have been fortunate, but we also work hard and we're associated with Butterfinger because of respect. A lot of our friends aren't here today working with Butterfinger and having fun on set. These are the fruits of our labor.

MM: Many NFL players retire and then can’t replicate their success off the field, yet you’ve both achieved tremendous business success. What do you attribute that to?
ED: Life isn't about a hand-out. That's not what the NFL is about and that won't get you in the NFL or take care of you once you’re out of the NFL. You have to work. That's what it comes down to. You need to have a strong work ethic and work every single day. That, and my parents raised me to treat people the way you want to be treated.

RL: One of my coaches said football isn't who we are, it doesn't necessarily define us. It's part of our life and it always will be, but football won’t define us. Excellence does. We're also family men and business men. We expand and strive and that ties in with Butterfinger. They expect a lot from us and we expect a lot from them. Butterfinger represents who we are - continuing to strive, and being different. It doesn't matter if you want to be in the NFL or do something else. If you want something great, you won't get it sitting around.