Ickey Woods stunned by response to TV ad

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Geico commercial featuring Fresno native Ickey Woods not only has gone viral but it's also introduced the Edison High grad to a new generation.

Ickey was very surprised by the popularity of his commercial. It has thrust him back into the national spotlight. 25 years have passed since Ickey has done the shuffle on the field for the Bengals. He still lives in the Cincinnati area.

Woods said, "Now I'm known as the cold cut man now. It's fun because I got a lot of people calling me letting me know their kids and their grandkids are doing it now."

In January of 1989 Ickey Woods was the country's most celebrated pro athlete. He led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in his rookie year. Action News was there when Sports Illustrated came to town to snap pictures of Ickey and his mother. The kid named Elbert Woods made the cover of SI that week.

Ickey said, "Never thought in my wildest dreams that 25 years later the Ickey Shuffle would be back on the scene."

Woods was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. The TV spot always brings a smile to former Hall of Fame president Tom Sommers.

Sommers said, "I thought that is hilarious. They really did a great thing with that and I bet he's getting great attention across the country. I think it's well done and for a guy who only played three years in the NFL but had a great rookie season - I mean he's known for that."

Cincinnati running back Jeremy Hill offered an Ickey Woods tribute after scoring a touchdown on Sunday.

I asked Ickey if he knew Hill would do the shuffle. He replied, "I did not. I was actually at the game and it kind of took me by surprise. Then he got up and ran and I said, oh what is he getting ready to do."

Ickey is now using the country's rediscovery of his past to help strengthen the future of the Jovante Woods Foundation. His teenage son Jovante died of a severe asthma attack in 2010. Ickey Woods "Get some cold cuts" t-shirts are now helping raise money for asthma research.

Woods also said he plans to return to the Valley soon for a fundraiser for the Fresno children's asthma division of his foundation. He said the calls and text messages have been non-stop since the TV spot started airing.