CANTON, Ohio — Throughout his lengthy playing career, Randy Moss was a complicated figure.

As he completes his journey from the unincorporated hamlet of Rand, W.Va., to the bronze busts and gold jackets of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, nothing really has changed with the former Vikings receiver.

Moss, who spent his first seven seasons and part of another in Minnesota during a 14-year NFL career, is being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night. On Friday, he spoke to the assembled media. It was vintage Moss, a roller coaster session — defiant and almost angry one minute, charming the next. Indifferent one minute, introspective the next.

Moss criticized the media’s treatment of him throughout his career. Later, he quipped about a teammate going through the motions during a game, saying, “He played when he wanted to play,” a joking nod to his own quote about himself when his effort level was questioned early in his career.

For the incoming class, enshrinement weekend is pretty much a big party thrown in their honor. But at times Friday, just hours before he’s scheduled to receive his gold jacket, Moss seemed in no mood to celebrate.

“I think I’m more excited and happy for my family and friends and fans of the game,” Moss said. “Me, personally, it was just something I did since I was 6-years-old. Man, it’s just a game.” Related Articles Gary Kubiak on Vikings’ offensive woes: ‘I’ve got to do a better job’

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It’s clear Moss still carries a chip on his shoulder about the press he got during his controversial career.

“I get to put on a gold jacket regardless of the stuff that was written, the things that were said about me throughout my whole career,” he said, unprovoked about the subject. “And the thing about it is, it brainwashed a whole lot of football fans out in the world. I think it was very unfair to me. I think it was unfair to my family.

“Being able to look back and reflect back, man, I wouldn’t change it. I just wanted to play football. Now that I look back and reflect back and seeing all these cameras and all these positive stories written about me, it’s still not fair and I’m still not pleased with it.”

There were few canned responses from Moss on Friday.

Asked about his time at Marshall University in his home state, where Moss landed after off-the-field incidents ruined his opportunities to play at Notre Dame and Florida State, he said, “It was a decent experience. I wouldn’t call it great. I’ll just say it was decent.”

At Marshall, he added, “I was battling a lot of stuff, man. One of the biggest things I was battling was a lot of racism. So, for me to overcome adversity, for me to understand that the show must go on, to smile in front of the cameras when everything wasn’t peaches and cream — there was a lot I had to endure, man.”

Moss is entering the Hall as a Viking. To the significance of that, he said there is none.

“You have to understand: There’s no loyalty in football,” Moss said. “If I really tell you the true story about how I’m going in as a Viking, I really don’t think people would believe me. So, we’ll leave it at that.”

Moss let his guard down a bit when talking about his first NFL head coach, the late Denny Green — “I think he’s here in spirit, man” — and meeting other Hall of Famers.

Earlier Friday, Moss and the rest of this year’s class joined returning hall of famers at the Nitschke Luncheon, a members-only gathering where the new guys are welcomed to the club. Moss sounded like a fan when talking about getting to sit at a table with Mean Joe Greene and Mel Blount. He talked about a “very powerful message coming from Jim Kelly,” and getting to hear from Dick Butkus.

He said Cris Carter, his former Vikings teammate, and others lauded him, which moved Moss.

“It feels good to get a compliment from anyone,” he said. “But for the guys that you really looked up to — you always hear me say ‘paved the way’ — to hear compliments coming from them, man, that’s the stuff that brings tears to your eyes.”

One of the most electrifying players in football, Moss mesmerized fans with his blazing speed and leaping catches. His 156 career touchdown receptions rank second only to Jerry Rice (192) in NFL history. His 15,292 career receiving yards are fourth behind Rice, Terrell Owens and still-active Larry Fitzgerald.

Moss was often a joy to watch, but he didn’t share in it, he said.

“The business side of the game takes a lot of the fun out of the game for players,” he said. “For a fan, it was really anything goes. As a player, you really have to watch what you do, control what you do. No, it really wasn’t fun. But the only time I could feel free to go out there and enjoy myself was between the lines.”

Between those white lines, he was frightening for opponents.

“For most receivers, I’d line up 10 yards, no deeper than 12 yards (off them),” said Brian Dawkins, a former safety and 2018 Hall of Fame classmate. “For him, I’d give him love and line up 15 yards from him sometimes. I know he can run, so I’m going to respect him.”

Long-time Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, another member of this year’s class, faced Moss often as an NFC North rival. Double teams were a must in guarding Moss. Related Articles Gary Kubiak on Vikings’ offensive woes: ‘I’ve got to do a better job’

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“Charles (Tillman) would jam him every single play, and we’d have somebody over the top every single play,” Urlacher said. “That’s the way it was going to be all game long. Every once in a while, we’d go man if we had to. But you couldn’t do it versus Randy.

“He was fun out there. He played hard. ‘I’m coming!’ — his voice was so high pitched when he started talking.”

Moss maintains, at 41, he could still play. He feels the 49ers didn’t give him a good chance to show his abilities during his final season in 2012, when he caught 28 passes for 434 yards and three TDs.

“I really truly believe I could still average 10 touchdowns a year,” he said. “The game is that easy.”

Figuring out Moss isn’t.