After The Gridiron

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ATG-Joel.png ()Joel had a brief career playing 3 years of pro football.  He spent time in the arena league as well as stops in the NFL with Philadelphia, Cleveland and Tennessee.  He loves the outdoors and likes to do a lot of hiking.  It’s a chance for him to get away and clear his mind without the noises of the city.  He started playing in high school and also played basketball which he felt helped him with football.  Basketball was his first love and he played in his dad’s basketball league.  There were some great players that came through the league like Carmelo Anthony.  He was top recruit his junior year in high school however he got hurt his senior year and only played in 3 games.  Most schools shied away from him after that.  Shippensburg University was appealing to him because of their passing offence, so he decided to go there.  He excelled there and was All-Conference in 2003.  He was being projected to be a 6th or 7th round draft pick.  However he didn’t get an opportunity and went undrafted.  He ended up coaching the tight-ends at Shippensburg after graduating his senior year.  Despite that, he felt he could still play.  He asked his coach if he could get him an opportunity somewhere.  He had a connection in the arena league and that led to him being signed by the team.  He eventually got a shot with an NFL team and was signed by the Eagles.  He bounced around a few teams and then the lockout year was when it ended for him.  His next move was to start his foundation so he could make a difference for youth in his hometown area.  They do a lot of different things like sports camps, tutoring, school tours and much more.  If you want more information on his foundation and follow him on social media, follow the links below.SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)LINKSwebsite: https://thejoelgamblefoundation.org/ (www.thejoelgamblefoundation.org/)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joel_gamble/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/joel_gamble)twitter: https://twitter.com/NFLTE82?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (www.twitter.com/NFLTE82)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATG-Jason.png ()Jason enjoyed a 7 year career in the NFL playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and New York Giants.  He is an art lover, and has some pieces from some prominent artists.  He also likes to visit galleries which are all over Europe where he currently lives.  He started playing organized football when he was 14.  He played other sports as well but knew football was his best sport.  He chose UCLA over the University of Washington after having already committing to Washington.  He had his mom tell the Huskies the bad news that he wouldn’t be coming there.  He had a great career at UCLA and was a top defensive back prospect his junior year.  However he injured his foot that season and received a medical red-shirt.  The next season, he played but wasn’t fully recovered from his injury.  He was playing well but at the end of the season he was injured again.  His pro opportunities now depended on his pro day.  He ran scorching 40-yard dash time which impressed the scouts.  That earned him an opportunity with the Cowboys.  He impressed them with his work ethic and special teams efforts, which earned him a spot in the roster.  He also learned from the veterans on the team like Darren Woodson who gave him advice that stuck with him throughout his career.  He then played for the Texans which he loved as Houston was passionate for the team after just getting an NFL team back since loosing the Oilers.  He finished with the Giants, where he eventually made a switch to safety after playing corner his entire career.  He was interested in financial planning after interacting with guys and noticing that there was a void in quality Real Estate advice and services for them.  He got his MBA through the NFL program and after he was done playing went into Wealth Management.  It was a chance meeting that brought him into broadcasting for the BBC.  He ran into an executive at a pet store in Britain where he was shopping with his daughter.  That led to him being a co-host of The NFL Show, that he does with Osi Umenyiora.  The sport is growing rapidly there, and he can envision an NFL team expanding there.  There is an NFL academy as well where kids from all over Europe can attend and go to school while learning the game.  For more information on Jason and all that he’s doing, please follow the links below. SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)LINKSwebsite: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09427yw (www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/thenflshow)podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-jason-osi-podcast/id1331898228 (https://podcasts.apple.com/jason&osi)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonbell33/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/jasonbell33/)twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbell33?lang=en (www.twitter.com/jasonbell33)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATG-Tavon.png () SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Tavon had a brief career in the NFL, playing for two years, both with the New York Jets.  Poetry is something he has done and has written, as well as children’s books so he is quite talented and more than just a football player!  He started playing organized football when he was in 5th grade, but he started playing around the neighbourhood as a kid before that.  He played with his older brother and his friends which helped him to be tougher and excel his game to a higher level.  Virginia was the university that he chose to go attend, due mainly to the fact that it was not that far from home.  The University of Miami was on his radar as well, but with them having probation issues he decided against going there.  He did play other sports as well with track and football being his main two.  He knew football was his best sport, while track he would do just to help him with football.  His first year at Virginia he red-shirted and did a lot on the scout team establishing himself as a great blocker and wreaking havoc against the starters.  He had a great career while there but his draft year was a wide receiver heavy draft, so he was kind of lost in the shuffle of the position.  He went undrafted, but regrets missing a call from the Philadelphia Eagles who were interested in drafting him.  The Jets picked him up and he was thrilled to get the opportunity to play in the NFL.  After a couple years, he realized that opportunities would not be coming his way.  He even played arena football for a year, but after that he looked towards life after football.  He knew he wanted to help kids and give back to the community.  He started his foundation, and doing things in the area.  They did many different things and one that was needed more than other needs was a slipper drive.  So they take slippers to many hospitals in Maryland and other surrounding States.  His drive to give back is due to the fact that he felt as a pro athlete, it was his duty to give back to those less fortunate.  He also started a new company selling beard butter.  He actually had the idea for a few years, but finally put it into production.  Its an all-natural product and he did tones of research to find the best products to make the best product.  For more information on Tavon, his foundation and his beard butter company, please follow the links provided.LINKSwebsite: http://www.tavonmasonlovesthekids.org/ (www.tavonmasonlovesthekids.org)business instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tavonsbeardbutter/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/tavonbeardbutter)personal instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_tmason/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/tavonmason)twitter: https://twitter.com/tmason18?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (www.twitter.com/tmason18)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATG-Ken.png () SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)One of the best safeties to play in the NFL, Ken enjoyed an 8 year career patrolling the gridiron.  He played for the Seahawks, Cowboys, Ravens and Colts.  He loves to cook and travel, with Belize being a favourite vacation destination.  He started playing football when he was 7 and loved it.  He was an all-around athlete playing many sports growing up and baseball was actually his favourite sport but football was his best option for the future.  He was a top player in Tennessee and had an interesting recruiting process.  Arkansas recruited him early and he had a good bond with them, especially the coaches.  Also, they had top safeties that came out of the program that he could learn from as well.  He had a great career there and was a top prospect for the 2003 draft.  There was talk of him going to Buffalo in the 1st round, but they ended up taking Willis McGahee.  He went in the 2nd round and got a call from Ray Rhodes telling him that he was on his way to Seattle.  He loved his time there and the organization.  Then he went to Dallas where football is everything.  They had a great group and unfortunately fell short of playoff success.  The lockout season was his last year playing.  At that time the league was starting to change the rules and clamp down on the big hits which was a huge part of his game.  One thing he did while he was playing was to do some broadcasting.  He had a radio show while in Seattle and also appeared on First Take with Skip Bayless as well.  An opportunity came up at Arkansas to do the pre-game and that’s what he’s doing now.  He is also an entrepreneur, being involved with different business endeavours.  He owns some food trucks with his good friend and former college teammate Eddie Jackson, who has become an accomplished chef.  He’s also involved in a few other businesses.  For more info on Ken and to stay up to date on things he’s doing, please follow the links below.LINKSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken_hamlin/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/ken_hamlin)Twitter: https://twitter.com/ken_hamlin?lang=en (www.twitter.com/ken_hamlin)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATG-Justin.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Justin played 2 years in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger Cats.  He started playing football when he was 12 years old in the Hamilton minor football association.  He initially played offensive line, but when he moved to defence, football became much more fun for him.  He played other sports growing up as well, but in high school it was football and basketball.  After his final high school season he didn’t receive any scholarship offers but did get an opportunity at a prep school in Niagara Falls.  They played American teams and American rules.  It was a great opportunity and exposure for him.  That led to him getting a scholarship offer from Fordham University.  The offer was contingent on him being able to dunk on a basketball net; and he did!  He had a great career there and was a 1st-Team All-Conference player his senior year.  He was drafted by his home town Tiger Cats, a team that his dad played for as well.  He started off well in his career playing more than he though he would.  He got his 1st pro sack against Ottawa, on a play that was not done as planned.  However injuries derailed him and he didn’t want to deal with everything involved in playing any more.  He has his degree from Fordham, but isn’t sure what path he will take for the next chapter in his life.  He wants to start a family and find something that is more stable moving forward.  To follow Justin and see what he is doing now use the links below.LINKStwitter: https://twitter.com/jv_xcii?lang=en (www.twitter.com/jv_xcii?)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATG-Hannibal.png () SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Hannibal played 9 seasons in the NFL with the Packers, Panthers, Bengals and 49ers.  He was a late bloomer in football, having not played until high school.  In fact, he didn’t play any organized sports until then.  That’s why he is passionate about giving back to youth in his area.  Schools are not eliminating sports and even gym class in his area so he’s trying to provide an outlet for kids that want a chance to participate in sports.  He chose to attend the University of Colorado due to them being a college football power at the time, as well as a chance to get out of his environment in the Oakland area.  It was a bit of a culture shock for him initially, going to a school with a majority of Caucasians, as opposed to his neighborhood which was primarily black.  Going into the NFL, he was expecting to go higher than he did which was the 4th round.  Being highly touted, he thought he wouldn’t drop more than the 2nd round.  He didn’t consciously use that as motivation but he nonetheless became a great player in the league.  Transitioning out of football is difficult, and he did things to prepare but didn’t focus on life after football.  It’s hard to focus on life after the game while you’re still playing and maintain your level of skill.  He now is working with the Trust, which assists players in transitioning out of pro football.  The Trust started in 2013, an organization that was negotiated in the Players agreement with the league and has grown into much more than they initially thought it would develop into.  It has grown and evolved to support the needs that have come up for players after retiring from playing.  He has also started his foundation, the Hannibal Navies Foundation which help young student athletes to be all-around young men and women.  For more information on Hannibal and what he’s involved with, follow the links below.LINKSwebsite: http://playerstrust.com/ (www.playerstrust.com)foudation: http://hannibalnavies.48in48sites.org/ (www.hannibalnavies.48in48sites.org/)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bullnavies/ (www.instagram.com/bullnavies/)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ATG-Fred.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Fred had a long career spanning 12 seasons in the NFL.  He was drafted by the Minnesota Viking, but also played for the NY Giants and St. Louis Rams.  Fishing is the thing he loves to do, which gives him a chance to get away and relax his mind.  Red snapper is what he likes to fish.  Football started for him in high school.  He grew up playing baseball and some basketball, but he got hooked on football once he got a chance to play.  He had a great high school career and was recruited by a few schools.  His parents are educators so picking a school that had a strong education was important.  Wake Forest fit that criteria and he liked the coach so decided to attend there.  He was All-ACC at Wake and performed well at the Senior Bowl and combine.  He was a 2nd round pick of the Vikings which surprised him since they were not in contact with him pre-draft.  Being mentored by John Randle helped him so much in developing as a player.  That propelled him when he went to the Giants to have his best seasons.  He also won a Super Bowl there beating the Patriots who were undefeated up until that game.  He finished his career with the Rams.  After football he knew he wanted to return to Florida and give back to the community.  So he started his foundation, Mr. Robbins Neighborhood, and does great things for the youth in the area.  He’s also looking to expand to other areas of the State due to the interest of teammates.  For more information on Fred and his work check out the links below. LINKSwebsite: https://www.mrrobbinsneighborhood.org/ (www.mrrobbinsneighborhood.com)twitter: https://twitter.com/fredrobbins255 (www.twitter.com/fredrobbins255)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrrobbins98/ (www.instagram.com/mrrobbins98/)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ATG-Rick.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Rick had a long pro career lasting 12 years in the NFL.  He played for the Seahawks, Packers, Bears, Jets, 49ers, Raiders and Lions.  He grew up in a football family with his dad being a football coach and was exposed to the game at a young age.  He did punt, pass and kick as well as football camps growing up but didn’t start playing tackle until 7th grade.  He played other sports as well including baseball which he loved, but football was main sport.  His dad stepped away from coaching right when Rick started high school football.  He didn’t want to have a conflict of interest, allowing for accusations of favoritism, as well as a business opportunity that came for him.  Rick still excelled in high school and was recruited by top schools around the country.  The Big Ten was his focus, feeling that he would fit in best with a Big Ten school.  However Notre Dame was right in his back yard and a power house team at the time so it was easy for him to choose them as his University.He had a great career there and finished with a Cotton Bowl victory.  He was thought of as a franchise quarterback and it was widely known that he and Drew Bledsoe would be the top two picks in the draft.  The order remained a mystery until the selection was made by the Patriots on draft day.  Neither he nor Drew knew who would be the first pick until it was made.  Rick decided to stay home with family on draft day and didn’t go to New York for the draft.  The closest he got to a Super Bowl was when he was with the Raiders and they lost the game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego.  Despite the loss it was a great experience for him to be a part of the game and the atmosphere around it.  At the end of his career he knew it was time to move on from football after playing for 7 teams.  He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do but ended up starting a wine company.  His last 4 seasons he was in the Bay area and with the Raiders he had training camp in Napa which initiated his interest in wine.  An opportunity came to start a small brand, which is how he liked it, not wanting it to overwhelm his life.  He also does work with his foundation, Mirer Family Foundation, which he started at Notre Dame.  They assist kids mostly in the Northern Indiana area, providing scholarships for students wanting to attend Notre Dame and other charitable causes as well.  For more info on Rick and what he’s involved with, check out the links below.LINKSfoundation: https://www.facebook.com/MirerFamilyFoundation/ (mirerfamilyfoundation)wine business: https://www.mirrorwine.com/ (Mirrorwine)twitter: https://twitter.com/rickmirer?lang=en (www.twitter.com/rickmirer)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ATG-Anthony.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/after-the-gridiron (Stitcher)Anthony played 3 years in the NFL having stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers.  He endured a tough childhood, growing up in the foster care system.  Because he was in the foster care system, he was not allowed to play in organized sports at all.  It wasn’t until he reached 14 years old and was adopted that he was allowed to play.  In his first year playing he was not very good and didn’t think he could make it in the sport.  The next year he turned the corner and became much better in part from the words of someone he overheard in his class.  She said something about blaming foster care for something in her life.  That inspired him to not be defined by his situation.  He went on to become a great high school player and was recruited by top schools.  He initially committed to Washington State, but Oregon kept pursuing him.  He finally agreed to go on a visit there and loved it.  He decided to de-commit to Washington State and went to Oregon.He had a great career there and got a degree in Kinesiology.  His play garnered him an opportunity in the NFL where he was able to make it with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.  Injuries played a part in his career and he lasted 3 years before having to move on.  He didn’t have a clear idea what he wanted to do, so he started out working as a personal trainer.  It didn’t take long for him to realize that he hated doing that so then with his degree, he decided to open his own gym, Truck Training.  It was a constant struggle for him almost going bankrupt numerous times over the 6 years he ran the gym.  With his never give up mentality he kept fighting for a solution and found it with his motivational speaking and life coaching programs.  He is now helping many people and companies from the lessons he’s learned and the life experiences he has endured.  His book, Trust Your Hustle, is the story of his life that he wrote in Utah in only 7 days!  He drove out there for some solitude and cranked out his book in a matter of days.  It’s an inspirational story that will inspire you to greatness.  For more information on Anthony and his work, use the links below.LINKSwebsite: https://www.anthonytrucks.com/ (www.anthonytrucks.com)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonytrucks/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/anthonytrucks)twitter: https://twitter.com/anthonytrucks?lang=en (www.twitter.com/anthonytrucks) RESOURCEShttps://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ATG-Chris.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/after-the-gridiron (Stitcher)Chris enjoyed a long career playing 9 seasons of pro football in both the NFL and CFL.  He played with the BC Lions, Washington Redskins and Montreal Alouettes.  He was born loving the game and often played with family.  Organized tackle football started for him when he was in 7th grade.  Growing up in Flint Michigan was a rough environment and football was a way for him to stay out of trouble and avoid the wrong crowds.  In high school, he developed into a great player and received his first recruiting letter from the University of Illinois.  However he was initially thought to be ineligible, so schools were suggesting that he go to a junior college first.  The division II school of Northwood University was an option for him and wanted him badly.  Not wanting to go the junior college route, he was leaning towards Northwood.  Then he found out that he was actually eligible after all.  That prompted him to reach out to the big schools and let them know he was able to qualify for their schools.  Unfortunately, by that time all their scholarships were spoken for so he couldn’t go to a major school.  He was upset, but his dad told him to prove that he didn’t belong at the division II school and should work to stand out from the crowd.  That is exactly what he did and he helped them to achieve titles that they never did before.  Despite his great play, he wasn’t drafted by the NFL and had to start his career in the CFL.  With determination and relentless effort, he was able to make the team and the starting lineup.  After a few great years with the BC Lions, including a Grey Cup Championship, he was picked up by the Washington Redskins.  Louis Riddick, who was their scout at the time told him that when he noticed him, he was actually scouting another player.  But Chris kept standing out to him in the film and could not be ignored.  He performed well with Washington, and made a great impression on the staff when he walked to his first team workout.  After football ended for him, coaching was not in his radar.  He thought they had to work to hard having long hours and little rest.  However, he caught the bug and has coached at three levels of football.  High school in his hometown of Flint, a college in Minnesota and interned as a coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  For more information about Chris you can follow him on social media with the links below. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cwil95flint/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/cwil95flint/)Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwil95flint?lang=en (www.twitter.com/cwil95flint)RESOURCEShttps://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)