After The Gridiron

Shannon achieved a lifelong dream of playing in the NFL. He spent 2 years in the league, with stops in Carolina and Indianapolis. He also played in the CFL, Europe and the Arena League. He went to college at Western Illinois University. Coaching changes made it difficult for him to establish himself there, but he showed enough to get an opportunity. It didn't come right away though, having to wait a year for that chance to come. Despite that, he remained confident in himself, and believed he was good enough to play at the highest level. He first tried-out for the CFL, but got injured. Soon after, an NFL tryout came and he ran a great time. That led to his opportunity. He talks about covering Steve Smith and how Peyton Manning did him a favour for a fan, while with the Colts. Life after football has led him to start his company, G3Powerhouse which is an athletic and academic training program. His passion for helping people is what led him in this direction, even though he has a Masters degree in a different field. For more information about Shannon and his program check out the links below.LINKS:website: https://www.g3powerhouse.org/ (www.G3Powerhouse.com)twitter: https://twitter.com/g3powerhouse (@G3Powerhouse)RESOURCES:www.atgridiron.com

Mark played 2 seasons in the Canadian Football League, all with the Edmonton Eskimos. He was a late bloomer, not starting football until high school. He played hockey and baseball growing up, but football was his best sport. He decided to go to McMaster University in large part due to their kinesiology program as well as the opportunity to play quickly. He enjoyed a great career there winning the Yates Cup and narrowly loosing the Vanier Cup to the University of Montreal. Making the Eskimos was a thrill for him and in his 1st game registered a sack versus the Toronto Argos, with his family and friends there to watch. He is now in medical school at Western University, and may possibly look to become a team doctor to stay involved in the game he loves. Time will tell. For more on Mark, use the links below.LINKS:instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mackie_91/?hl=en (@mackie_91)linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/mark-mackie-30a887106 (MarkMackie)RESOURCES:www.atgridiron.com

Dominique played 4 years of professional football, with 3 of them coming in the NFL. He played with the Rams, Lions and Panthers. He was a 3-sport star, playing basketball and track, in addition to football. His father played professionally overseas and was actually his basketball coach in College. He had a few schools interested in him coming out of high school, however they wanted him to play a position other than wide receiver. When it was time to chose, he decided to go to Cheyney University. He performed well there, however a conflict with the new coaching staff that arrived, caused him to decide to transfer. His time at California University of Pennsylvania was not the best due to injuries and courses availability. Resigned to starting life after football, he got a call from the Rams which led to him making the team. From there, he made stops in Detroit and Carolina, before spending time in the Arena League with San Jose. Now, he's teaching 8th Grade writing and coaching receivers for Nationally ranked St. Joe's high school team. For more on Dominique, follow the links below.LINKS:twitter: https://twitter.com/DomCurry_18?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (@DomCurry_18)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/domcurry18/ (@domcurry18)REFERENCES:www.atgridiron.com

Former NFL tight-end Irv Smith played 7 seasons in the league with New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49'ers and Cleveland Browns. His son, Irv Smith Jr. is currently playing with the Minnesota Vikings and is an obvious sense of pride for him; being able to watch him play and live out his dream. Even though Irv made it in football, baseball was his first love. He was an excellent baseball player, however his ascension in the sport was disrupted by his inability to hit a curve-ball. Due to that, he ended up pursuing football. He chose to attend Notre Dame, despite being recruited by all the top programs. Coach Lou Holtz was a major factor in that decision. After an outstanding career there, he was selected by the Saints in the 1st round of the 1993 draft. He went to New York and had an amazing experience. His pro career was mixed with peaks and valleys. He experienced the politics that come with professional sports, being replaced and released even though he was playing well. That left a sour taste in his mouth and got him to start thinking of life after football. While with the 49'ers he got his Real Estate licence in Arizona. He is now a partner with Executive Global Tours, which organize travel around the world for anyone who wants to travel alongside former players. He is also Vice-President of Primerica, assisting people with money management. For more information please use the links below.LINKStwitter: https://twitter.com/IrvSmith8284?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (@IrvSmith8284)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigtime8284/?hl=en (@bigtime8284)email: [email protected] tours website: https://egttours.com/about-exec-global-tours (https://egttours.com/about-exec-global-tours)RESOURCESwww.atgridiron.com

Christo played 4 seasons in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins. Football wasn't his intended profession since he grew up a soccer fan. However he knew he wanted to play sports professionally when he was older. He excelled at football in high school and earned the interest of the University of Louisville. However, he didn't have the classes needed to qualify academically there so he went to Eastern Arizona Junior College to start off. Unfortunately for him, the staff at Louisville that was recruiting him were fired, so that opportunity went by the wayside. Fortunately, another opportunity arose as Georgia State and head coach Bill Curry showed interest in him and offered a scholarship. With the chance play for a well respected coach, and to be one of the pioneers of the new program, he decided to transfer there. Playing Alabama got him noticed by the NFL scouts. Even with his excellent play and exposure, he wasn't expecting to be drafted. However, Oakland selected him in the 6th round. He had a few more stops with Cincinnati and Washington, but he credits Baltimore as the "best franchise he has been a part of." After his playing days ended, he was drawn to Real Estate. His goal is to own 100 doors and he is well on his way to that. He is part of the Real Estate Group "The Dream Team 613" which he established in his hometown of Ottawa Ontario Canada. For more information on Christo follow the links below.LINKS:instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationscapitalrealtor/?hl=en (@nationscapitalrealtor)website: www.dreamteam613.caRESOURCES:www.atgridiron.com

Ben played 6 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, and Cincinnati Bengals. He grew up a hockey fan, which is big in his home state of Minnesota. However, football was his best opportunity to play at the professional level. He went to the University of Minnesota where he excelled as a player. Destined for the 1st round of the NFL draft, an injury almost ended his pro aspirations. Tony Dungy met him at an event, and promised to take a shot on him. He fulfilled his promise and led to Ben eventually becoming a pro with the Colts. He won a Super Bowl with the Colts in 2006 and had an accomplished career. He started thinking of life after football near the end of his career and started his singing career while still playing. He is now a part of the international group "Reborn" with Mark Masri & Andre Venter, and have just released a new album which is available on iTunes. For more information on Ben, please follow the links below.LINKS:Twitter: https://twitter.com/benutecht?lang=en (@BenUtecht)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benutecht/?hl=en (@benutecht)music: http://www.rebornmusicgroup.org/ (Reborn_Music_Group)RESOURCES:www.atgridiron.com

Steve had an amazing Hall of Fame career in the National Football League. He shares a quick glimpes of his football journey and his life after leaving the game. For more on Steve, follow the links below.LINKStwitter: https://twitter.com/SteveAtwater27?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (@SteveAtwater27)REFERENCESwww.atgridiron.com

Joe Montford is one of the greatest defensive players to ever play in the CFL. He played 12 seasons spending time with the Shreveport Pirates, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argos and Edmonton Eskimos. His career was almost cut short while at the University of South Carolina State. He sustained an injury during a game that left him partially paralyzed. Despite his injury, he never wavered in his belief that he would return to the game he loved. He did return to the field, however his injury scared-off NFL teams from selecting him for the draft. He ended up signing with the Pirates of the CFL which is where his career began. A position change to defensive-end is where his career took off and he became the dominant force that he was. After leaving the game, he transitioned to working with abused children as a counsellor. He also did some coaching as well, but that all kept him away from his family which he didn't like. So he decided to start a landscaping company which is what he's doing now. For more on Joe, follow the links below.LINKSinstagram: https://www.instagram.com/montfordjoe/ (@montfordjoe)RESOURCESwww.atgridiron.com

Jed fought hard to maintain his career, enduring multiple releases and playing for a few teams during his time in the NFL. It's a story of hard work and perseverance. He was a natural athlete who loved basketball as well growing up. That came from his father who was a good basketball player as a youngster. Jed chose Washington State for college and played tight-end. Once he got to the NFL, he was moved to fullback. His best years were with the New Orleans Saints, where he earned Pro Football Focus All-Pro honours. He acquired his CFP certification while playing and proceeded to embark on a career in the financial planning sector once he retired from the gridiron. He has been a keynote speaker for major companies like Microsoft and has also written a book, "Your Money Vehicle" which is an Amazon best seller. For more on Jed, please follow the links provided below.LINKSwebsite: https://jedidiahcollins.com/ (www.jedidiahcollins.com)twitter: https://twitter.com/JedCollins45?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (@JedCollins45)book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08596991L/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_5rQxEb710F9F0 (Your Money Vehicle)RESOURCESwww.atgridiron.com

Jordan enjoyed a 3 and a half year career of professional football. He spent time in the NFL with the Broncos, Steelers, Bears and Panthers, and in the CFL with the Tiger-Cats and Argos. He was an athletic kid, but football and track became his 2 major sports. His speed earned him State championships as he excelled in hurdles and 200m. As a top athlete, he garnered interest from a few schools like Georgia Tech, but he ultimately decided to stay close to home and attend Tulane University. He was a team captain his Senior season, and his leadership and speed got him a shot in the NFL. A memorable moment for him was when Peyton Manning came up to him to introduce himself during training camp. Peyton knew who he was due to his ties to New Orleans. He wasn't able to get an interception off of him, but he does remember intercepting Ben Roethlisberger while with the Steelers. After his career ended, he got involved in health and wellness. He does a lot with the increasingly popular cryotherapy. He also wrote 2 books recently. He has always had an artistic side, and was able to explore his talents by writing and illustrating the books. It is a passion of his and he is looking to expand his writing in the future. For more information on Jordan and what he's involved with, follow the links below.LINKSBooks: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612448003/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 (Flower_Flower_Give_Her_Power), https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612447082/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 (Mally_in_the_Middle)Twitter: https://twitter.com/sullenseason?lang=en (@sullenseason)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abrahamthinkin/?hl=en (@abrahamthinkin)RESOURCESwww.atgridiron.comwww.symfonies.ca