Beyond The Helmet

On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former former All-American at Florida and CFL All-Star, Chris Rainey. 

Chris Rainey can run. He says in 8th grade he could run a sub 4.4 40. At that point it was the fast lane to varsity football and a full ride to the University of Florida. Under Urban Meyer he would win a NCAA Championship while earning All-American honors in track and field.

While many people may know that portion of Rainey’s journey - Chris takes the time to open up about much more. After a short NFL stint he has become one of the most prolific return men in CFL history. He is still writing his football story as he gears up to play this season with the BC Lions. 

Rainey talks about his early life in what is the most eye opening part of our conversation. When you consider what his starting point in life was, it is nothing short of a miracle that he ended up where he is. Just the fact that he has been able to buck the trend in how he was raised is incredible, in my humble opinion.

If you like this episode please share it with someone who you think will enjoy it! At least leave a comment, subscribe, give it a thumbs up - anything so other people can find us! Lastly, be sure to follow Chris on social media @r.a.i.n.e.y26

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On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former All-Pro NFL Wide Receiver, Brandon Lloyd. Brandon played 11 seasons in the NFL on 6 different teams.

Most people remember Brandon for his 2010 season where he was the top the wide receiver in the game. Today’s conversation recaps what happened from his rookie season (2003) all the way to this point. Years of trying to stay healthy, being traded, being released, moving to different cities all culminated in a break out year. Then, of course, we it on how he navigated his career after it.

Lloyd discusses a number of things that contributed to his success - great parents, a chance encounter with Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, a lifelong desire to learn about great athletes, Dennis Rodman becoming his mentor and more. Today Brandon is channeling his efforts into CareerWise Colorado which works to serve under privileged youths. I highly recommend you check out the platform: CareerWiseCO.org

If you like this episode please share it with someone who you think will enjoy it! At least leave a comment, subscribe, give it a thumbs up - anything so other people can find us. Lastly, be sure to follow Brandon on social media @MrBLloyd or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by the Director of Former Player Engagement for Clemson, former NFL Offensive Lineman and Super Bowl Champion, Antoine McClain.

Antoine just started his role of Director of Former Player Engagement at Clemson in May 2021. He is getting re-acclimated to the school and program that launched him into the NFL. Part of Coach Swinney’s recruiting efforts earlier in the 2000’s, now Antoine is connecting all the alumni of the program.

McClain spent five year in the NFL where he won a Super Bowl as a member of the Ravens. He is able to leverage his experience winning at the highest level in both college and the NFL to be a positive influence on the Clemson program. We talk about everything he experienced in this wild football ride

Be sure to follow Antoine on social media @maclife256 and give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former NFL Offensive Lineman and Super Bowl Champion, Chukky Okobi.

Chukky had a moment of crisis while at Purdue after a new football coach came in to run the program. He decided he had to do something outside of the box to make sure he would reach his dream of playing in the NFL. What he didn’t realize is that this would begin a path of seeing the world through a lens that would allow him to do much more than succeed at a sport.

Okobi would go on to be a great asset for the Boilermakers and then be drafted by his hometown Steelers and then go on to win a Super Bowl. In his time since the NFL Chukky has cemented himself as being a top tier coach and mindset expert using NLP (among other methods). Our conversation is a journey in uncovering how this journey came to be and understanding what he preaches today.

To learn more about Okobi check him out on social media, connect with him on LinkedIn and of course go to his website BasicInstructions.com. Lastly, be sure to give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former NFL Offensive Lineman, Joe Hawley.

Joe had a successful NFL career for 8 seasons, but his life after the game has made more notable headlines. His story garnered attention when he spent the better part of 2 years traveling in a van with his dog to see the country. It was only after re-discovering himself that he embarked on the The Hart Collective.

Hawley runs the Hart Collective which helps for professional athletes reconstruct their stories on who they are. He has the first hand experience of navigating the space so he has turned his attention to helping others do so. Joe also has a few podcasts going: Life Beyond the Game, Quantum Coffee and Love’N Life.

Give Joe and The Hart Collective a follow on social media and check out  his podcasts. Lastly, be sure to give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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Chris Wormley Reflects on his road to Pittsburgh Steelers. On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former All-American and current defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chris Wormley. 

Chris is entering his second season with the Steelers. He was traded to the team prior to the start of the 2020 season from the Baltimore Ravens. After trying to get up to speed during the pandemic and then battling through injuries, Chris is ready to to hit the ground running this year. This comes on the heels of him re-signing with the Steelers just a few months ago.

Wormley talks about the whirlwind past 18 months - which also includes him becoming a father - while also looking at the entirety of his football journey. From moving, to dealing with being traded, to entering free agency, learning everything in a new organization - we had plenty to talk about.

Give Chris a follow on social media and be sure to give us a follow/subscribe, leave a comment + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former 8 year cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Eric Warfield.

The price Eric paid to live the life of a pro athlete was steep. Warfield, who is comfortable speaking about his path, opens up about both the mental issues he had - like dealing with public criticism - and the physical issues he has that persist today. Of course, it was not all bad.  

Warfield covers winning multiple national championships in college at Nebraska, learning how to play corner (moving from safety) and many more lighter notes. Recently, Eric has been part of the ‘Chief Concerns’ podcast where he and his co-hosts discuss KC Chiefs topics with a variety of special guests.

Give Eric a follow on social media and check out  his podcast. Lastly, be sure to give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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Shawne Merriman talks Lights Out and his Football Journey. On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former All-Pro for Chargers and Bills, Shawne Merriman. 

Few athletes have taken their sport by storm like Shawne did in 2005-07. He brought his high school nickname “Lights Out” to the biggest stage where everyone saw his trademark sack celebration nearly 40 times in those 3 years. Shawne did go on to play 5 more seasons after his prolific start but spent large swaths of that time battling through injuries.

Merriman opens up about not just those good times and how he got there, but the also pushing through the downsides of his career. Today he is a successful entrepreneur who has the Lights Out Brand, the Lights Out podcast and Lights Out XF (extreme fighting). Of course we had to cover how his mindset and skillset transitioned over from being a pro athlete to creating success after a pro sports career.

Give Shawne a follow on social media and check out LightsOutXF.com, his podcast and his brand shoplightsout.com for apparel. Lastly, be sure to give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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Ziggy Hood talks NFL Days, Coaching Career and Autism Awareness. On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former 10 year Defensive linemen in the NFL, Evander “Ziggy” Hood.

Ziggy came into the league as a first round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. By his third year he worked his way to be being a starter on the defensive line and he parlayed his efforts into landing a big contract with the Jaguars. Ultimately, Ziggy would also play for the Bears, Redskins, Dolphins and Saints. He spent nearly 3 full years in Washington to round out his career

Now in life after playing, Ziggy has been pursuing creating a coaching career. He has interned for Washington and is moving forward getting a feel for which level of football he wants to work at. This of course is all the while he works to help Autism Awareness, a cause that is near and dear to his heart.

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Zoltan Mesko talks NFL Career and Life after the Game. On this episode of the Beyond the Helmet we are joined by former NFL Punter and All-American, Zoltan Mesko.

Mesko is a Romanian immigrant who epitomized using a sport as a vehicle to go further in life. In high school he committed himself to football after seeing he could use his leg to make a difference on the field. Fast forward a few years later and he earned 2 degrees at the University of Michigan while developing into an All-American player on the field.

Zoltan played the first 3 years of his career as a New England Patriot. After a fourth season he moved on from the game to leverage his intellect, and degrees, outside of the sports world. He now works at Snowflake but is able to lean on the lessons from his first professional career to continue to move forward in anything he pursues.

Give Zoltan a follow on social media and be sure to give us a follow, check out subscribe + share this episode with someone who will enjoy it!

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