In this episode, I sit down with my former Ohio State teammate and one of my best friends, Sam Hubbard.

We first met in 2014 when he came in as a freshman on the football team. I had just made the transition from playing lacrosse at Ohio State the year prior to walking on to the football team and we both found ourselves playing on scout team together. Over time, Sam evolved into our starting defensive end and went on to have an incredible 7-year NFL career with the Cincinatti Bengals. I carved my own path too, earning a scholarship and starting on special teams and at fullback, to eventually starting my own business. That shared growth and progression laid the foundation for a friendship that’s lasted over a decade.

This conversation goes beyond football. It’s about personal development, navigating life transitions, being adaptable, and learning to evolve beyond our playing days.

More topics we discussed:

• How Sam made the decision to retire from the NFL with clarity and confidence

• What it was like to transition from lacrosse to football, tight end to D-end, and eventually college to the NFL

• The way he handled distractions and high pressure in an environment where it’s easy to lose focus

• What kept his body performing at a high level year after year in one of the most physical positions on the field

• The mental side of high performance and the pressure we put on ourselves to keep winning and succeeding

• • Lessons from football that permanently shaped his mindset and life
  • New businesses that he is involved in and life after football

• The common denominator he believes separates the top 1%

  
  

Follow Sam and see what he's up to now:

Sam's Instagram

Sam Hubbard Foundation

Contrast Studios

Rhoback

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