On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts, Peanut and Roman sit down with Manti Te’o for a raw, reflective, and fun conversation about football, faith, redemption, and the second act he’s building with purpose. Manti shares his unlikely story of how a kid from Hawaii — a lifelong USC fan — ended up choosing Notre Dame at the last possible moment, and how his Polynesian roots and faith shaped the man he’s become. He takes us through his NFL “welcome to the league” moment, the vets who taught him the cerebral side of the game, and why he calls his time with the New Orleans Saints “JAY‑Z years. Manti then dives into his second act: broadcasting. He credits Kyle Brandt for sharpening his voice, recalls his “welcome to broadcasting” moment covering an Eagles game, and breaks down how he learned to tell stories instead of stats. The conversation closes with Manti’s reflections on retirement, smart investments, the documentary that reshaped public perception, the Polynesian Hall of Fame, and his personal Mount Rushmore. A thoughtful, honest, and uplifting episode — exactly what Second Acts is all about.

The NFL Players: Second Acts podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Media.

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