This week we have my good friend Ken Ruettgers on the show!

Ken is a former 1st round pick and NFL great of the Green Bay Packers, where he played offensive tackle from 1985 to 1996. In 1989, he was the Packers offensive MVP and was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2014. Ken is one of the most passionate people I’ve met when it comes to helping former players during the transition process and joined the NFL in 2015 as one of their official transition coaches. He has also founded a non-profit in order to help former athletes during their transition.

Ken is an author, teacher and coach with a wealth of experience in business, education and psychology. He has added a ton of value in my life, both personally and professionally. Between his own experience leaving the sport and what he sees as a transition coach, Ken truly understands the unique challenges that former players face on their journeys. During this episode, he provides a ton of advice and value to those who might be struggling.

In this episode, we discussed:

The beginning of Ken’s NFL career

The injuries and surgeries that Ken experienced towards the end of his career and how he knew it was time to walk away

The demands of professional sports and the shame that athletes can experience

The process of re-telling our stories

The stigma around counseling for men

How professional sports prepares you for life

Ken’s journey as a transition coach for athletes

The importance of celebrating and creating a marker for the end of your career

What it was like playing with legendary talent like Brett Favre and how the league has changed over the years

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Check out Joe’s other Podcast Quantum Coffee, where he brings on guests to discuss the unanswerable questions of the Universe

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