Life to the Max Podcast
Welcome to 'Life to the Max Podcast,' where resilience meets inspiration!
Join us on a transformative journey through the life stories of remarkable individuals, including Quadriplegic Army Veteran Maximilian Gross. In this empowering podcast, we dive into tales of triumph, courage, and the human spirit's unwavering ability to overcome obstacles.
Our show is a celebration of diverse narratives, from awe-inspiring achievements to the darkest of traumas. 'Life to the Max' is a testament to the power of living authentically, no matter the circumstances. We believe that everyone has a unique story worth sharing, and we invite individuals from all walks of life to join us.
Discover the profound meaning of living 'Life to the Max'—a concept that resonates differently with each storyteller. It's a journey of perspective, resilience, and finding joy amidst life's challenges. Tune in to be inspired, motivated, and reminded that there's strength in every story.
Ready to redefine what it means to live life to the fullest? Share your story with us and become a part of this uplifting community. Because, at 'Life to the Max,' every story matters.
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Life to the Max Podcast
Tim Terrell: Legendary NFL Knockouts and Seizing Opportunities
After growing up in the vibrant neighborhood of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Tim Terrell's journey to the NFL is as inspiring off the field as it was on. With stories of tight-knit community bonds and childhood adventures, Tim paints a picture of a supportive upbringing that set the stage for his future. A chance meeting with a coach reignited his passion, propelling him to excel at Harper Junior College and Northern Illinois University, where he helped lead his team to victory in the California Bowl.
The episode unfolds with Tim recounting tales from his NFL days, filled with resilience, camaraderie, and unexpected encounters with legends like Jim McMahon and Eric Dickerson. He shares touching memories of his time as an NFL player, including the ups and downs of transitioning between teams and the harsh realities of the game. Whether it's humorous anecdotes about his time on the field or reflecting on the intense physical toll, Tim's stories are a testament to his perseverance and passion for the sport.
Beyond football, Tim's life is marked by humility, gratitude, and a strong desire to make a positive impact. His post-NFL journey led him to establish a 501c3 foundation, leveraging his influence to support youth football and scholarships. Through strategic partnerships and community events, Tim's work epitomizes the power of action and community spirit. His reflections on resilience, the importance of seizing opportunities, and the inspiring stories of others serve as a powerful reminder of the impact one can make by living life to the fullest.
Music. We just tryna get by. Terrell got to him. Terrell was there to cover. There's Terrell, and there's a mid-eight coming right there Bang. Terrell made the hit. Oh no, he may be licensed as a lethal weapon. I'll show you the results of that tackle. Watch what he turns around. Keep the camera on him. See the red paint on his helmet. That's from the Atlanta helmet. That's how hard he hits a guy.
Speaker 2:Head on, takes the paint right off the Atlanta helmet. Chicago Cubs in terror. Welcome back to another episode of Life. To the Max everyone, I'm your host, the quad father, Maximilian Gross, and today we are going to dive into a very special person. This guy has been all over the place. He's in the NFL. He was in the NFL. He was in the NFL. He worked with the NFLPA, which is the National Football League Players Association. He won chapter of the year something. It's something I really don't understand, but we'll get into it. But there he is, Tim Terrell.
Speaker 3:That's right Hi.
Speaker 2:So I've been trying to get you on, man, because my dad has been hounding me saying you've got to get this guy Tim on. This guy Tim is going to broaden your horizons because you've done so much with your life and I'm just super excited for today and to interview my friend.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you, buddy, I'm looking forward to it too, and I don't know if I've done a whole bunch in my life. I've just been given so much opportunity and I think I took advantage of that, and I was taught by a lot of people on how to take advantage of an opportunity. Not just get one, but how do you, how do you leverage it and and make kind of the world a better place really one, but how do you, how do you uh leverage it and?
Speaker 2:and make, kind of, the world a better place. Really, that's that's all. That's all it really is about. You know, making the world a better place and, um, helping people like that's that's. I mean, that's that's what this podcast for is for therapeutic reasons and it's to show people that a person like me can still have fun. So I'm excited to get to know you. So tell me about your upbringing, man.
Speaker 3:Well, I grew up in Hoffman Estates. I'm one of seven kids. We have five boys, two girls. I was number five and I'm still. I would always ask my mom, mom, what were you thinking? After you even had me, you wanted two more. I was literally mom.
Speaker 2:Mom, what were you thinking? After you even had me, you wanted two more. I was literally about to say why were people having so many kids back then?
Speaker 3:My neighborhood, so I'm one of seven. But my neighbors the Taylors had 10. Then right next to them, the Lawsons had seven. Next to them, the Patels had six. My neighbor to my right, we lived on a corner the Doyles had seven, karis's had four, campbell's had seven. Next to them, the Patels had six. My neighbor to my right, we lived on a corner the Doyles had seven, karis's had four, campbell's had four, ross's had four. And then the Gallows were a block away. You had to. You're kicked off the neighborhood. If you didn't have at least four, you were out of the neighborhood. I think they drank and had kids. I think my mom was doing the dishes when she had me. It's like honey. Can you get that?
Speaker 2:Bring the scissors. So yeah, it was like good block parties.
Speaker 3:We didn't even have block parties, we just had our parents would have parties and all the neighbors would come over and vice versa. So it was just a. It was truly an amazing neighborhood. I grew up in Hoffman Estates, illinois, and between Golf, higgins, roselle and Plum Grove Road, which is the first section that was built in 1954 in Hoffman Estates. So everyone had not really come out of the city yet A lot of these people and there were farms all around us. So Woodfield Mall we were about a couple of miles from that and so, as they were building Woodfield Mall in 1972, all these farms and barns were getting torn down and so we used to run, go to the barns and play in the barns and, um, you know, and then they built all the homes out there and, uh, you know, they started building these homes and, uh, it was just an amazing, amazing area to grow up.
Speaker 3:We weren't by any means a loaded but man were we loaded with with love and these friends and everyone kind of going through and plenty of friends to hang with. And you know we would the old story with, you know, staying out until it got dark. We were literally I used to eat, standing up so I could get back outside, you know, for dinner, and it really was fun. It really was just so much fun and there's so many and we're all still in touch. The neighborhood is still in touch, and it's there's so many and we're all still in touch. The neighborhood is still in touch and it's there's just so many stories there. I don't even know where to start, but. But we just have had just an amazing life and and my mom just passed away a couple years ago, she was 93, lived a great life and a lot of the parents are, you know, unfortunately are all gone now but still pardon me our recipes to your.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you. She was a good one man.
Speaker 3:She was a great lady. So yeah, I was one of seven and you know we all. My oldest sister was mentally disabled. She had the mentality and she's 70 now. She's our oldest. Then my brother Tom had flat feet. My brother Mike was a diabetic. I was okay. Joe was okay. My brother Pat was born with no chin and born with two holes in his heart. So there were a few issues there but we never really knew it In the neighborhood. It was one of these things where we were kind of raised by the whole neighborhood and to this day I bring Kathy back to the neighborhood and I always did when my mom she was still alive. She had to move out about six years ago. Live, uh, she had to move out about six years ago, but so she was there from 1954 to um 2015 or 14, or right around there.
Speaker 3:That's really we go back and we it's like we never left. Yeah, it was just a great, a great um. In a nutshell, that's kind of where I grew up and then, you know, played all sports kind of thing. So I don't know how in deep you want me to get.
Speaker 2:I uh actually wanted to ask you uh, when did football enter your life?
Speaker 3:I, we played. So I went to saint hubert's grade school and in third grade and on we always played football outside. A lot of the kids that I was in school with, especially mr rooney, dan dan rooney, his father, was a coach and at third grade those guys were playing tackle football. I didn't play till sixth grade, why I don, I don't know, cause we'd play in the parking lot at St Hubert's and I always did real well and they're like you got to join. So I finally, at 12 years old, I joined the commandos for two years and then did really well and then with the Raiders, sixth, seventh grade with the commandos, then the Raiders we were called the Raiders, the Huffman States Athletic Association.
Speaker 3:I wasn't running back and just had a lot of fun. Then went to to high school from there and played soccer, baseball and football was a really good soccer player, but then any. After eighth grade I had to kind of make a choice and I just went with football. I ended up making the B team, which I was really pissed off at until we played the A team. And then I hit a guy on the A team and I was about you 85 pounds and I got knocked out and I'm like, okay, maybe I belong here.
Speaker 2:But yeah, what's a—? No, that's really good. You chose that because it helped you in the long run. But what I'm trying to ask is a typical, you know, like 70s. You know, when did you go to high school?
Speaker 3:I went from 75 to 79. So I think I, yeah, my freshman year was 76, 77, 78. Yeah, and then 79, I graduated and I played baseball and football at that level and then after my junior year I just went all football and then, unfortunately, my you know, I did okay, I was starting running back my junior year at Conant and it wasn't anything real special. I was pretty good, I did well and I was looking forward to my senior year. And the very first day of training camp I was doing a drill running around my hand and tore ligaments in my just tore, a little cartilage actually in my knee. So between practices I couldn't stand up, my knee was locked, so I was done. I had to have surgery. It wasn't anything major, but I missed my senior year. And then from there is really kind of where the story starts, yeah.
Speaker 2:So your positions? You were a quarterback?
Speaker 3:No, not in high school, or not even when I went to junior college initially.
Speaker 2:So I was a running back.
Speaker 3:So I went from there, I sat out. You want me to kind of fill you in, right?
Speaker 2:now.
Speaker 3:So from there I sat out a year, sat out two years. I went, you know, I graduated. I used to install carpet. So I was installing carpet, I was going to Harper Junior College at night and I worked at Dominic's Grocery Store. And then my second year I was still, you know, I was not playing, I didn't play football again and I was going to Harper and so I sat out 78 and 79, 80, 79, I went to Harper night school and then the next year I'm like I miss it I went and found the coach at a. He was actually at a carnival in the area and I said, coach, I'm going to try out for the team next year. You know I'm Tim Terrell, whatever. So he's like, okay, whatever.
Speaker 3:So I ended up showing up and ended up making it as a starting running back in junior college. I was working at Dominic's grocery store and and, uh, you know, I mean and I'm like I just missed football after two years of being out. So I went to um, uh, I went to practice and ended up, uh, ended up doing well, made the team, me and another running back, and after three games he converted me. He goes, tim. We had four quarterbacks and I never played quarterback. He goes, tim, you're going to be our quarterback next week.
Speaker 3:I just thought I was a good athlete, so sure enough, they were not happy. The other four quarterbacks because I'm starting as a quarterback now and then I ended up long story did real good that year. The next year did even better as a team and as an individual. I got 12 full ride scholarships out of Harper, three as a quarterback, nine as a defense back, cause I was a. I was a, I kicked off and I punted as well and I'd probably make most of the tackles. I was just a very aggressive, pissed off quarterback and I loved it, and so.
Speaker 3:I got recruited by nine schools as a defensive back and three as a quarterback, and Northern Illinois was one of them and Bill Mallory was a lot like a Woody Hayes, an Aero Parsegan, a Bo Schembechler, a Mike Ditka, a hard nose, no nonsense coach, which I loved. I don't come up with an excuse, Just get over it and do it different or you're gone, and I love that approach and that's what I've really learned. When I first got to Harper, Coach Eliza was very much like that the junior college coach, a great person who made a lot of men that came out of that program. Now a lot of guys walked out because they were they just it was too hard, but a lot of guys and I went on and got a scholarship at Harper in Northern Illinois and as a quarterback there and then that was. I didn't expect what was going to happen next. It was incredible.
Speaker 3:Nothing's ever too hard if you put your mind to it and that, and it helps if you have a passion for it. You know, yeah, I had this. It was I've never done a drug in my life, but if I did, I it was like probably doing a line of coke or or something like that. I was just so I got such a dopamine rush in my head that it's unexplainable the feeling that I felt. And just at the junior college level even then I go to Northern and and, uh, I ended up becoming the starter at Northern right away Again. Uh, my second year, I uh, I didn't know what was going to happen. I mean, I know starting and, um, we were picked six in the Mac. I ended up winning the MVP of the team. I won the Jefferson award. I won the player of the year in the Mac conference. Our team won the California bowl and it wasn't me in the player of the year in the Mac conference. Our team won the California bowl and it wasn't me.
Speaker 3:I'm just saying that because it just kind of I got chosen, I don't know, but there were no superstars on our team. We, we were truly a team that played together and we won. And all of a sudden sort of like what Northern did a couple of weeks ago they beat Notre Dame. We went in and beat Kansas our first year, you know and there were no supersized, but everyone. And it's the old definition of team. I mean, if everyone does their job it's such an overused phrase, but if you do, things happen. We found their weaknesses in Kansas especially, and I was running all over the place because they ran this wide tackle six, blah, blah, blah but we attacked it and coached us up and everyone just did their job, not trying to do anyone else's, and the way that it all unfolded, the lessons that we learned and we're having a, we're meeting up. We got a whole bunch of guys meeting up for Northern's game this Saturday, but it was really learned how to play as a team and understand it Like I just don't have to do, just do your job.
Speaker 3:I certainly didn't lead the league in rushing. I didn't lead the league in passing. I was one of the top option quarterbacks in the nation, but I wasn't anything I. But I ended up winning these awards and our team did well and and. But when you look back at it it's like it was a team. It was such a team, and in the business world it's the same thing. If everyone just does their job and spread the, the, spread the um, uh, the, the accolades around as well, it's not just you and so uh. But it was a dream playing under Bill Mallory and that whole team that I was with in 83. We were the California Bowl champs. They talk about it this day. We played four home games, three home games. They tore down five goalposts. It was so unbelievable. The fans sold out.
Speaker 3:It was five goalposts and they couldn't. They didn't get the sixth one because Coach Mallory ran out on the field, was telling the students screaming at him Picture Ditka. He's like Ditka running out there. If you remember any crazy coach like Woody Hayes, he coached under Woody. He wasn't crazy, he was just so intense and it transferred into the business world and football for all of us. But five goalposts in three games Two in Bowling Green because we came back from 20 to nothing, two in Toledo because that was when we clinched it, and then one in the last game of the year because they just wanted to do it and they were trying to get the second goal post and the coach is chasing the kids off the field. But it was a. You should have seen it, it was. I mean, at that age I'm like we're 20 years old, 21. It was unbelievable, it was a dream.
Speaker 2:No one. I mean I can't imagine. I always tell people if I would ever want to live in a certain era, it would be the 80s. That certain era, the music's amazing. The football was amazing, everything was amazing. It was I mean the Bears won a fucking championship in the 80s.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I got to tell you that story right away. I got to tell you that one early, let's get it over with. So I told you I installed carpet. So going into my senior year at Northern, I installed carpet all the time and Jim McMahon, my buddy's father, was doing the plumbing. Jim McMahon was redoing his condo and so I just kind of have.
Speaker 3:I was joking around and said, lou, could you have your dad see if I can get an appointment and sell Jim the carpet? And he goes, yeah, I'll ask him. So he ends up setting the meeting up. I'm like you gotta be kidding me. And I'm like have you ever seen Chris Farley interview Paul McCartney? That skit he does, where he's so intimidated he can't even talk. He's like Paul Paul, remember when you said live and let die in that album? You didn, you didn't die, did you? And Paul's like no, no, I'm right here, chris, I'm right here. You know he punches himself. Anyways, I was so intimidated. So, anyways, he sets the meeting up to meet Jim McMahon and sell him the carpet. So I go there, I bring two footballs with me for him to sign.
Speaker 3:So I go to McMahon's house before my senior year at Northern and I get to his house, I walk in and I'm like, oh my God, and Jim's standing there with his wife she's pregnant with their first kid, sean. And so I walk up and I, hey, jim, nice to meet you. And he knew I played at Northern, going into my senior and just talked a little bit about that. And then I said I'm going to go downstairs and measure and I'll be back up. And so I measure everything. They get up and they pick out a Berber carpet in case you were wondering it was and uh, so, um, I go, well, good, well, we got the job, tim, so we'll just set up a time. So, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 3:So like, okay, I shake his hand, I turn to walk out of out the door and I go, oh my god, I got the footballs in the car. So I turn around real quick. I walk back up to him, I go, oh, and nancy's right there, his wife. I go wait, jim, before I leave, would you sign my balls for me, just like that. And he starts laughing his ass off. He goes down to anita's wife's laughing. He's like sure, tim, you want me to sign your left foot? I go idiot, no, no, I have two footballs in the car I mean, would you sign my footballs? He's like go get the balls. So I do, and I go on to get the footballs, blah, blah, blah. So then we play out that season and again I I won the, the mvp of our team, and then I won the what's called the jefferson award, the most valuable player in the mid-american conference. What do you um? What's called the Jefferson Award, the most valuable player in the Mid-American Conference.
Speaker 2:What is that?
Speaker 3:the Mid-American Conference, the MAC, the MAC Conference, the Mid-American Conference, mac, it was my first time hearing about it yesterday when.
Speaker 2:I was reading your bio.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so the MAC Conference. And so he ends up calling my mom at home, gets my number at school and calls me at school and and congratulates me on winning this award in the season. I'm like, how cool is that? You know, jim mcmahon called me and I already done the job and it was beautiful, wow. And he signed two footballs. He signed my balls. So how many people can say they got their balls signed by mcmahon? I got, balls are signed by mcmahon, so anyways. So I haven't seen jim. So now I go into the NFL, I make it with the Falcons.
Speaker 2:My rookie year. You're going way too fast. Well, I got to get to McMahon when I went.
Speaker 3:So I'll finish it, but this is just real quick. This part of the story, so I make it my. You know I get cut but I end up playing by my second year in the NFL. I was our captain of our team, so I'd go out for the flip of the coin, so it was me, gerald Riggs and Rick Bryant, who was a number one pick, and I was the captain.
Speaker 3:So when we went and played the Bears in Chicago so it was Walter Payton, jimbo Covert, Sean Gale, gary Fensick and Mike Singletary with the Bears and we're shaking hands. I'm out there and I'm like I can't believe I'm playing against Walter Payton, jimbo Covert and the 85 Bears. And so we shake hands, we flip the coin and I start running to the sidelines and I hear this Timmy, timmy. I turn around. I haven't seen McMahon since I carpeted his house. He's like what the fuck are you doing here, dude? I said I made it, man, I made it. And so he's laughing. He's telling everyone, as they were kicking our ass, that dude was putting carpet in my house two years ago and now he's the captain of their team. So we lost 36 to nothing. I thought if we would have just held out and not started the game, we would have tied them. They beat our ass and then they lost against Miami the next week.
Speaker 2:But I had to get that story in For everybody who knows Jay McMahon it was the quarterback for the 85 Bears. That was the last time the Bears won a Super Bowl, just a full disclosure.
Speaker 3:And just Jimmy Mack was just such a fun. You know everyone, a lot of you have heard but just a fun-loving, goofy great guy. And he still is. I still see Jim. I just had dinner with him two months ago.
Speaker 2:Wow, well, that's amazing.
Speaker 3:That was hilarious. Yeah Well, that's amazing man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've definitely watched a lot of documentaries on the 85 Bears and it's like he's just there with his headband. You know, just to Jimmy Mack and everything.
Speaker 3:Pissing off the commissioner. Yeah, he wasn't supposed to be doing it. He wasn't supposed to Roselle. He put it one of them. He put Pete Roselle was our commissioner and he put his name on it After he put it one of them. He put the pete roselle was our commissioner and he put his name after he was reprimanded for it. He, the next week he wore pete roselle and he got fined, I think, for that and uh, but mac was just harmless fun so um were you surprised when you won the jefferson trophy I was.
Speaker 3:I was when um, so it's it, it was. It was all the most valuable players of each team, so I think there were 12 teams. So, sorry, I hit the mic, uh, there's 12 teams. So, um, when I got there, there was a guy named Brian McClure from Bowling Green. I thought he may get it. This other guy, brian Pillman, flying, he ended up going to world wrestling after that. He was a stud.
Speaker 3:So I talked to a few guys and one of them it was kind of funny because Brian Pillman, when I got there all 12 of us were sitting up and it was Bo Schembechler was the one who gave the award. He was a coach at Michigan, you know, amazing guy. So I walked by, what's his name? I just said it. I just said it. It was, um, I just said it. I just said it. Uh, it was, uh, I gotta remember the guy's name. Um, uh, flying brian pillman. I'm sorry, flying brian.
Speaker 3:I think it was at miami of ohio, how you? Miami of ohio? I think he was there and he was a great, great player and I thought he was going to get the award. So I, when I got there, I said brian. I said, did you bring your speech for tonight. You know, he kind of laughed and stuff.
Speaker 3:So when they finally called my name and the winner of this award, as I was walking up to say a few words, I stopped at Brian. I said, hey, dude, can I borrow your speech? Just kind of I kind of laughed and kept going and I'm like I wasn't expecting it, I really wasn't, I just didn't. I didn't expect to win, you know, the player of the year at a lot of awards. I think that I got. You know, I just didn't.
Speaker 3:I never looked at it as like, look at me, I liked the attention, but it was really such more of a team thing without these players doing this, without these receivers, without the running back we had a running back that ran for over a thousand yards that year I don't do the things that I can do and some of the good things are, you know, and so I just never felt it. So it was such a shock to me to get an award like that, because there's there's 11, there's 10 other guys, you know, and and that's really how I looked at. But I feel so honored to have won some of these awards and stuff and and then just to even play in the NFL for seven years. It's just mind boggling to me. It was such a I was unconscious just about every day I was going to ask you like which award are you most proud of?
Speaker 2:But I think you're most proud of your teammates.
Speaker 3:I am. I mean just so. I just am honored to be able to have played at that level. I can remember waking up in LA. I rented a house I actually rented at Brady's and I was with another team. I just remember I'm playing on the same team as Eric Dickerson is and I would sit in practice and watch. I wouldn't sit, but I'd watch Eric Dickerson run the ball and I'm like how the hell did I make it to this level where I'm on the field?
Speaker 3:I feel like sometimes I felt like if I, if they find out I'm on this field, they're going to, I'm screwed, they're going to get rid of me. I just couldn't believe I was there and it was all because of, kind of, with what you're doing, with what you're doing, you know what, there's a grieving period or there's a time where you can come up with excuses and do whatever, but the bottom line is dust your shit off and get back to work. And so I failed. I didn't need to be told twice. I mean, I just knew that if I did this, I usually got this and, as I look back, very rarely did I take second place in anything. If I didn't, I didn't. I just didn't like it. I didn't like basketball, I didn't. I could play soccer, but baseball I was okay, but football I just I had this, this rush, and I just the drills we did, I started excelling at and doing well and and you know, and it's a good feeling and I and I just loved it. So that combination of loving the game because there's a lot of guys that get to the level that are way better than me as athletes and thank God they don't have my tenacity, my, my, my love for the game, cause it got a lot of these guys, even at the pro level. You should have seen some of them that weren't starters so they'd have to play special teams and they'd look at me like timmy t man, I don't know how you go run down like that. Okay, I don't want to do it, man, I don't want to do it and I just loved it and, um, and I loved it everywhere I went and it and it's it's like a good or a bad attitude. Both of them are contagious. Which one do you want to be a part of, right? Yeah, that was like more, like just to be able to experience all the not just that, but but meeting like a Brian Johnson from ACDC and becoming friends with them.
Speaker 3:It all piles into all these other opportunities I get to meet people and then I just get a kick out of it, especially when they're cool, especially when they're humble and there's gratitude involved when I meet somebody, because it's not about me, it's about God how can I and I have this incredible passion now and I was talking about the car wash thing, because I went through the car wash today and the guy that I become friends with not him, but the other guy he goes Tim, you are by far our favorite customer, you're always happy. I, he goes, you are by far our favorite customer, you're always happy. I had it. And he was telling me all these different people that come in that do you need any help with putting in your report? And some of them are like, no, get away from it. He was just kind of laughing.
Speaker 3:But and it goes to I don't, I don't do this for the attention. I don't want the. I don't. I don't need or want the, the acknowledgement that, oh, you're such a good guy, but I want to be able to make people somewhat feel a little bit how I feel. So the only thing that I can do is carry forward. What was given to me.
Speaker 3:None of this stuff was what I did. It's an understanding, like I'm so proud of what you've done and I've talked with your dad many times and about you and how much he loves you and is so proud of you. And I know you, you know you have. There were times it was really difficult and I just can't imagine. But to see what you've done, that's inspiring because it's not talk. It's not talk, and I mean so many people. It's like you know what I always say.
Speaker 3:It's like losing weight and saving money. It's not hard to do. Let me give you a real quick seminar weight. Burn off more calories than you take in. Thanks for coming everybody. Now let's talk about how you save money. Make more than you spend. Okay, bye, that's it. The hard part is doing it. Just don't, if you don't have, don't spend it and then, or get a job that you do. It's not complicated. I don't need 30 books to tell me how to lose weight. I don't need 500 books to tell me how to save money If you can't afford it, or look for a better opportunity.
Speaker 3:And if you've been through adversity, you know, like you said, you haven't. You failed a lot too, but those successes like you know what I look back now. I look at some of the stupid shit I did and said and it's not funny and I'm not proud of it. But if I didn't learn from it? And learning from it means I'm changing I'm not. It's like saying you're sorry.
Speaker 3:You know the difference between saying you're sorry and making amends. When you say you're sorry, you're just saying hey, you know what, tom or whoever, I'm sorry, I did this, I said this, I'll try not to do it again. And that just buys time till the next time. You do the same thing without a plan to change and say you're sorry again. When you make amends, it means I'm not the person I used to be and I'm changing my ways based on I'm in therapy or you're working with somebody that can help you change because you're what got you there.
Speaker 3:It's like when I go to the, and at every level, whether it be work or the football field. When I got to junior college I didn't know if I could play. At junior college I got a coach that showed me how to take it to that next level and then I went to a four-year school that took me, showed me how to take it to the next level. And I'll tell you, if I wasn't ready for the pros then and I knew how to take it to the next level, what I thought and I did and I just and it took two weeks to get that respect, but I was tearing it up- my first week in camp.
Speaker 2:What was the transition like? Going from a JC well, high school to JC and then to D1?
Speaker 3:college. God, it was so similar. It was this feeling that I missed. You know, you can't just create dopamine by sitting around. You got to take chances, right. And that good dopamine you know what I mean, you know that adrenaline rush, that feeling we feel that's exhilarating, whether you're doing drugs or you're doing something. You know the dopamine is what we come back for, right. And in junior college I like that.
Speaker 3:I miss football and I wanted to. I don't know if I'd be any good, but I wanted to go be around the guys and do it. And I did it. And it got even better at Northern Illinois. And then we started winning and we're surprising everybody and it's like this is unbelievable. And then you know, and then I meet Jim McMahon. I'm like this is so cool. And I met a couple of other pro athletes. And then, and then you go into the pros and I'm like, oh my God, I remember sitting in the first meeting Billy White, shoes Johnson, steve Barkowski, jeff Van Notte, willie Curran, fulton Kuykendall, mike Kinn I saw these guys on TV as a kid and now I'm in the same room with them, I'm on the team. I mean, I was like I'm like, oh my God, I was scared to death. I'm like why am I here? And then you go out and you do drills and you start running drills and you start learning a little bit and you see how they do it.
Speaker 2:So I was going to ask you was this a real moment when you found out you were going to the NFL?
Speaker 3:Well, I was looked at by Dallas, seattle, green Bay and then the Falcons Dallas, seattle, green Bay wanted me as a strong safety because I was so aggressive and I think I would have been a pretty good strong safety because I really was aggressive. And then the Falcons wanted me as a running back. I thought the odds would be better because I ran the ball a little bit, but I knew it was special teams. I would have to make my mark in special teams and they held their special team stuff up high and so I tried there a camp. We ran a one-back offense, which means you're not going to carry really many running backs, you're only running one-back offense. You don't ever use two backs unless it's your urgent goal line. So we had four number one picks really, or number two Gerald Riggs, william Andrews, lynn Kane and Richard Williams they're all studs and we had nine rookies running back, two drafted and then me. I was literally last on the chart and I saw that and I'm like that's changing and but. But the key point for me that was changing was I had through.
Speaker 3:I was a quarterback and I sprinted out a lot in college, right, so I'd throw on the run. So we were going against our first defense and I happened to be in on a play or I saw the cards they're giving. We're holding up the cards because we're third, 10th string, whatever and we're giving the defense a look. So this one was a half. Well, that's all I did was sprint out and that's what I did in college. So I said I got this one boys. So I ran, I pushed everyone out of the way and I'm in on this play. So he pitches the ball back to me. I sprint out like I'm running. So the defense comes running up. I got a backside post by Alfred Jenkins. I stop and throw his perfect strike touchdown against our first defense.
Speaker 3:I they don't know who the hell I am. I'm a rookie and they're like and they're all high-fiving me. You know the offense, because we just beat our defense and the head coach said to me this pissed me off and this is a turning point for me. I had just won player of the year in the conference. I won the MVP of the league of my team. Our team won the California Bowl. I had blah blah, blah, blah, blah has done that and they have.
Speaker 3:I come back and the coach, as I'm walking by him, the head coach says me hey, tyrell, you must've been a high school quarterback, huh. And I'm like close coach college. He had no clue of what I had done in college and I went to bed. I didn't even fall asleep that night, I was so pissed off. I go this guy doesn't know anything what I've done. And so my the next day I got out and I got about three fights, which weren't just fights, but I would knock the hell out of these veterans Because I was really. Because if you've ever seen the movie Vince Papelli, what are you trying to make a statement about the Invincible? If you've ever seen Invincible, a lot of it was like that. These veterans want you to chill out, dude, take it easy. I'm like, yeah, because three knockouts where she showed the coach, showed everyone the film and that's the. If you have saw my highlight film, it's on there.
Speaker 2:And it was just, it was so ballistic.
Speaker 3:It was so ballistic, it was so crazy, it was a hit Like I if I could run faster, I would have. I would knock them out cold. I would knock people out, including myself. And in camp I was like that. And the coaches after three weeks. All of a sudden it took me two weeks.
Speaker 3:This respect from the veterans. They don't fight me, they're like this kid's contagious. How do we? We've been four and 12 the last two years. This is what we need.
Speaker 3:So before I got, before the last cut, Steve Markowski came up to me and he said and Steve Markowski came up to me and he said and Steve Markowski was a 10 year veteran, he played more than that, was a legendary quarterback, played at Stanford and with us for years. And he says Timmy, uh, he goes. God, I, I, I heard you were a quarterback. I have never seen anyone as tough as you come into this league and play like. I'm like Steve, thank you, I'm like. But I don't see it. I didn't say that, but I was like what the hell?
Speaker 3:And then the next day, van Notte, jeff Van Notte had played 17 years. He was the center, bit a beard. He was probably going into his last couple of years. He's like hey, tyrell man, congratulations on making the team, we need you on the team. Well, I didn't make it. Yet we still have to cut 10 more guys and I was literally the last player that had to be cut because we had a lineman go down. We already had the four backs, everyone else had been cut out. Of 150 guys trying out for the team, we kept 65 or whatever it is, and anyways, they cut me and they called me back three weeks later, but because we had a lineman go down and then they just made room for me and they immediately made me the captain when I got back the next year. But it was, it was something that I didn't. I just didn't see any of it. And I still look back and um, oh, what did it feel like when?
Speaker 3:you got caught. I knew, I knew well, here's what, here's what happened. So I get, he goes. Timmy, we got to let you go. It was 12 o'clock, the door, the deadline was 12 o'clock. So I get the knock at the door right at the deadline, the last player and he goes. Timmy, he was pissed, he goes. I'm sorry, we got to let you go, he goes. You're not going to last out, you're going to get picked up pretty quickly. Well, sure enough, I got three calls when I so, anyways, I'm going to be ready when you call me back, I'll be ready. He goes. Oh, believe me, I know you will.
Speaker 3:I went in and then I went and thanked the owner. I went and thanked Taylor Smith. He was the son's owner, but Taylor was a good guy and I thanked Taylor for the opportunity. And as I was walking back to my room, our strength coach ran up to me and said Timmy, this is bullshit. Blah I that when you're cut, you're just like I didn't. I wasn't mad, I knew I could play at that level. I've proven that I can play at that level. That's really the main thing. I, and that's what I felt.
Speaker 3:I was cut five times in the NFL and I played seven years so I got cut three times with the Falcons because, again, because I was a special teams guy, so it was a little bit fun. Well, the one time they cut. The third time they cut me they were going to call me back the next morning because that's how they did it and they ended up. I got a call that day from the Rams. They see, on waivers you have to go on. The Rams picked me up and flew me out and I'm now playing and playing with guys like Kevin Green, mel Owens, jackie Slater, irv Pinky, eric Dickerson, kevin Green.
Speaker 2:Eric Dickerson Just studs.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was just such a great, great time.
Speaker 2:I can literally see the passion coming out of your eyes with thinking of back then, the experiences you had, you know, and uh, I kind of want to digress and like I go through like a college game compared to an nfl game. So is college, uh, like more like wasn't. So like people say, okay, you're, if you're in the nfl, you're playing for a paycheck, right?
Speaker 3:well, no, no, god, well, I, I guess I never I would if I was in the NFL. You're playing for a paycheck, right? Well, no, no, god, well, I, I guess I never I would have. If I was my own agent, I would have played for free. I did not care about the money was no issue, I just wanted to play.
Speaker 3:I loved it so much, but the speed is ridiculous. The speed at which we played in, and keep in mind, I've never I'm playing in the NFL now as a fullback from a quarterback and I was a running quarterback, so I got hit a lot too. I always tried to dish it out. I wasn't that big though I shouldn't have been, because I could barely lift my arms near the end of the season was a quarterback because I tried to run people over and I would succeed sometimes, but I wasn't. I mean, I don't recommend it, especially because I got to throw in the whole deal, but the speed was unbelievable. The talent was just crazy. I couldn't believe I was there when I'm competing against these pros, the talent was wow. This is a level I didn't you know. You just don't, I don't know, I it's not that I doubted myself but I I'm like how the hell, oh my God.
Speaker 3:But my attitude and my ability got me through, but a lot of it. I just had a contagious attitude that was so ballistic, and so I want to win at everything and I'll do whatever I can. Coach Robinson, with the Rams, used to tell me before kickoff Timmy, we need you to set the tone, which means we want you to just knock somebody out, or we want you to make a big hit, which is what I would typically do, and I would, and it was kind of an honor to be able to, and he would show film, but the speed is what the difference, I think, was for me. And then, of course, it's such a different position.
Speaker 3:I didn't, I went into it just like, as when I went in as a quarterback. I'm like, I don't know if I can do this, I'm just gonna start, do it and the coaches see that you can and you like you. You know you would identify maybe someone who could. You're like you. You would be good as a podcaster or you would be good as whatever your talents were back in the day, as when you were in the, the also runner. Yeah, you know you, you see and you're like. And the kids, it's fun when they don't realize it because they're coachable and they, they're going to be so amazing. So I think, um, I, I don't know, I never knew I was that I would be good enough to do this, yeah well, you did it, man, which is the most amazing part you know, and I have to ask, when it comes to being in the NFL, what was like concussion protocols, like back then?
Speaker 3:Well, you know they, I was able to. So I knocked. I was knocked out cold and I knocked the other guy out too in Tampa one time, but I got up on my knees and I fell back. It's actually on film. You can see it, um, which one of the clips I sent you and you'll see me fall back.
Speaker 3:And then so pride more and Scott case, and they were on kickoff team with me and as we got to the sidelines I was okay, I got back, I was out, I was out cold for a second and then I got back up and then they, they told the trainer, this is 1984. They told the trainer, um, and and he goes, terrell, you're out. I go. No, no, I'm not out, I'm fine. You know, they took my helmet, so I talked them into giving me my helmet. I wasn't, I wasn't, I just got a ding. I mean back then it was a ding, but there's been many times where I had to four games at least, where I had to miss the next game Cause I was, cause I knocked myself out. So the protocol was if, um, when I was in San Francisco I hit Ronnie Harmon's brother Michael Harmon, I think his name was in Candlestick park. I was out. I laid there for a long time Tim, are you with us? And I'm like, yeah, and they got follow the finger. So I'm like they're following the finger and keep your head straight and follow the finger. Do you know where you're at? And I looked up at the scoreboard. I said yeah, I'm in San Francisco. They said you're done.
Speaker 3:So I, if anyone did, I had. You know you have a ton of them, but you really don't know. I hear that all the time. Like how many concussions did you have? I'm like you talk to anyone that played on the same team with me that tarot would probably have the most if we were really keeping track. So we really weren't. But, uh, knocked out. I at least 20, 30 times jeez more in practicing games. You know just not. But I just was like, oh, I hope I come too, because I want to do this again. Do you want to just get knocked out?
Speaker 3:again well, usually it was a big collision and it was a probably a good play. But I just wish I was there to remember it. I didn't feel it. You like saw it on film Amazing, amazing, because what John Robinson did and what Dan Henning did too. So one time before, keep in mind. Now I'm there.
Speaker 3:So I'll give you the one example when I was with the Rams had this amazing game, I had three KOs, but a lot of times the guys don't see it because you're flying all over. So Coach Robinson would take the highlights of the game before we'd start the meeting for the next game. So on Wednesday we would have our team meeting and everyone's in there. He goes. Okay, guys, I want to show you guys how to play special teams. Keep an eye on number 32.
Speaker 3:And I'm like oh were just, he was kind of being half-heartedly funny. I'm sitting right next to Eric Dickerson and I go down and we were playing in I think it was Sanford, I don't know. I lit somebody up and then I did it on punt team and on a punt return, where I was setting up a block, I knocked some guy completely out, a lineman. Of course he didn't see me coming, so I was able to knock him. It was like a Redwood going down. It was hilarious. I hit him so hard and because, believe me, if these guys brace themselves and they saw me coming, at times I would be dead.
Speaker 3:But anyways, he pointed this whole thing out and Dickerson turns to me. He's sitting right next to me. He goes dude, you are crazy. And I'm thinking to myself how cool is that? Eric Dickerson just said I'm cool and I'm a great player. You know he's not a great player, but he's just. They kind of admired it, but it was. It was such a thrill to be pointed out that you were part of the team, that I'm doing my part on this team and and that someone acknowledges you know that you're, you're doing a good job.
Speaker 3:And you know I was the first alternate in the Pro Bowl two years that. So it was really cool to be acknowledged that. And one time we're playing the Saints. And what's his name? The old coach with the Saints? Buddy Ryan, Not Buddy Ryan, it's a big Southern guy. Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I can't remember. I'll think of it. He's a legend and he came up to me before we're stretching out, before we're going to play them. He goes, hey, Tyrell, he goes, take it easy on us today on special teams. And I'm thinking, oh yeah, okay, sure, Thanks, coach. Because he said we voted for you for the Pro Bowl is what he said. And then he said take it easy on us, Because the team votes, the team usually the special teams guy on their teams will vote and say who do you want to recommend? So the Saints recommend, blah, blah, this guy.
Speaker 3:Well, in during the game they put a guy on punt team. I'm on punt team, so I got to block. They leave their defensive lineman in there. This guy picked me up and threw me aside and he was going to go block the punt. I ran after him and tackled him and thank God he didn't break. I got a penalty but they kind of set me up. He was like making me feel like I'm the man you know, and then they left a big guy in there for me to do it. But just any form of respect that you get from your peers, from people that have been there and done it, know the work that you have to do, and then the luck you know, a lot of it is luck, but I don't know how I didn't get hurt I, and I would think about that all the time and just thank god that I'm not and to this day my knees, hips and everything's fine I mean, you're talking about knees and hips.
Speaker 2:What about your neck?
Speaker 3:neck is pretty good as well.
Speaker 2:It is in like your neck, like there's a lot of spinal cord injuries that happen, well when when I was knocked out in san francisco they made me do a neck x or uh x-ray.
Speaker 3:So when I went in to do it, it was my fifth year in the league and the doctor said to me he goes, timmy, you have the neck of an 80 year old man. This is when I was 26 or 27 years old and I'm like, oh, I feel good, I mean, but but he, he did say that and I was like wow and um, and I, my fifth year, third year, in 1987 or 88, I got shots of cortisone on both shoulders for every game. So I would get a shot because the shoulders were so just messed up, but it felt good and I haven't had knock on wood again To this day. I haven't had any issues my knees and hips and I talked to all the guys and every one of them has at least two knees done or their hips done. So let's knock on wood here and hopefully that happens. But it's just I don't know. And that's the other reason I wake up every day, bud, and I'm inspired by guys like you, I'm inspired by anyone who's had their total back against the wall and I'm like, how do you recover from something like this or how do you do this?
Speaker 3:My friend, jimmy Gallo, was paralyzed from the waist down, started with Chicago Wheelchair Bulls, first wheelchair pilot to come out of U of I, got his accounting and finance degree, went back and got his degree in journalism. This guy went on to run and build companies and buy and sell companies and it reminds me of you. I'd love for you to meet him someday. And he just simply and he was the most inspiration. When I was inducted into our Hall of Fame at Northern, I couldn't even get through my speech because I was talking about my inspiration, was thinking about Jim and how he was able to do that at 20 years old In 1980, he was 19 years old and to accomplish and I was inducted like 15 years later I had gone through the pros and I was just thinking and I look at that and I'm like that's inspiring. I think I have it hard. What about Jim? How did he get through this? You know how do you do it.
Speaker 3:In the bottom line, there's a grieving period and it's not for and we all need help and we need to reach out for different things. But then there's a point where I got to start. I'm putting a studio together. Look at you in here. This is amazing. And what you're doing, dude, I mean the people that I'm going to introduce you to and the other players. They need to meet you, they need to see you. As a matter of fact, I may want you to come and talk to our NFL chapter meeting and have you come in as a speaker to talk to.
Speaker 2:I would love to yeah, I would definitely have to do my research.
Speaker 3:Well, we'll get you. But who knows? But believe me, it is. You know, it's amazingly inspiring, because I can't.
Speaker 3:I had a friend who lost a daughter in college 10 years ago. I still don't know how they get on. She's the prettiest girl I think I've ever seen in my life and just a horrible accident happened and she's gone and I'm like, how do you go on with the kid? And I just got a group together. And I'm like, how do you go on with the kid? And I just got a group together. And I'll end with this I'm sorry I'm using my hands, I'm hitting this damn microphone. But I have a friend of a friend of mine. I work for this lighting company and she sails in there and her boyfriend is an older guy they're older and his granddaughter was killed in a car accident and you may have heard of this. The kids were 17 year old, driver, and the girl was 12 years old and two and their cousin, the driver, was 17. You know, they were at a church team meeting, okay, on 59 and Plainfield and they were pulling out of there and they got, they got hit and and the bags went off. All everyone was okay. They're between the highway, they're between the lanes. I guess he was pulling out and that's how it happened. The airbags went off, everyone was fine. The little girl. He got on the phone with his dad calling his dad. Everyone was fine. The little girl gets out of the car she was scared, runs from the car, gets hit by a car and killed.
Speaker 3:Can you imagine? Her name was Gia and it was Mia. It was Gia, I think and I got 10 NFL players. They did a soccer thing for her about a month, two months ago. I got 10 players to go out there and we they did a fundraiser for a charity, which is what Gia wanted it to go to.
Speaker 3:But I and I talked to the parents and I just I can't. I don't even know them. I can't even understand how they go on with their life. And they have another daughter, mia, who's 10, who's stunning little stud soccer player, and there was about a thousand people out of this event. They did it out that way for soccer. They all signed up and I said the only thing I can do is look if we can ever be a part of any fundraising you're doing as players and carry the message.
Speaker 3:And carry this, this message, that what they're doing is just keeping a little girl's legacy alive, by which is what you're doing, you know, and by your actions and seeing what you're doing, it's like you think you have it bad. Go meet Max. You think your shit's bad and it's. If you're not inspired by that, max, I just, you know you move on, you just, and that's what I don't. I don't, I don't spend a lot of people a lot of time with, with um, I mentor a lot of a lot of people, but if they're not ready, if they want to still keep digging, when you're done digging and you're done, want to stop this bullshit, I'll help you, or I can give you some suggestions that have worked for me, right, because there's a million ways to do things. But anyways, I'm, I'm, I'm amazed at how, and inspired by what you're doing and what these families can do.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that, I really do, and yeah, I'm a little speechless right now, but so when you were, how long were you in the league?
Speaker 3:man I was from 1984 to 1990.
Speaker 2:Okay so.
Speaker 3:I was two and a half with the Atlanta Falcons. That third year they cut me with the intentions of bringing me back the next day and the Rams called me that night and I flew out to LA. It was really fun. And then I was with the. I got let go. I got signed by the Bills. They gave me a signing bonus, so I signed with the Buffalo Bills in camp in 1989. I got released. I was one of the last players cut and picked up by the Steelers and played 89 and 90 with the Steelers. I got cut in 90 with the Steelers.
Speaker 3:When did you decide to like hang it up? Hang up the cleats? After I got cut by the Steelers I was going to get picked up by somebody because I really I had a great year. But they had drafted a Barry Foster in the fourth round and they ran a one back offense as well. They had Merrill Hodge and Tim Worley. They had their back set up and then about a week later my knee locked again just a little cartilage and I had to have surgery.
Speaker 3:Well then I tried the next year and it just I wasn't. It wasn't right. It was just time to go. Your body kind of tells you. I knew it was coming but I thought I could get a couple more years up. But seven was the average, was two or three I think. Now and uh, and especially back then, uh, max, it was ridiculous the it was more like abuse and I don't mean that in any bad way, but it was ridiculous. Way we practice practice two a days were so stupid. The amount of hitting we did it was. And now they do a walkthrough and that type of thing and it's uh in the morning and then you practice in the afternoon and you're not. We just hit way too much way too much.
Speaker 2:But what's the difference between 80s football to now?
Speaker 3:well, they have rules now where you can't have in two days, you don't hit both days. I believe there's a certain amount of practices you can hit and they define hitting Hopefully not like we were. We were full speed, you know, going nuts. So they changed those rules and that's for the for the better is just not as much hitting. You know I don't like that. They took away the kickoff thing because that's how I made the team is by by me showing my aggression on kickoff team, so it would have been tough for me to do it then it makes sense, but I don't like it either.
Speaker 3:But I do like that. They're just not beating the guys up as much during the week. That's the biggest thing that we would just get the crap. I mean it was ridiculous. We played four preseason games. I didn't care, I loved it, it was always my chance. But but the difference was is that the hitting was the biggest thing for me that I see, which is, which is a good thing. I've gone to training camps and watch how they do their things now, but when you're a guy who's on the edge, who's who's not a blue chip guy in the league he's trying to make a name for himself, you want live as much as possible because you may look good out of equipment, but when you get it on, that switch goes off, it's over. That's where, early, where I was able to shine, that's you know. But that would be the oh, thank God they did it too.
Speaker 2:Oh, I know, I watch games from back then to now. It's like night and day that's why I had to ask you?
Speaker 3:because they protect the quarterback very well, and they should, and they really should because they're it's just, they just should because you're vulnerable. I mean you're throwing the ball, I know, but then the dream is the D-lineman that's their whole dream is they want to get.
Speaker 3:But some of the hits, the way they hit these guys and threw them around back in the seventies was ridiculous. In the sixties, I mean, they would lift them up and slam them on the ground, which you just you know. So they slowly took away some of that and they I think they make a bigger deal out of it than it really is, where, uh, if you can get to the quarterback, I know, uh, with some there's millions of dollars. Now too, there wasn't that kind of money either For them to take a hit when they're in such a vulnerable position right after you're throwing the ball and you're just, you know it's pretty to watch, but if you're paying a guy $200 million a year and he's hurt the next week, it's not good. So it's a, you know, I don't know what the balance is, I just do.
Speaker 3:It's good that they they're hitting in training camp and practice during the week too. They really lightened up on a lot more than it and then, and getting hit and how you're tackling guys too, it's for both sides the sparing thing. You know, back in the day, when they didn't have helmets or they just had the leather helmets, they didn't hit with their head because they didn't have the protection. So instinctively, you don't, you know what I mean. So I think that's what they're trying to get to, not that point, not to that extent More shoulder.
Speaker 3:More shoulder, yeah, so it's cool to watch somebody get lit up, but when they're just about dead. It's not cool and I've been lit up. I'm not always dishing it out.
Speaker 2:It's like the tables have turned completely. Yeah, but, um, so when was it? When was it a time to, like, you know, hang it up and like, how, like, how did you? Was the progression, like getting out of the league, um, and also the like, the growing of a family, having a family, you know, yeah, that's a great question because it's hard, because you're like I said earlier, you're, you're.
Speaker 3:I started preparing maybe that seventh year, like I'm like I don't know how much longer I want to do it, but I don't know if the body will. When I got when I my knee I got injured. I was trying to train to go the next year because I was going to be. No one's going to pick me up when I'm still hurt and I wasn't signed with anyone and then I just said I've got to just call it quits.
Speaker 3:Um, do, what do I want to do? Do I want to go into coaching? Do I want to go into selling, maybe, fitness equipment to something to keep your toe around the environment? You know what I mean. Like you can't play anymore. Do I want to coach? I don't know those coaches. You know, one day you're in New York, it's, it's too ballistic of a career. So I know, if I didn't play in the pros, I may have wanted to go into coaching. But I did a lot of events and I do a lot of camps and things like that, so that that gave me a little bit of the fix to stick around it. And then I was a president of our chapter for the NFL PA, the Chicago chapter, and so I was staying connected for all with all those guys.
Speaker 3:Later on I did that, but I stayed connected with our. We always have a Chicago chapter, but it got better and better about 10 years after I got out of the league and then I it just started getting better for everybody. Where it was more, the guys could stay connected with the league, find out about all the different benefits that guys are getting, whether you're vested or not vested. But the transition was. You know it was tough.
Speaker 3:I remember I went to work for Kaiser Fitness equipment initially because we used to work out on Kaiser equipment, which are air machines, and they're amazing, they're the best in the industry, but people don't understand it. So it's like a Nautilus or a Cybex or a body master. It's just that it's not a weight stack, which is your resistance. Your resistance is compressed air and it works the same way. Only you can train at any speed without the weight becoming ballistic. So it really worked, for only 10% of the population worked out and it worked for the mothers, the women, the, the bodybuilders. The athlete, the regular person wouldn't work out. It's not intimidating because no one knows what you're doing. So there's all these things that were great and it was like wow, if we could sell this to a gym. Uh, because then it hits that whole area rather than just having a gold gym or a powerhouse gym which just the bodybuilders go, and it scares away a lot of people because these guys are all like ah, spring break you know, you know and anyways it turned out I.
Speaker 3:So I went into that. I love the equipment but we just simply couldn't sell it. Um, because it was more of a. You had to explain it too much and the gym owners didn't really get it, even though it was so expensive and it's still the greatest stuff out there. They use a lot for rehab because you can train at any speed with the resistance, which is you can't with weight. You can't because it becomes ballistic. You know the weight goes flying. So you got to go two seconds up, four seconds down. So I did that for a couple years.
Speaker 3:It kept me around athletes and sports, so you went into sales went into sales, yeah went into sales and then um had my own company where I would buy and sell commercial fitness equipment. I buy used stuff and I try to sell. Then I became a recruiter, which was really like a team type of thing, because you it just was. The business model was set up a very much like a team. Your company worked together. You didn't just place people, you didn't just write job orders. You had to get people sent out on job orders, you had to introduce, you had to find candidates and you had to get new business. It was just such a tough job but what a great tool to learn how to sell. So I did that for eight years and loved it and traveled all over the world.
Speaker 2:It's like a full circle. It always comes back to you giving back, man, and I really really like that. Yeah, that is this whole conversation. Like you haven't, you've been extremely humble and you've always gone back to giving back.
Speaker 3:Oh God.
Speaker 2:So, without being such, can you give me an example of what it's like to be in the National Football League, the NFL?
Speaker 3:Well, just to be a part of it. It's such a badge of honor and I say that in a very humble way. So, for instance, when I went to a meeting through the NFL and early on, when I first got out, a lot of the older guys were still around, a lot of these old, crusty, angry guys. They would bitch and complain about this and that and this and that. And I would think to myself, guys, and I finally said something, because we had like 25 guys these are some legends, I wouldn't even tell you who they were and they're bitching about this stuff. And I go well, guys, there's a protocol of how you go about getting what you're asking for. Why don't we do it? And so they got out of it. We formed a 501c3. So we had to form our own 501c3 because the NFLPA can't be associated with us doing stuff because of liability issues. You just can't do it. So we basically had the same guys, but we decided to form a foundation where we could fund eight $12,000 scholarships for kids and three youth football teams. We would give them $10,000 a piece. So we would do it through running a golf outing and that type of thing, one of the things that I, I, I. What I tried to portray is say look, guys, we're influencers in this world, whether you like it or not. And I said it's not about us bragging about this, it's not about us. Look at me, I can do this or that, but look at the influence we have and the things that we can do. So I got, I found a friend I went to high school with. She went to law school, she was our, so she became our attorney. I said would you get our because we were using Illinois dollars? And she set us up with our 501c3 properly and we have a golf hunting. We would do autograph signings, so I would call. So I started trying to show these guys how can we leverage your, your contact, your, your NFL stuff with making the world better. And also, you guys are going to meet a lot of business owners. I ended up meeting the YPO group in Chicago.
Speaker 3:Now, if you don't know what the YPO is, a YPO is a young presence organization. It's a bunch of men and women who are multimillionaires. And you got Gary Rave, you got Raybine Paving hooking up with a, with a, a chimney sweep company, and totally different businesses. They they are in a group that they qualify to be. In order to be in a YPL member, you have to be the president of your company, the CEO or something. If it's a product or a service. You got to do 12 million or 20 million in business, whatever which one is which. And then you've got to be under 55 years old. And so Gary's teaching this guy in a chimney sweep company who had the company bought the company from his dad for $220,000. It's worth 25 million now and this is a few years later.
Speaker 3:So I met these guys at an event and I became friends with Gary and Gary introduced me to all the YPO members. So I put together, for instance, something where we'll do events and we'll invite these guys. They have money they can give to us and we're funding scholarships. So we pick a boy and a girl every year we have eight kids in school and we raise money through a golf outing or through these different things, and sometimes we'll invite these people that we met these business owners, these YPO groups, and then their business owners and their friends, and they all have money and we have our golf outing. We've got to invite all them and we raise money for these scholarships. And so we now have a pool of and we raise money for these scholarships, and so we now have a pool of and we then we we have a put a committee together.
Speaker 3:Guys, not only are you going to meet businesses that can help you with your business or show you, maybe get you an opportunity. You know what I mean. So it was just learning how to leverage our status, not in a braggadocious way, but in a way where it is, is humble, and it's like look, guys, if you're in sales and you're meeting the president of the company, believe me, that's unbelievable, because you're not going to get these guys. And so I really tried to do that, and and Emery Moorhead was before me Emery did a great job. All of our guys have done a great job over the years. We've developed it into.
Speaker 3:It's not about us, but how can we? Let's just not sit around. So when I put an event together, I tell the guys here's what is expected of you. I want you to talk to these fans. These are business owners that you can maybe help you with your business, or we'll just do it at the kindness of our hearts. So when this girl died, we went there and we just made an announcement that we're here If you do an event down the road and you need players or you need a celebrity or something, we'll help you find them road and you need players or you need a celebrity or something, we'll help you find them, that type of thing. You know what I mean. So it's not about bragging, but I do. So I need a speaker. Let me tell you what happened. Just because I'm a football player so just two days ago no, it was just yesterday I need a speaker for this thing. So I know Rudy Rudiger. So I called Rudy Rudiger from the movie Rudy. I know Rudy and I was going to have him speak. Doug Plank is willing to speak.
Speaker 3:There's a guy who runs tickets for the Chicago Bulls. His name is Joe O'Neill. Joe has been there 45 years. He's got six rings. He does a great presentation on speaking. I called Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, his agent, who's Mike. Rick's not really a speaker, but we talked to Rick through friends of mine. I said do you know anybody that I can call? Then I called two other huge business owners. So within 10 minutes I got a hold of about a trillion dollars of people that I know, and I'm not bragging about it. I did, though, and I, and, and now the company that I've been there. So it's this big association for 150 companies. They're putting this thing together, they raise money, they. They started a foundation as well, but it's an association for the fastener industry and that industry, and I hooked them up with a speaker. They're choosing Doug Plank today or the other guy, but isn't it cool? I can call Brian Johnson from ACDC, which we didn't get into that yet. We'll talk about that story. Who?
Speaker 2:I'm friends with Tim. So what are you doing, man? What motivates you to give back to the community? You went from NFL player to this philanthropist. It's amazing to hear.
Speaker 3:What motivates me is the gratitude and humility. What could have been? It could have gone the other way. Some of the bad decisions I made could have gone the way. What happened to you? You know, and, unfortunately, and, and, and look what you're doing, and and you know, I could have been paralyzed. I could have hit somebody and killed somebody. You know I stopped drinking 20 years ago. I wasn't a big drinker, but I just, I like. I didn't like the way I was, I was an idiot and I had to change. So what, what? What motivates me now is the feeling that I get of being able to hopefully have somebody. Just feel like I feel every day, I feel grateful. I remember how it was.
Speaker 3:You know, you hear that story about the guy who's floating out in the middle of the ocean because his boat went down and he's praying to God every day, saying God please, if you just save me, I'll go to church every day. I'll be there every day. I'll be the first one. I praying to God every, saying God please, if you just save me, I'll go to church every day. I'll be there every day. I'll be the first one. I'll be there every day, every day. And he's just God, please, please, just. And then he looks in the horizon and sees this ship and he's like God, please, let them see me. He's waving his arm and he's good. Well, the ship starts getting close. He's like I'll try, I'll definitely go every week, I'll go every week. And he gets on the boat and he says, god, I'm going to try to make it to church at Easter. I'm going to just try to make it your sense of urgency changes based on your circumstances. When it's all said and done, when it's all over, right, when it's all over, you know, you forgot about the shitty things that could have happened. When it's all over, now, things are better. Now. You're gonna not change. When you said you were gonna do all these things, I remind myself of that the second I get up. The second I get up, I thank God for my life. I thank God for the opportunities and the choices I went to a junior college.
Speaker 3:What if I didn't? What if I? You know, I was bagger of the year in 1980 back at Dominic's grocery store. How do I want to leave there and go play football? Bagger of the year, man, I'm just joking. So I, I, I made that decision to go over and to try out. And what if that didn't happen? What if he didn't make me a quarterback? What if I didn't have knee surgery? And I went right in. There's so many things that line up but everything along the the way you know, lined up like how did I become the player of the year? How did this happen? I wasn't.
Speaker 3:And then then and then I get the next opportunity and then I met, you know, I meet these fancy people and I met a lot of bad fancy people which I don't really care about and I don't talk about and I don't, you know, hang out with them. But I met some really cool people and I was like, wow, if I was ever like like a Brian Johnson I was telling you the lead singer of ACDC. We got to talk about that story. That's so funny but it's so humbling when you meet somebody like Brian is and I got to tell you there's so many stories this guy they are the number one rock and roll album had back in black in the history and I'm friends with them and I met him in 1987 in Wembley and at the Mayfair hotel. I'm walking through the hotel. Can I tell you the story real quick.
Speaker 2:Yeah absolutely.
Speaker 3:So I'm walking through, so shit like this happens to me. Now I know it's me. I go up to everybody for the most part, but I'm a huge ACDC fan. Anyways. I listened before every high school game, every junior college game, every college game and every pro game. So I'm in first touchdown there. It was pretty funny.
Speaker 3:And so, anyways, I'm walking through the hotel. We just got there and I'm a stalker ACDC fan. I mean, I'm just a stalker. So I'm just walking by and I look in the lobby and I just got there, it's nine hours, so I'm tired. So I had to go to. I was going to a meeting and then we had practice and then I was going to come back and sleep.
Speaker 3:Well, I walked by and I look over. I'm like, oh my God, that looks like Brian Johnson. So I go over to him real quick and I go excuse me, are you Brian Johnson? He jumps up. He's like five, three. He's like sure, how you doing? I'm like, oh my God, what are you doing here? He goes oh me, and the boys were finishing up. You know, you can barely understand what he says. I always, when I, as I became friends with him, I asked him to talk like John Wayne. I could understand him, so he used to go. Well, I'll tell you, timmy. Anyways, so he's, I go. Well, brian, yeah, so we're talking. He goes, you're a big guy, oh well, I play for the Rams. He goes, you're going with the football team. That's here, like sure, mate. So I go to practice. Come back, I'm in my room, it's five o'clock, phone rings and I'm like hello, he goes. Hello, is Tim there? I go, this is Tim, he goes. Tim Brian here. I'm like Brian Johnson, he goes. Yeah, yeah, how you doing, mate? Hey, me and the boys are going to get it.
Speaker 3:I get another player, darren Long is, but he was kind of a rocker like me and we go downstairs. Brian's waiting for me. We take a cab, we go to a sushi restaurant which I hated sushi, I you know, but I told him I love it and we walk in and there's Angus Young. Angus, malcolm, harry Vanda, george Young, who produces. I knew everybody. Uh, this guy Mike Frazier, I think his name was. He was an engineer and they were all there and the whole band was there, and I sit down and the friendship began.
Speaker 3:And then after that dinner I went home. They didn't make my game. I scored my first touchdown Two months later. Three months later they finished their tour in LA. I was with the Rams. We played the Saints that day as a Sunday and Sunday night they were finishing their tour.
Speaker 3:So I got backstage tickets with three of my friends. So I was dating a girl and there's just me, and the girl went backstage before the show. So I walk up there cause they gave me all access. It was almost like Wayne's world, if you ever seen that movie where they're walking around with their all access passes, like we're not worthy, we're not worthy. And I'm walking. So I walk up and the guy said I'm like what the hell? So we walk backstage. There's like 500 people waiting to go backstage. It's before the show and the door is open.
Speaker 3:The first two people I see are Heather Locklear and Richie Zambora. I'm like you got to be kidding me. I'm like how are you doing? I walk in and there wasn't a lot of people back there and Brian's like Timmy T, how you doing he's. I'm like god, he's so nice. I'm like this is so cool.
Speaker 3:And so I'm walking around and I was on TV. We were, we played on TV and, like I said, I scored a touchdown. So Angus was over there in his schoolboy outfit just tuning his guitar and he's like Timmy, how you doing? I know I'm good. Angus, how you doing he goes. Hey, I saw you on the telly, I go, did you he goes? Yeah, I saw you score a goal. I'm like it's called a touchdown, angus, but thanks, I just. It was a one yard touchdown, but they mentioned my name so they saw me score and. But the guys you talk about humility and gratitude, you talk about humbleness, that band, those guys are brian and angus and malcolm and and and um, um, uh, the rest of the guys I can't think of Phil Rudd and their bass player, who's Cliff Williams, is just amazing, amazing.
Speaker 2:I feel like it's a world rewarding you because of what you're doing. It's like this snowball that keeps getting bigger and bigger and rolling down a hill. Well, you know what, buddy, that's how everybody else is. It's like this snowball that keeps getting bigger and bigger. I'm rolling down a hill. Well, you know what?
Speaker 3:buddy, that's how everybody else is. It's contagious.
Speaker 3:I mean it's like what you're doing. When I heard, when your dad told me the story the first time, and then when I saw your clip of what you're doing, you know that it's you know, and the cool thing about it, you know, buddy, you don't even, unfortunately, you, you know, and the cool thing about it, you know, buddy, you don't even, unfortunately, you don't get to meet probably tons of people that you've had an influence on and that you have an effect on, I've had that where they've written letters. It's kind of cool, like one guy years ago not years ago, but you know, just like tim, I talked to you 20 years ago and I was gonna do this and I wanted to maybe go, but you inspired me to go into and I'm I don't know how much you really are, but I know for me I was inspired by people, people of action. I always considered the source. So if you're smoking cigarettes, trying to teach me how to smoke cigarettes, I'm probably not going to listen to a word you say.
Speaker 3:Or if you're disgustingly out of shape and you're at Armpure, you're telling me how to. It's hard to. You know how to go do it. I can't imagine how you. You know how to go, do it. Um, I can't imagine how you, you know of it being, you know, like, how do you do it, where do you start? And it's just a tremendous amount of respect with what you're doing too.
Speaker 3:Look at the people you're affecting yeah and I'm so proud of you, man, it's so cool to meet, meet you. You almost want to pull all these guys in that are going through and girls that are going through what you're going through, because there's not a book.
Speaker 2:I try to instill that there is hope throughout the world, Because there's two pillars that I think is like this that holds up this wall, Well, this roof. There's two pillars that hold up this roof, and it's hope and faith. So you've got to have hope and you've got to have faith.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And if you don't get out in this lifetime, then you know you've made a huge impact for all the other people that needed it, because I've had people on the show that you know been beaten by their boyfriends and they talk about their resilience and it just hits and strikes courts for other people that are going through that same situation. So I mean, you're a freaking machine going on the show, bro.
Speaker 3:Well, it's like you know there's there's too much to talk, bro. Well, it's like you know there's there's too much to talk about. There's so much more. You know the bottom line. Where's the bottom line is you're doing the action is what it's all about. It's not the talk. You know what. That's what I liked about football. That's the biggest thing I liked about it. You know what? Show me. Don't tell me. Show me, don't tell me how tough you are. Show me. That's what I mean. I've always like show me and I love that.
Speaker 3:Oh man, I got in so many with veterans. I didn't say it, but you're just like let's take it on the field, dude, or the next play I'm getting you and you know you try to and you, you know you. You know you just start. I don't know I didn't do it for respect, but you start earning respect. I didn't like being. I'm never going to be bullied. I'm never going to see somebody get bullied and I would never put up with it. I don't put up with people and just even, just just bite my tongue when, when, and I try to figure out if you're having a bad day or what with bad people that are. I gotta tell you, one time I was with this old grit. I'm freaking out that.
Speaker 3:I'm even friends with Brian Johnson from ACDC and we were at his house one time. He lives in Sarasota, right in bird key, right in the Bay, and we took his jet runner wave runners out. The wave runners were and there's a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, it looks like so. We're on a sandbar and I'm sitting out there with Brian Johnson and Brian looks over at me and he's like Timmy T, do you fucking believe I have this life? I'm like Brian. I'm like how about me? I get to hang out with you. Are you kidding me? I mean, they wrote Back in Black. Back in Black sold more albums in the history other than Thriller over 52 million, the number one album and then just all these things and you're chilling and you're hanging with vine and he's like.
Speaker 3:He's like like how, this is so cool I get to do. I'm like dude, it's unreal what you're doing you're truly.
Speaker 2:You are truly living life to the max yeah, and it's a pleasure having you on the show man. Always I've enjoyed everything. I've literally just been a sponge, absorbing everything.
Speaker 3:You've been saying so ditto, buddy, I've been so inspired by you and I've seen several of your podcasts and I'm gonna be watching them all moving forward, buddy, and what an honor, buddy, and thank you for doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Uh, for everybody out there, take a breath for me, please, and please like, comment and subscribe. Post notification bell If you want to um hear more episodes and you want to see more content and I'm paralyzed from a neck down breathing through a machine more content, and I'm paralyzed from a knockdown breathing through a machine. But that doesn't stop me from following my dreams and doing what I love to do. I don't got an excuse, and neither should you. I'll see y'all in the next one, outro Music.