The Fascinating NFL Afterlife of D'Brickashaw Ferguson

The Football Girl Podcast

When former Jets left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired two years ago at age 32 in the midst of a storied, injury-free career, the news was stunning for many. Was it because the Jets wanted him to take a pay cut? Or perhaps it was because Ferguson felt a ‘little betrayed’ after seeing the movie Concussion? Ferguson clears the air in this wide-ranging conversation. He also speaks honestly about the unique transition from professional athlete to regular human, and his process of self-discovery. As a player, Ferguson prided himself on being quiet and non-controversial. Here, he talks about his evolved mindset, the unique platform given to athletes, and the types of conversations he hopes to start with his new experiential blog, The Perspective. Plus, his current health, his feelings about the trajectory of football and much more! Also in this episode, Melissa reflects on the life and impact of Dwight Clark, plus breaks down all the antiqued elements of the 1982 NFC Championship. (A time out with :58 seconds left and third down? What was Bill Walsh thinking???) THE RUNDOWN 4:26: Melissa remembers the greatness of Dwight Clark 8:30: Melissa on the anachronisms of the 1982 NFC Championship 13:30: D’BRICKASHAW FERGUSON JOINS 13:53: Why he retired in 2016 17:13: Whether CTE and seeing Concussion factored into his decision 19:22: Examining his post-NFL options and why he chose finance 22:48: On the mental transition from professional athlete to regular human 27:01: The varying layers of NFL players deciding to retire 30:53: On why he’s starting a new blog called The Perspective about his experiences 34:15: Why he was non-controversial as a player and why he’s done being quiet 37:30: The emotions of writing 39:15: How much football he watches 43:35: On the only surgery he’s ever had. He was 9. 48:14: Does he agree with Melissa’s notion that LT is the second-most important position in football