D’Brick Ferguson: from open heart surgery, to NFL ironman, to nurse?
Watch Second Acts on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ikkR2Q
Follow Roman Harper on Instagram: @Harp_41
Follow Peanut Tillman on Instagram: @peanuttillman
EP #28: The gentle giant D’Brickashaw Ferguson sits down with Peanut and Roman on the latest episode of the NFL Players Second Acts pod. D’Brick lived up to expectations as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft. He anchored the Jets offensive line during his 10-year career, started every game, and missed only one snap (there’s quite the story behind that play). For his work, in 2022 D’Brickashaw was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor. Not bad for a guy who needed open-heart surgery at 9 years old to save his life. In this episode, D’Brickashaw expounds on the “miracle” of overcoming that circumstance to become the NFL’s ironman. He’s also on a journey to find his next calling, which has led him to…nursing school. D’Brickashaw has found success in many arenas, but he shares with Peanut and Roman the bumpy road he took to find himself.
Topic Timeline:
1:00 - D'Brickashaw talks about the only snap he didn’t play in during his entire 10-year NFL career
2:18 - The evolution of the Key & Peele segment based on D'Brickashaw name
3:31 - How yoga and martial arts helped D’Brickashaw become an NFL ironman
6:36 - D'Brickashaw shares what led to him having open-heart surgery as a kid
7:45 - The value of playing different sports as a kid according to D’Brickashaw
9:56 - D’Brickashaw shares the “surreal” experience of being inducted into the NY Jets Ring of Honor
13:02 - D’Brickashaw shares the experience of finding himself after his NFL career
16:21 - D’Brickashaw shares his post-NFL journey to serve other players through financial literacy
18:56 - D'Brickashaw shares what led him to wanting to become a nurse
22:15 - D'Brickashaw talks about education being the foundation of The D'Brickashaw Ferguson Foundation
23:33 - D’Brickashaw shares his “welcome to the NFL” moment
25:15 - D’Brickashaw gives advice to a newly retired NFL player
26:16 - D’Brickashaw reveals why his own teammates fined him for his car choices
27:52 - D’Brickashaw shares who is on his personal Mt. Rushmore
32:00 - D’Brickashaw turns the table and asks Roman and Peanut how their transitions are going
*NOTE: Timecodes are approximate
NFL Players Second Acts podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Radio.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
