Bonus Episode 1 | Unyielding Spirit: Merril Hoge's Journey of Resilience - Mick Unplugged
27:17 Share

Are you ready to change your habits, sculpt your destiny, and light up your path to greatness? Welcome to the epicenter of transformation. This is Mic Unplugged.

We'll help you identify your because, so you can create a routine that's not just productive, but powerful. You'll embrace the art of evolution, adapt strategies to stay ahead of the game, and take a step toward the extraordinary. So let's unleash your potential. Now, here's Mick.

Welcome back to another episode of Mic Unplugged. And today's episode is nothing short of a milestone for me personally and professionally. There's a saying that goes, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Well, in my journey as a small town high school fullback to the man that I am today, there's been many giants.

But few have cast the long of a shadow as the man that's joining us today. His resiliency on the field, his courage off of it, and his unwavering spirit in the face of life's hardest tackles inspired me not to just dream.

but to pursue those dreams with every ounce of my being. Today, I have the distinct honor of sharing the space with the man who, without knowing it, was one of my heroes. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the profound honor and privilege to welcome one of my personal heroes and true legend, Mr. Merrill Hodge. Merrill, how are you doing today, brother? Wow, Nick. Nick, that was one of the kindest introductions I've ever had, brother. Flattered and honored, and...

You kind of make things full circle, quite honestly. Walter Payton was that for me as a kid. And, you know, to see that you can impact people and the importance of it. That's why I say I'm a product of a lot of people. You know, people challenge me, people inspire me. I find hope in people. So almost pieces, brother, but very kind to you and thank you and genuinely appreciate it.

It is all the truth. You know, I was messaging you before you came on the show of just how, you know, you meant something to me and it's ironic, right? Like we have the same initials MDH. You were a fullback. I didn't play professionally, but definitely was a fullback. I had an uncle who played professionally. So I got to see you in person and,

One time and that one time you literally became someone that I followed when it was time for me to go to high school. I patterned my game after you. My first jersey in junior high was 33 because that's what Merrill Hodge was wearing. And it was one of those things where me explaining to people why I patterned myself after Merrill Hodge. I'm like, just watch him play.

the tenacity he plays with. And back in the day, man, like you had to be multifaceted to get on the field. As a back, you had to, you couldn't just run. You had to block. I mean, you were an amazing receiver out of the backfield too.

What was that like for you, like building yourself and modeling yourself to do those things? Because it's not easy. A 10th round draft pick, right? Like you were not supposed to be there. Well, you know, Mick, you know, you go back and listen, everybody has a responsibility to do your very best, get the most out of your God-given abilities. And then it comes down to really, you know,

Faith, hope, luck, you know, breaks that go your way. So ironically, in college, I played at the Big Sky. Now, the Big Sky wouldn't be considered any power ranking for the NFL. But here's what that conference was doing way before any other conference in any other part of the country in college football anyway.

Nobody was doing pro style stuff. Nobody was throwing the football, running pass routes, understanding coverages, fronts, protections. And I grew up in that. I played four years. In fact, I believe at one time I had almost 200 receptions as a running back coming

coming out of college. And one year I almost had a thousand receiving and rushing, which that would never, that was never even heard of. Now the reason you didn't hear a lot because it's one double A, but that, that equipped me more than anything I could have possibly experienced for the NFL, because that's what I found. You know, you guys, guys come out of Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, and just to try to learn pass protection coverages,

fronts and then run routes against them. It just becomes so overwhelming. And they give you about two weeks to figure it all out. And if you don't, then you're out of there. So I had the bandies because I was doing that in college. So it wasn't complicated for me. I actually understood it really well. That's why opening day against the San Francisco 49ers, I started on third down. I was our third down back.

you know scenarios and that's what really was one of the key components of helping me make the Pittsburgh Steelers so let's let's dive into that man like 10th round pick you're playing for a legendary franchise legendary coach what was day one of I want to say spring practice but but mini camp what was camp like for Merrill Hodge right because you don't start at the top of the depth chart right you don't go in knowing that you're going to be the third down back

you had to work your butt off to get, you had to prove yourself. What was that like? And you didn't have, you don't have a lot of opportunities to, you know, cause you back in those days, you could have as many people in campus. You want it. If you remember the Dallas Cowboys, you have well over a hundred, you know, if you remember that, right. Cowboys bring everybody in. So in our room, you know, we'd start out at, I think we had almost 10 guys and they're going to keep four,

maybe five, you know, kind of depending on special teams and stuff, you know, well over half are going to be gone. What I realized really, really early is that not making mental errors was maybe the most critical aspect of having a chance to win it, be a part of the team because coaches, they

they don't like people that can't trust. If you're making mental errors and you're not blocking the right person, you're not running the right route, you're just not executing the right thing. At that level, people get hurt and people lose jobs. And so they made that very, very clear in the first three days of minicamp.

You're okay to make mistakes there and learn and ask questions. And then after, when you got to training camp, man, you better be buttoned up. And that was about a month from mini camp to training camp. So I've always been a believer in visuals and moments of self-reflection. It's helped me live a dream. It's helped me fight to live. I've always had a bowl. In my bedroom, I had an entire wall of cork.

What I did after minicamp is I went home and I wrote down in cards probably this big. I wrote down, I put one play on a card this big. Okay, so I probably had 120 cards all over and I had them categorized from runs, draws,

70 passing game, 80 passing game, 90 passing game. All that stuff probably doesn't mean much to fans, but these are all categories of players. Correct. And then I put everybody's assignment on there plus mine and some checks and notes that I had taken in minicamp. So before I went to bed every night, I walked through every one of them. I called them out and went through my assignment, everybody's assignment. So that took me several hours to get through that. Now I get up early in the morning and I do it again.

And what I did that for was the mind is our greatest tool. It's our greatest weapon. So I ask people, do you control your mind? Does your mind control you? One of the great things we can do is feed our mind before we go to bed, the advantage that we can have to really help you with goals, dreams, challenges, things you're trying to change. Because before I went to bed, I trained my mind. And when you sleep, actually, your mind will work. Even though you're resting, it'll work.

And then when you get up and you refresh it with what you just saw and you repeatedly do that, those visuals become powerful in a person's mission, whatever they are.

So I went to training camp and I remember I was going to put it to the test, led back up to mini camp. When a quarterback would start calling the play, he'd go red dog, nine 78 to 86 out Z go. I mean, I'm like, Whoa, what? I'm like, what did you just say? Like all of us were like, what did you just say? Right. Okay. And people that had been around those veterans, you know, within three words, they knew what they were doing. Right. And

And I was like, gosh, dang it. That's how I got to be when I go to training camp. So I stepped in the huddle, like the moment of truth. And our quarterback, Mark Malone, at the time, it was either Mark Malone or Bubby Brister, they start calling the play. The second he gets about two words out of his mouth, I already know what I'm doing. It's like I've been standing in that huddle for years. Right. So that exercise worked. You know, I've done – I've never done something that quick, a turnaround. But it's –

It just shows you the power of repeating things. I remember a teacher a long time ago, around eight, nine years old, I heard her say, you need to have goals and you need to write them down and pin them up in your room because it's where you start and end your day.

and look at them every day when you wake up and look at them every night before you go to bed. And I love that idea. And actually that's what stimulated me getting a wall of cork in my bedroom. And I've used it ever since. And for those purposes in life, it has been instrumental and powerful, but it was a significant key in helping me make the team. Cause I didn't make a mistake. I, well, I made, I had one error.

And it was about week four. And I ran a flare versus a flat. But I basically ended up at the same spot. It's not that big a deal. It's a minor issue. And Chuck Knoll comes walking over. Now, this is Chuck Knoll. This is what Chuck Knoll does. He doesn't say anything to me. My running back coach is standing there. And he took over Dick Hoke. And he's like, hey, I thought you said that kid was smart. And I'm like...

I'm like, oh, man, it's like – in my head I'm like, you've got to be kidding me. Because, listen, people would make a mistake like that and then be escorted off the field and disappear in a white van and I never saw them again. So, like, I'm like, that's the most – in my head I'm thinking –

And my position coach, because I'm thinking this is – I had one error, and it's going to cost me. I'm not going to make the team. That's where I'm going with it. And Dick Holtz just put his arm around me, my position coach. He goes, that's his way of saying he's been watching. Yep. And I was like, okay.

I was still uneasy about it. I was like, I don't know about that, you know, because I've seen you get rid of a lot of players. But that was a critical part of starting in that third down back. People may not know, but that's probably the hardest position to play from a running back perspective because you have to do everything but throw the football. Right. You've got to be well-equipped to –

A, no, you're assigned, but everybody else is assigned. Another thing my running back coach told me when I was back there, he said, hey, listen, you got five yards of depth. These guys at the line of scrimmage are going to make mistakes. So you've got to make up for their mistakes sometime. You know, you can't just go, that's my guy. You know, and somebody's running by you. You just have to have a wherewithal and instincts.

to handle mistakes and things you can't prepare for that are going to happen. I had really good instincts as a player too. And so those paid off. And I, I do a lot of things that would be irrelevant to a fan, not on a highlight reel, but when you sat in tape on Monday, it was the difference between a first down or a touchdown that really helped me. Yeah, man. And you, you said so much there that I want to unpack about,

the professional world, the personal world and everything. Like the one thing that stands out is you were prepared for the moment. You were prepared for the stage. And a lot of folks, even if you're not an athlete, you have to be prepared for that moment. You have to be prepared for the stage because when your name is called, if you're not ready, that could be the only opportunity at whatever it is in life that you have. And that's one of the things I appreciated about you because you could see that

Me as a 12, 13, 14 year old kid watching you play, you saw that, right? Like nothing was ever too big for you. You always seem to make the right play, right? And again, the casual fan may not see that, but you know, when that guard gets beat or that guard steps too far inside, you're there to pick up that block because you are the last line of defense and you're going to get the blame. Right? You're going to get the blame. Yeah.

I mean, you really said it. When people ask me, like, what are some of the most critical things to be successful? It doesn't matter what field you're in, but I'm like being prepared.

is the most, because that's your responsibility. You got to be prepared. You know, being prepared is, is usually the combination of an opportunity to, you know, aren't prepared. You know, you don't put it off, you know, don't go out, do it tomorrow. You know, I'll get ready tomorrow. You know, I'm okay. I just, I'll wing it. Um,

There's no such thing as winging it. So being prepared has always been, you know, a critical component. Doesn't mean that's the only thing, but it is an important integral part of being successful as being prepared. Yep. Totally agree. So now I'm going to get personal and tell you why you're my hero, brother. So one of the things that I love, and I mean love in that way about Merrill Hodge is fighting adversity without excuse. And so my adversity wasn't health, right?

at all. My adversity was a home situation, right? Where I had to choose to no longer be a child and I had to be a man. And a lot of people talk about being the man. It wasn't because I wanted to, it was because of necessity. I remember it was 96 and I remember hearing about some things that

with Merrill Hodge at that time and how you just said, and I know we're going to talk about it. Sometimes in life, you got to find a way. You have to really dig deep. You have to accept situations, right?

but find a way to not let that situation be final. And I heard you say that. And again, I know you don't know that or remember that, but that stuck with me and I'm trying not to get emotional, but that is what literally made me say, all right, I'm changing the path of my family and the situation that my mom and sister are in and,

It's going to happen. And I'm going to do it. And I'm no longer going to be a teenager. Like, I'm a man now. And this is what I'm doing. So I wanted to personally just thank you for that message and all the messages that you continue to say, not knowing that there's that one kid that was actually listening. And again, you don't have to be going through a health scare or health moment. Like, sometimes you just have to find a way to get out of whatever is that hurdle or challenge in front of you. Right.

I first want to just acknowledge and applaud you because at some point people can sit in a toxic blender and there's three things that exist there. You point fingers, you cast blame and you make excuses. And listen, everybody could come up with all those three categories. No matter what kind of life they've had, you can...

And a lot of people do. I have done that. That's how I know the blender so well. You took some ownership. And see, ownership, what I realized about ownership, ownership doesn't mean that you were wrong. Now, you might have done some things that were wrong that got you to where you were.

But oftentimes it's what other people have done to you. And then you harbor that ill will. And that's toxic too. That is poisonous. And that is not going to garner any success in your life. And what you do is take ownership of that's over. That's done in my life. Okay. I'm going to break that chain and I'm going to end that cycle where I really probably grew up more in that, in that moment with that more than anything was being a parent is that I already, you know, my mom died when I was young.

She passed away. And, you know, when you lose a home, a mom or a parent, you know, it can wreck a home and change lives. And it did ours. And, you know, talking about, you know, growing up and having to be a man at a young age or around 12, I understand that. And what I learned a long time ago, that if you want to sit in that toxic blender, you're going to stay there forever.

and you will never be successful. I can promise you that. There's no hope for people that are going to stay there. And that's where you got to take ownership. And you're just like, okay, I'm done with that. Yeah, I'm done with all that. This is where I'm going. And this is how I'm moving forward. And it really helped me from that experience to learn, don't waste your time on dead energy.

Things you can't change, things you can't fix. Okay, so when I was diagnosed with cancer, I just got asked this the other day. They asked, did you ever wonder how it happened? And I said, I went to the door when it initially happened, but I asked the doctor, I go, if we find out how it happened,

or why it happened. Is that going to change this course? Is that going to fix everything? He's like, well, no. I said, then it's irrelevant. That is irrelevant. I'm not wasting my time on something that is so irrelevant on this journey. And I never went back there. I never thought about it. I never let one time. Now I went to the door. I'm not saying I didn't go to the door because I know the difference of going through the door and going to the door about why me. I go, is that going to change? Is that going to help me?

Is that going to get me out of the mess I'm in? Is that going to help me withstand chemotherapy for a couple of years? I got to do. Is that, is that going to do? No. Okay. Then it's irrelevant.

We're not talking about it. It's not a part of my thought process or my makeup. And, you know, I don't ever hope for, I mean, I would never want anybody to have to live through that, even though a lot of people have to live through that. But those experiences that are real life and death experiences really taught me how to control my mind versus my mind controlling me. And just through those lessons that I learned how to do that in

in a much better way. I mean, I started it, actually, I started that exercise at age 12, to be honest with you. I didn't realize it, but from visuals and controlling my mind and self-reflection, it started there. I didn't know what I was doing. I was just doing it because I heard a teacher say something and I heard Walter Payton say something. I was like, well, I'm going to do that. And,

And then it evolved into helping me live a dream and fight to live and a lot of in between. I love it. I love it. And I know you're a mentor to a lot of people. And again, people like me that you didn't even know you were mentors to who were some of Merrill Hodges mentors growing up in the professional world and today. Yeah.

Well, you know, there's a couple, you know, I got a lot, you know, that's why I sound a product of a lot of people. When you're talking like this, I just, there's the real raw emotions in me of gratitude for what you're saying and then grateful for people that were genuine and kind to me indirectly and directly. So, yeah.

A guy that I really idolized, I mentioned Walter Payton. So Walter Payton was like, I tried to do, this is back in, you know, 77. I mean, you weren't even around in 77. You know, people around in the 70s and early 80s. I mean, it's not like today. I tell people in 1977, not everybody had a television. You know, between that era. And if you did, it was a box, you know, about yay big, antenna, two knobs, three channels, no remote. Right.

And also you had to select the right channel before you got comfortable on the couch. So that's how primal it was in a way. You're not like it is today. We're there everywhere. And you only got to see a football game on occasion. And we couldn't have our TV on on Sunday. So I never saw anything on Sunday. I'm at 99% of the time, unless I went to my grandparents' house. I had seen Walter Payton and heard about him. And the thing that first intrigued me

is I would hear, oh, he's not the biggest. He's not the strongest. He's not the fastest. He's just the best. And I'm like, gosh dang it. How does he do that? Because everybody I play that's bigger, stronger, and faster than me is better than me. I'm like, what's he do that makes him so great? I harbored in that for years. I go, how does he do it? What is it? I've heard about how he trained, things he did, unique and different. He just did it better than everybody and harder than everybody and more consistent than everybody. And then I heard this tape he's putting together called Winning in Life.

He's talking about three things, charity, charity work, family life, and how he trains. I'm like, oh man, I got to get that tape. I want to watch that tape. And I get the tape and that was even a VHS. So that tells you how far it goes back. You probably know what a VHS is.

So I plug it in and I'm scrolling through it trying to find what interests me. And I didn't realize there an interview process with him. And where I stop and push play at is the interviewer goes, what makes you better than everybody else? I'm like, Oh, that's what I want to know. Like, that's what I'd ask. And he said something as profound as I've ever heard a human being say it. He paused for a second and he said,

I want it more than they do every single day of the week. He said in the off season, when I go run that dirt hill seven o'clock in the morning, I want more than they do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday during the season. When there's not 65,000 fans in the stands, cameras aren't rolling. I want it more than they do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And then at one o'clock on Sunday, when you get to see me,

Man, you better believe I want it more than they do. And man, I hit pause. I hit pause and I'm like, I can do that. That is a mindset. That is a choice. And that is a habit that can be developed by any human being towards anything and everything.

And from that day on, that is how I lived. Practice, training and playing. And that in sports, it translated to every other aspect of life. And again, it was a very young age that I started to develop that. And it was it was I could give you story upon story where that mindset and that commitment and that relentless commitment made the difference. Got me over the top. Helped me achieve it.

Help me live a dream. I mean, I can go on and on and on. And so when I got, when I was a rookie and I, that second year, my second preseason game, I saw her playing the Chicago bears. I'm like, I just want to share with him, you know, like when you're sharing with me, I just, I wanted to be able to share that.

Now, I never thought in a million years if you run up to somebody and you share some of these personal stuff, like some people aren't very nice. You know, some people, you can be very disappointed at the end of it. I didn't really think about that, but it didn't happen to me. In fact, I went running up to him. The game was over. I went running out there. And the first thing that I was, that captured me was how small he was. I had Walter Payton be, I mean, Walter Payton played like he's 300 pounds. Walter Payton, I mean, he played like a, I mean, like a,

Everybody who's seen Walter Payton knows he's the best for a reason. I towered over him. Walter Payton's 5'10", 205 pounds. I was like 6'1", 225. That caught me off guard a second. Then I was like a Tyson's standing eight cat. I grabbed my faculties.

And then I went off. I was just, I was telling about the Chicago bear lamp that I have over there. Still Chicago bear stool. I tried to train like him. I did everything I find about him. I told him about that tape and I'm going on and on about all this stuff. And I get done and I'm like, I didn't really find a way to wrap it up in a bow. And you know, thank you. I panic. And so I asked for an autograph. I'm not even into autographs. I could care less about autographs. And he, uh, he,

He paused for a second and he then said my name. He said, hey, Merrill, I want to thank you for taking the time to come over here and tell me that. That's the nicest thing anybody has ever told me. He goes, I don't have a pen with me. He goes, but why don't you take these? And he...

He takes his wristband off, his elbow pads, his headband, and he handed it to me. He said, why don't you take these? And I was like, okay, now here's what he did for me on that day. I think about Walter Payton probably once a week, ever since this moment, because he did one thing for me that I've never forgotten that we can do for people, how it made me feel. Was it the greatest thing Walter Payton had ever heard? Probably not. It's probably the dumbest thing he ever heard.

He's in his head. He's like, this poor kid don't want to. But that's not how he made me feel. That's not how he handled me. And I've never forgot that. I've never forgot that and the value in it. And then almost 10 years later, then I'm playing for the Chicago Bears. And then when he came, he was retired at the time. And I got to know him.

because he'd come down to their board meetings and come out to practice. In fact, okay, this helmet right here, this helmet right here, I don't know if you can see it, but that's Walter Payton's signature. I finally get the signature. So this is a Riddell helmet. This is when Riddell was pushing their helmets, and I was wearing a bike, and the Riddell rep would come in every day. He's like, hey, can you wear a helmet? Can you wear a helmet? I'm like, I'd like the bike. And so when Walter was sitting there one day, and I said, hey, could you do me a favor? Can you remember that autograph I asked for? Yeah.

Could you sign this? He goes, yes, sir. He's like Walter Payton sweetness. And so the rep comes in the next day. I point this. He goes, oh, man, he never asked me where again. I love it. And it's crazy what you just said about Walters. What I tell people in all aspects of life, especially in business, and you have customers and prospects, people always remember how you made them feel. Yeah, that's the relationship point. Right.

You want to talk about keeping your customers or winning prospects over. How do you make them feel? That's going to define every moment of that person for you. So I can totally relate to that story. You're right, man. Exactly right. Well, you have been so gracious of your time. And I don't want to leave this without, what is Merrill doing now? What can the people that are listening or watching, what can we be doing to support the initiatives that Merrill's behind and

You know, whatever you need from me, I got you. But where can people find you? What are you doing? All of that jazz. My passion now, you know, sometimes you never know in life when something bad's happening, that something good might come from it. Sitting in a chemotherapy chair, I got challenged to read a book and I mean, write a book. And I'm writing my first book, which is Find A Way. And I republished that. In fact, I'm coming out with the third edition here in a few weeks. And that led me to a speaking platform. I,

I've just loved to be able to share a message of find a way because I was asked like what my goal was when I speak. I'm always, it's always usually about the client, which it always is about the client. But I go, you know what? Actually, I do have a goal though within the client's goal. And the goal is this. If I get done speaking and they're talking about me, I did a bad job. But if they're thinking about themselves internally and self-reflecting on tools they possess, greatness they have, and they want to go get that and they're

and they're willing to do it and take ownership of it then i've done a good job and so that's what i do now i do a lot of inspirational speaking everything really is at my website merrillhodge.com and um you know if you need a hair corporate people or people are looking for a speaker or need a message that not all will help inspiration stuff but can be transcend and applicable to you know not just the

their business, but their personal life too, because, you know, you can't just be happy in business. You know, it really has to be a global feel for a person that can't just be happy at work and miserable personally. You got to, that combination makes for a better employee. And so trying to do that and giving them some skills and tools to help with that process is the goal when I speak. So.

Thank you for allowing me to share that. Absolutely. So MerrillHodge.com, everyone, go explore the website, go to his store. You're going to see some pictures of me. I ordered some items a couple of weeks ago. So you're going to see some pictures of me soon and some gear, but just go support. And if you are looking for a speaker, if you are looking for a person that

It's going to do things the right way. That's going to speak from his heart. And that truly cares about you. You heard it. Cares about the client and the client experience. Merrill Hodge is a person that you need to be booking right now. Merrill, brother, I appreciate you more than you do. Oh my gosh. Appreciate it. Better paths cross, my friend. Absolutely. If there's anything I can do for you, you definitely let me know. And for those listening on the podcast, remember your because is your superpower. Go unleash it.

Thanks for listening to Mick Unplugged. We hope this episode helps you take the next step toward the extraordinary and launches a revolution in your life. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast and be sure to check us out on YouTube at Mick Unplugged. Remember, stay empowered, stay inspired, and stay unplugged.