From Super Bowl to Startup: TJ Ward's Journey | TJ Ward DSH #814
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A bunch of guys that were older, so I feel like I was able to learn a lot. Right. Whereas they're coming in now when there's few guys over the age of 30 in the locker room. That's crazy. Yeah, it is crazy. It's a bunch of kids, basically. Yeah, it's like the kids teach. I wouldn't say the blind leading the blind, but it's definitely kids learning from other kids. Yeah, they're lacking that experience because when I was growing up, it was common to have people in their 30s playing.

Guys, we got a former NFL player here today, TJ Ward. Thanks for coming on, man. No problem. Yeah, we met at Damon's event. It was a cool event. Yeah, very cool, man. Pleasure being there. Yeah, I got a lot of value from last... Were you at the event last night, too? Yes, sir. Yeah, I met some good people there, man. Damon is super connected. Man, super connected, great networking, a lot of great spirits in there, man. So it was good to meet a lot of new people. Yeah, how'd you get in touch with Damon? My PR...

uh, Ms. Lila Chris, um, she, um, told me about the event. She has some friends that's within his team and told me to come on out and, you know, I'm glad I did. Nice. It was a great night. Yeah. It's cool to see you transition into the business space from being an NFL athlete for eight years, right? Yeah, absolutely. Um, it's not an easy transition, but you know, it's, um, it's definitely challenging and it's something I always wanted to do, even from a younger age is to be involved in business on my own business. Um,

you know, I retired and hoped for a long career and I played eight years. So I'm very blessed to, to have done that and won a Superbowl. So, um, transitioning to a, um, new goals and,

Nice. Did you have a dream business you wanted to start growing up? No, I didn't know exactly, but always wanted to be involved in real estate. Somehow my mom was a real estate agent growing up. So, you know, I seen the work she put in, in that lane. And my dad also was an entrepreneur. He owned his own custodial company. So, you know, I've always saw that entrepreneur spirit from my parents and, you know, what it takes to be an entrepreneur from them. And, um,

Want to put it in place myself. That's sick, man. Yeah. Eight years in the league. The average career I looked up is three and a third years. Yep. Why do you think it's so short? You know, there's so much turnover every year. There's so many guys in the league and they're coming in younger, stronger, faster. So, you know, that the older guys got to kind of make a way. But at the same time, I think it's kind of doing this this concern to the younger players because they really don't have as many veterans in the league when they come in.

opposed to when I was playing, I had a bunch of guys that were older. So I feel like I was able to learn a lot. Right. Whereas they're coming in now when there's few guys over the age of 30 in the locker room. That's crazy. Yeah, it is crazy. It's a bunch of kids basically. Yeah. This is like the kids teaching. I wouldn't say the blind leading the blind, but it's definitely kids learning from other kids. Yeah. They're lacking that experience because when I was growing up, it was common to have people in their thirties playing. Yeah, for sure. Like when I came in the league,

we probably had maybe I thought some guys were older than they were but that was you know the energy you know that we had it felt like 10 to 15 guys over the age of 30 yeah at least you know at least it felt like that yeah I remember on SportsCenter they would always say when uh when people hit 30 that was like a big deal in the NFL yeah and I think every as the years go by that number may be even getting lower damn like especially for certain positions like running back

it's almost like 26 holy crap that's so young no yeah because they're coming in at 29 yeah i came in at 23 i think 22 may have been the average age back in 2010 damn for running back now no just in general oh in general like coming in i think now the age is probably closer to um 21 holy crap yeah so as a safety if you're in your 30s you can't really keep up right because you you're not as quick as your 20s no i mean no you can it's just the um

of it, you know, of being 30. It's kind of just, you know, a unsaid, you know, negative thing that goes with being that, you know, I mean, some players may lose something at that age, but not everyone. Wow. You know, some guys get better. Yeah. So when you felt like in your last year or two, did you feel like you were still... Honestly, I felt towards the end, I was in some of the best shape of my life. Wow. You know, my last year in Tampa, I

I was in great shape coming out of camp with Denver because I got released right after camp. I had pulled my hamstring, but that was something that was chronic every year. Pulling your hamstring? Yeah, I pulled my hamstring. Listen in. Starbucks. It's a great day for coffee. It feels like you can get your credit scores anywhere these days. Random websites, card statements, budgeting apps. Heck, even your dog might bark out a few numbers. Hey!

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In Cleveland one year, I was, I think I was 20, maybe 25, 26. And every year after that, I pulled it during camp just because of the stress of camp. Damn. But it never, you know, hindered me during the season. And that camp, it got pulled again. But, you know, during the season when I went to Tampa, I was in great shape. Wow. So just politics got involved, I guess. Pretty much. Damn. I wonder how many athletes that happens to.

More than not. That's scary, man. Because it should be just skill, right? It shouldn't be that. You know what I mean? That's why I quit basketball, dude. Because the coach's son was on the team. He was trash. Yeah. Most, yeah. You know how it is. Most sports aren't what they should be. Like, those instances when you're like, you know, when things seem obvious and they aren't. Yeah, yeah. Then it's for a good reason. That must be so annoying in sports, though. Because you literally know you're better than the guy starting and you're not playing. Yeah, they had me alternating.

with a couple guys that year in Tampa. That was really when I felt the full grunt of football politics. Yeah. In the NFL, at least. Yeah, because you're coming off a Super Bowl win. You were the starting safety, and now you're second, third. Well, they're about a year removed.

or so. That's pretty crazy. I want to talk about that Super Bowl run. Yeah, for sure. Did you have a good idea when the playoffs started that that was going to happen? Yeah, man. When the playoffs started, we knew we were going to be hard to stop or hard to get by because defensively, that was our mindset. We could stop anybody and

For one game, four quarters, we could beat anybody with the guys we had. That was our mindset for every game of the playoffs. Were you guys number one in defense that year? Yep. Nice. What was the team you played in the finals? We played Pittsburgh the first conference in the playoffs.

We played – oh, yeah, we only played two because we had home field. We played Pittsburgh and New England. So Big Ben and then Brady? Yep. Wow. Going against Brady, that must have been – that's an iconic matchup, right? Yeah, we had them in the regular season. That game almost went to OT, I believe. It was snowing. I got injured that game, actually. I got, like, the first series. I mean, if you're playing in the snow, I had imagined you'd get injured. Yeah, man. I got a high ankle sprain. Jeez. Yeah.

under the pile doing dirty work and uh yes somebody landed on it i don't know what happened but me and another guy on my team got hurt the same play we both got carted to the locker jeez what are they doing in that dog pile man i don't know man probably some chief shots you know knowing the patriots so i missed most of all that game and then it was a high angle spring so i was out you know a few weeks and i came back right around the time we

Like the end of the season, going into the playoffs, I got healthy. Edelman comes down later in the game and cracks me. And the ball was like away. And it re-injured my ankle. So I missed the back end of that game, too. Damn. So we went into overtime, got a last-minute stop, and pulled it out. Pulled it out. That's dope. Were the Patriots the toughest matchup you've ever had to go against? No.

No, I mean, because we beat them both times, it was tough, but we lost to a lot of teams that were not a lot of teams, certain teams that I think were a little bit more challenging, but in the grand scheme of things, there was more on the line with the Patriots. Do you still think about any games or plays that haunt you? Yeah, the play I got injured on. I wish I wouldn't have dove in that pile or certain things like that, but yeah.

No, man. You've accepted it? Yeah, I've accepted it. It is what it is. I always look at it as certain things. If you change them, it doesn't mean they're going to have a positive outcome. I feel that way. So you might as well just take it how it is. Yeah, because you can't hear it. It's right here, right now. There's always that debate about what the hardest position is to play. Do you think safety is? It's definitely one of them. I wouldn't say the, but...

It's definitely one of them. I think it's top three. You know, you have quarterback, corner, and I think safety is right up there. Just because of the cerebralness you have to have along with the ability to play the run game and the pass, you're guarding receivers and tight ends and tackling running backs, you know, at any moment, you know, on any play. You're doing so many things. Yeah.

I think that's why it's one of the hardest positions. And you got to read the offense, right? Yeah, for sure, man. You're playing mind games with the quarterback. You know, you're disguising. You're trying to, you know, hold the integrity of the defense, but still holding. Start your electric journey right here, right now.

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The electric car with a backup plan. Your responsibilities as well. Right. So, you know, communicating with the entire back end, linebackers, D-line, corners. You know, if I'm blitzing, I got to be talking to the D-line. If I'm doing certain other thing, I'm talking to the linebackers, corners. So you're really communicating with everybody. You're the quarterback of the defense. Wow. That's interesting. And are you memorizing the plays of the offense so you know what's going to happen? Yeah, we all are.

You know, we all are. But like you say, safety, you're relaying things in the pass game and in the run game. Wow. You played on quite a few teams. Do you have a favorite? My favorite team was Denver for sure. You know, win the championship there, the best experience. Yeah. That was with Peyton? Yep. What were your conversations like with him in the locker room?

You know, I'd like to pick Peyton's brain, you know, because he's seen it all. Yeah. And more feedback on what I'm doing and what I could do better, what he sees, what are, you know, some tendencies that I'm giving away, am I disguising a certain way, can he tell what I'm doing, you know, things like that.

ways to get better, you know, help the rest of the team. That's actually interesting because he's talking to you. You're a defensive player on the team. Yeah, for sure. And he comes vice versa. You know, Peyton asks me, you know, TJ, what did you see? Did I give this away? Was my check too early? You know, certain things like that. So having him to bounce those questions off of and to have him even –

Asked me those same questions was it was cool. Yeah, that's dope cuz in my head I'm just watching the game and I don't even think the offense talks to the defense You know what I mean? I feel like they're just separate units. Oh, nah, man. We got we super cool You gotta be it's a whole team. So, you know just because you guys have different responsibilities different Tasks you still have to come together and make it one so that makes you know The knowledge is to be shared and make everyone better. Yeah, were you always a safety grown-up?

I played corner, actually. I played corner in safety. So I played corner in high school. Actually, no, I played safety in high school. I played corner when I first got to college. Had some injuries in my knee, tore my meniscus a couple times. And that's really what made me move back to safety was it was less stress on my knee. Yeah, meniscus tears are nasty ones. Yeah, man. That was...

You know what? I broke my knee in high school my senior year, and that's why I didn't get a scholarship and I ended up walking on at Oregon. But the meniscus tears were the most, like, the lingering injuries that I had. Like, they just, I just felt like they took so long to get better and for the atrophy of my leg to recover, um,

It was more of a nuisance injury. Oh, for sure. Just for so long. It was just irritating. Yeah, my mom tore hers playing tennis, and she still feels it 10 years later, man. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I still feel it too, definitely. Crazy. Yeah, that's a nasty one because you don't ever grow it back, right? Yeah, that cartilage. It's gone. It's gone. Damn. On your Wikipedia, it said you never lost a game in high school. Is that true? Yeah, that's true. That's nuts, man. Yeah, it was...

151 games. Of course, I didn't play all 151, but until the end of my senior year was the last team to keep the streak alive. That's what it was called, the streak.

De La Salle High School. That's nuts. And they lost the next year when you left? Yeah, first game. First game. You must have given them a group chat. First game. We were like, yeah. They had so much pressure, right? Man, you know what? They had so much pressure. I'm not going to lie. That team, they had so much pressure on them just because they weren't as talented as we were in the past. And it was kind of like,

a foreseen thing that this team would lose yeah it was gonna happen it was first game they get smacked like was it close oh man they got beat up oh they got beat i think the other team scored on the first play jeez yeah like the opening kickoff like he ran it back for oh that's that's a tough way to come back opening kickoff i think um it was a touchdown but yeah damn from there you went to oregon did you play all four years

I was on the team all four years. So you didn't start the first? I didn't start the first. Well, actually, it's a pretty up and down story. I came in, walked on, like I said, and I was playing a little bit entering camp as a walk-on freshman. So it was kind of like a teeter of if I was going to play as a true, like get some time maybe on special teams, back up at corner. Then I had

minor knee injury that sent me down a few weeks so it was like now now that he's injured he's too far behind the curve red shirt so came in red shirt still trying to get my scholarship and I figured if I'm starting there's no way I could not have scholarship right I'm starting so that was my goal that camp was to earn that starting position so I

I was battling another guy, another two guys for that position. Ended up kind of winning, leaving spring ball. It was kind of one, I wouldn't say it was my position yet. But going into camp, that fall camp, it was pretty much my position. Then that's when I tore my meniscus. Damn. So that set me down pretty much my redshirt freshman year, going into my redshirt sophomore year. I was dealing with that injury for two years. Fast forward to my junior year.

safety positions open. I win the position, have a great junior season, you know, have an outstanding junior season if you ask me. Yeah. And I was going to leave that year, but I didn't feel the NFL was going to give me credit for just one year. You know, I was going to say, oh, he was hurt two years. He played one year. Yeah.

So I figured I'd come back and take the chance of going first round. That was my goal, was to go first round, win the Pac-10, win the Rose Bowl, possibly Natty. I had goals for my senior year, and I came back. And I'm glad I came back. Even though I got hurt first game of my senior year at High Angle Spring, I finished the year strong, had a great pre-draft period.

Did well at the combine, did well at my pro day. And I got drafted 38 overall. Nice. You know, missing half my senior year. That's impressive. Yeah. Did you know you were going to – how does the draft – because I know NBA, they invite you to train and stuff. Is it like that with football? Same thing. Yeah, I did a few workouts. I did a workout with the Browns, the Chiefs, the Rams. Took a visit to Baltimore to see the Ravens, the Chiefs as well, and the Browns. And, you know, the Browns were pretty much –

the favorite the whole time yeah and showed the most interest in me and you know at the end of the day we're a team of draft me nice so do they tell you they're gonna do it or you just kind of yeah i mean if you're there the browns tell you like well they told me they like we're gonna come get you because i had rob ryan man shout out to rob ryan the coordinator he was

Cool as hell. He's a real one? Man, he's a real one. He's like, man, I'm going to come get you in the second round. He's like, I will come get you in the first, but they won't let me. So, you know, and to his word, man, they came and got me in the second round. Even Kansas City, they were like, took the visit. You know, if we don't take Eric Berry with our first pick, if he's gone, we're going to take you in the second round.

And they took Eric Berry. Wow. What a story, dude. So you had to pay your own tuition in college the first few years? For the first year. That shit ain't cheap. No, it's not cheap. Damn, man. So, you know, I had to hurry up and get this scholarship. Yeah. No time to waste. Wow. I did not know that. But, yeah, that was the first thing, actually, I paid off was my student loans. That's probably smart because if you still had it right now, it'd be like, dude, the interest on that shit. I always hear, like, you know, what is the first thing you bought with your check?

Houses, cars, whatever. I don't never hear nobody say loan. A lot of players blow their money, right? I heard that. I mean, most of them, they come in on scholarships. Oh, after? I wouldn't say most players. I think there's a handful of players that blow their money, but I think the statistics are pretty much on the size of guys handling their money pretty decently.

That first big contract you had, what's going through your head? Did your life change? You know what? No, the money is not even really that hit me first. It's the achievement of reaching my lifelong goal of being drafted. That's the first thing that hits you. Honestly, I didn't even think about the money initially until later, much later. That's impressive, man, because I feel like most people would see that dollar on paper and be like, holy crap.

Yeah, I mean, that definitely comes later. But the initial response is, you know, I've been drafted. I guess you are thinking I'm in a better place. I'm in a position where, you know, we aren't struggling. We don't have to struggle, you know, depending on your situation. There's going to be very less struggle with the situation I'm in. But, no, it's definitely...

achieving that goal. I love that. I want to dive into your sports agency and why you started that and what the mission is with that company. Yeah, I started that because coming off, you know, being a player, I felt that player, you know, representation is very important from the standpoint of an ex-player and being in those seats, those shoes, and, you know, trying to maximize guys' potential, making sure that they're doing...

every and all the things that they need to do to become the best pros during their careers and post-retirement. Yeah, a lot of people need guidance because they don't know anything. Yeah, man, there's a lot of people coming in from you from a lot of different angles. Even retiring is a lot to deal with. Like, I'm dealing with things that, you know, I could use coaching on, you know, dealing with this. So no matter where you are in your career, there's –

going to be things that you're going to need help with, guidance with, and you're just going to be inexperienced. Yeah, I bet retiring is, people don't really talk about it, but your whole life was dedicated to football. So when you retired, you must have felt kind of lost for a bit, right? Yeah, it was, you know, I had a child right in the middle of retirement. So I was dealing with two, you know, pretty drastically new things in my life. So

That was something that put me in a space kind of just wanting to be isolated for a little bit. Wow.

Yeah, because your whole life, like I said, you're committed to football and that's what brought in the money and everything. So then you retire and you want to provide for the family, but you don't know how, right? Yeah, yeah. It's just a lot of thinking. No, I was well off. I was good, you know, but I'm not a stagnant person. So sitting around something I knew I wasn't going to be able to do. So what do I want to do? Do I want to get into coaching? Yeah.

You know, do I want to sit down for a while and just kick back and be retired? Don't do nothing. Raise my son. You know, do I want to get in front office? Do I want to be on TV? You know, do I want to get away from the sport entirely and get in a whole nother field and do that?

So there's a lot of things that cross your mind in thinking about what you want to do in your future. But I'm always been a person of giving back to those coming behind me in all aspects, whether it's professionally, monetarily, with my foundation, time. So I think just helping those that come without the...

the knowledge and experience that you already have had or have gone through is very important. Absolutely. I want to talk about the foundation. What exactly do you provide with that? Our foundation, the Warboy Project, I say ours, me and my brother, Teron. It's really a family organization. Everyone's involved, my mom, my dad, sister. But it's all about youth empowerment, youth development,

Just making sure that the youth is guided in a direction and, you know, allowed access to things that they wouldn't otherwise. So, you know, we have programs, mentorship program. We have a scholarship for private schools and high school in the name of Terrence Kelly, which was my close friend from high school that got killed our senior year and who was supposed to go to Oregon as well. So this scholarship is in his name.

camps, you know, football camps, barbecues, symposiums, things like that, just to educate them on different, you know, life goals and, you know, challenges. Yeah, so cool, man. Having pursued the path of a professional athlete with your kids, is that something you want them to pursue? Yeah, definitely. And definitely get them involved in other things that aren't the typical sports for them.

sports from where you know they come from you know it's not football basketball I'm involved in golf oh yeah it's a big hobby of mine right now so you know educating them on different areas that they can be successful than the typical things that are you know put in front of them nice what about boxing you ever get a get an offer there uh nah I haven't got into boxing I got hands though

Yeah? My boy runs those celebrity boxing leagues. Boxing is definitely something as far as training and exercise, nutrition, I'm interested in. I've done it training-wise, but never competitive. Dude, we'll get you a fight, man. Just don't end up like Nate Robinson. Nah, I promise. Won't end up like that. Dude, I looked up to him so much, man. He was such an athletic person in the NBA and then knocked out.

- You know, sometimes it happens to the best of us. - You getting a lot of fights growing up? - I got my fair share. - Damn. - For sure. - So you had like some temper stuff?

Nah, not necessarily. I'm more of an in-defense fighter. Oh. Yeah. So you would protect your boys, step in there? Yeah, protect either my loved ones or myself. Yeah, I'm not really the starting a fight type of person. Yeah. But I'll definitely finish it. I feel that. I've never been in one, man. No? To be honest, yeah. Yeah, man, you don't need to. You look like a nice guy. I don't think anybody come up bothering you. Yeah, just a podcaster, man, doing my thing. Yeah.

It's the guys that be talking trash on the podcast that usually seem to get themselves in trouble. Oh, yeah. I had one on the Mon yesterday, man. That was an interesting one. He tried to get you in his drama, huh? Yeah. I'm like, keep me out of this, bro. He brought you in his beef, man. I don't do that drama stuff. Nah, dude. I don't do the drama.

I know people love that social media drama, but I just stay out of it. Yeah, man. I'm cool with the drama. Drama free. Yeah. Go the other way. I'm cool. Love that, man. Well, anything you want to close off with or promote? No, man. Just player above sports group is the name of the agency. Just check us out. Warboyproject.org. You can find us there on Instagram as well. Twitter. You know, all the social platforms. Yeah.

Yeah, that's it. Link it in the video. Thanks for coming on, man. Appreciate you having me. Thanks for watching, guys. See you tomorrow.

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