D’Brick Ferguson: from open heart surgery, to NFL ironman, to nurse?

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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’Brickishaw 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’Brickishaw 

9:56 - D’Brickishaw shares the “surreal” experience of being inducted into the NY Jets Ring of Honor

13:02 - D’Brickishaw shares the experience of finding himself after his NFL career 

16:21 - D’Brickishaw 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’Brickishaw 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 they’re transitions are going 

*NOTE: Timecodes are approximate 

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