The career of an NFL player changes often due to injuries, personal reasons, or ability, making it impossible to predict. The Kansas City Chiefs have had some of the greatest players in football history wear their uniform and affect success while inspiring others off the field.
Former Chiefs wide receiver J.J. Birden embraced the underdog role during his career and didn’t allow rejection to hold him back from accomplishing his goals on and off the field. Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Birden about retiring and moving on to his new life after football.
“I had never expected to play in the NFL,” Birden explained. “It was it was never the dream. My background was about the Olympics; I was trying to make it to the Olympics, and I qualified for the 1980 Olympic trials and long jump. And then, when I tore my ACL at the Browns rookie camp, that’s kind of when everything shifted. It wasn’t really till that second year with the Browns.
“I thought, okay, I can play in the NFL, I focus on it. So when I made it every year, it was a kind of gift. I was like, Man, I’m here to your four, wow, let’s see if I can get your five, and then it was six. By the time I got to the ninth year. I thought, man, I got to do something nobody thought I could do. I never thought I could do it. I’m vested in retirement; I was ready to make the transition.”
That transition was part of a natural process for which Birden seemed well-prepared. Though the end of a phase in life can be intimidating, injury forced him to face the uncertainty of life after football.
“I felt like that last year in Atlanta… this will probably be my last year, and I remember I hurt my knee,” Birden continued. “Then I went through rehab, and when I was on 100 percent, I thought, ‘You know what, I played nine years in the NFL. I’m relatively healthy. Let’s transition to the next phase.’
“I always wanted to walk out on my terms, that’s what I was able to do, and I tell you, it was tempting because I received calls from, I think, Chicago, Seattle, and New Orleans. I told my agent, I said, ‘I’m done. I don’t want to hear who’s calling; I don’t want to be tempted. I’m done’, and I walked away.”
After nine NFL seasons, Birden finished his career with 244 receptions for 3,441 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also played in nine postseason games, tallying 33 catches for 429 yards and three touchdowns.
Even though he was secure in his decision to leave the NFL after putting together such a productive career, Birden still kept his options open to make a return to the league.
Said Birden:
“I juggled the idea of coaching, and even when I was with Kansas City, I used to coach in the offseason. I was a hurdles coach, at Lee’s Summit High School, during the offseason for three weeks, three years, and I would run with the kids. They were helping me stay in shape too, and then I coached high school back home and track, and I dabbled [with it] a little bit. But I realized that I wanted to help people, more people not be stuck in one sport, one community, one group, I wanted to help the masses, not just athletic people. I learned in my journey to the NFL that there were so many simple success principles, winning strategies, or life skills that I could share with anyone who wants to achieve certain goals. And that’s what drew me to becoming a professional speaker. Because I get to do that, I love it because I’m taking lessons from the NFL, and then I’m relating to business professionals and what they can do to achieve their goals. So, I love it because I have the freedom to create content that I can speak on from personal experience and teach others in the audience.”
J.J. Birden is a motivational keynote speaker; check his official website for more information.
