The Official Football Learning Academy Podcast

Today’s special guest is Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, who played with the Chicago Bears from 2000 through 2012. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. In this episode, we talk about something that is important to both Brian and me, and that is helping retired players in need. Brian is on the board of directors for the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, and we spend time talking about that organization in this interview. We also talked a little Hall of Fame and the current state of the Chicago Bears.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we talk about the lineage of great linebackers for the Chicago Bears.Visit Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund at: https://www.gridirongreats.org/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

Today’s special guest is former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, who played with Washington and the New Orleans Saints. After his football career, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives for three terms. We talk about all of this and more in this episode.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss George Taliaferro, the first Black player to be drafted by the NFL.This episode brought to you by the PowerPlus Mouthguard, a device whose data shows that it reduces concussions by over 99%. To learn more, go to https://powerplusmouthguard.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is former Cincinnati Bengals’ linebacker Reggie Williams. He played with the team from 1976 through 1989, was named NFL Man of the Year in 1986, The “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year in 1985 and the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year in 1987. After his football career, he became an executive in the World League of American Football and with Disney. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss the Freezer Bowl.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today, we are focusing on Andy Russell, who passed away February 29th at the age of 82. I interviewed him back in 2012 and the audio you’re about to listen to is from that interview. Russell played linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1963 through 1976. He was on two of the Steelers Super Bowl Championship teams and went to seven Pro Bowls. He is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team, in the Pittsburgh Steelers Ring of Honor, and is in the Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was a true pleasure to get to know Andy Russell, and he will be missed.This episode contains snippets from my 2012 interview with Andy Russell.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

This week's special guest is historian and author Mike Richman, who just wrote a book titled "George Allen: A Football Life." He has also authored "The Redskins Encyclopedia," "The Washington Redskins Football Vault," and "Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy." Finally, he has written thousands of feature articles for such publications as The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Sports Illustrated. This episode focuses on Mike's new biography of Hall of Fame coach George Allen.Mike Richman's Website:https://mikerichmanjournalist.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Harold Jackson, whom I interviewed back in 2013. Jackson was a wide receiver for the Rams, Eagles, Patriots, Vikings, and Seahawks from 1968 through 1987. After playing, he went into coaching and had various stops in college and the pros.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we talk about the history of scouting and the combine. How did it get the name “combine?” Find out in this episode!This episode brought to you by the PowerPlus Mouthguard, a device whose data shows that it reduces concussions by over 99%. To learn more, go to https://powerplusmouthguard.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Emerson Martin, who played offensive guard for the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL, then the Barcelona Dragons in the World League of American Football, and the Mobile Admirals of the Regional Football League. He was on the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl team in 1995, won a championship with the Barcelona Dragons, and won a championship with the Mobile Admirals. After his playing days were over, he went into coaching. For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss the first ever NFL draft, which occurred February 8th through 9th, 1936 at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia.This episode brought to you by the PowerPlus Mouthguard, a device whose data shows that it reduces concussions by over 99%. To learn more, go to https://powerplusmouthguard.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is David Kitchen, former NCAA strength and conditioning coach who now runs Edge Leadership Academy. He has spent the last ten years coaching teams and developing culture.In this episode, we discuss:· His life journey· His career in the NCAA (Division I, II, and III)· Edge Leadership Academy· How he applies his leadership techniques to athletes, sports programs, and corporate cultures.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss the Green Bay Packers returning their franchise back to the NFL in 1922. What really happened and how are the Chicago Bears involved?Edge Leadership Academy:https://www.edgeleadershipacademy.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Our special guest this week is award-winning director, filmmaker, producer, and photographer Allen Farst. Prior to his current film “Triangle Park,” which is the subject of our interview with Allen today, Farst released a documentary called “Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man” on the keyboardist for the Rolling Stones. His is a founder of PalMar Studios, an independent, award-winning creative company, and his work has been featured by Panasonic, Maxim Magazine, USA Today, Drone360, Billboard, and Nikon Cinema to name a few. His photography is syndicated via Contour by Getty Images.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we are going to discuss the formation of what is now the NFL, and the history of the Dayton Triangles. We also discuss the NFL lineage of the Dayton Triangles. Are they now the Indianapolis Colts? Find out by listening.Triangle Park Website:https://www.triangleparkmovie.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Amy Trask, former CEO of the then Oakland Raiders. She can now be seen on “That Other Pregame Show” on CBS Sports Network, as well as her podcast “What the Football” with co-host Suzy Shuster. This is her second visit to the Football Learning Academy. To hear her interview about her career with the Raiders, go to our website at www.football-learning-academy.com.  In this episode, we focus on leadership and how she applied leadership lessons to her time with the Raiders. Get inside the Raiders organization to hear about the inner workings of the franchise, and how you can apply those concepts to your company. For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss the career of Sandra Douglass Morgan, the current president of the Las Vegas Raiders.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Dr. Jeff Donatello. Dr. Jeff is passionate about guiding people along life’s journey by improving their Healthspan and Longevity. He does this through cutting-edge Regenerative Medicine, Functional Medicine, and Stem Cell Therapies. Balancing life, family and business are what truly have made him a success, as he and his wife Kelly are the Co-Owners of the Center for Wellbeing with three locations north of Boston. An inspirational, entertaining speaker and author, he has filled up his 54 years on the planet with a relentless pursuit for new adventure and knowledge.In this episode, we talk about the various therapies that he offers and how those therapies help his patients. There are several current NFL players and former players who are clients of his, which is why we at the FLA wanted to feature his practice.Dr. Jeff Donatello's Websites:https://drjeffdonatello.com/https://centerforwell.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Our special guest this week is Mark Clayton, who played with the Baltimore Ravens from 2005 through 2009, then the St. Louis Rams from 2010 through 2011. He currently owns Livv Headphones, a high-quality headphone company for athletes. In this episode, we talk about his football career, the current Ravens season, and what he has been doing since he retired.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we talk about the long list of quarterbacks that Mark played with during his career.Learn More about Mark’s Headphone Company:https://www.livvheadphones.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Dr. Michael Hutchison, who markets the PowerPlus mouth guard. This mouth guard is revolutionary and has shown to reduce the G-Force produced in a collision (reducing concussions), increased strength and balance, and increase performance and agility. This is important for athletes of all ages. We discuss how it works and the data produced from the research.For the Pro Football history Nugget of the Week, we discuss the history of the mouth guard.Dr. Hutchison's Website:https://powerplusmouthguard.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today's special guest is award winning author and historian Jeff Miller. He is the author of seven books focusing on the history of American football. Jeff has appeared as a featured commentator in two documentaries focusing on football history. In 2009, he was featured in the NFL Films production "History of the Buffalo Bills," which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the franchise. And in 2015, Miller appeared in Time Warner Sports Network's "Before The League" documentary, which told the story of the evolution of professional football prior to the founding of the National Football League in 1920. He has also been featured in multiple episodes of the NFL Network’s "NFL Top 10" series.We will not have a pro football history nugget of the week as this entire episode is focused on pro football history.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING HISTORY is presented by the Sports History Network, the headquarters for sports yesteryear.ABOUT SHOW:My name is Mark Morthier, and I host yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network. As many of you know from reading my articles and listening to my podcasts, I am not only an avid weightlifter but a fan of the sport as well. I’m excited to share my newest adventure, a show dedicated to promoting weightlifting, while also looking back at some weightlifting history. I’ll share some of my own stories and interview weightlifters from both past and present.I competed in Olympic Weightlifting from 1981 to 1989 and powerlifting from 2011 to 2019. Although I wasn’t what one might call “a naturally gifted lifter,” I managed to clean & jerk 140 kilos/308 lbs at 179 lbs body weight. In my later years, I achieved a 600-pound deadlift and a 431-pound front squat in my mid-fifties. Although I was more successful in powerlifting, setting New Jersey and New York State records in Masters Competitions, I’ll always consider myself an Olympic Weightlifter. I’ve also written a book on weight training titled No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training, which is available on Amazon.NO NONSENSE, OLD SCHOOL WEIGHTLIFTING (Amazon affiliate link)I hope that you will enjoy the show, and please leave a comment or offer a suggestion. And if you’re an Olympic lifter, past or present, let me know if you’d like to set up an interview, and I’ll do my best to have you on the show. Stay strong and God bless!

Today’s special guest is noted Chicago Bears historian Jack Silverstein. He is a Pro Football Hall of Fame analyst and the Chicago Bears historian for Windy City Gridiron. If you want to know about Chicago Bears history, Jack is your guy.We will not have a pro football history nugget of the week as this entire episode is focused on pro football history.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah, who played with the New England Patriots from 1973 through 1985. Arguably the greatest offensive guard in NFL history, and some consider one of the greatest offensive linemen of all-time, John Hannah made two All-Decade teams (1970s and 1980s), earned trips to nine Pro Bowls, was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.In this interview, John gave us a list of some of the toughest defensive players that he faced throughout his career. We discuss those players in the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week. Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Marc Trestman. He has a long coaching career, starting with winning a national championship as an assistant coach with the University of Miami. After multiple stops as various position coaches and coordinators, Trestman earned his first head coaching job with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. While there, he won two Grey Cups. After a stint as head coach of the Chicago Bears and as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, he became head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, winning another Grey Cup. He finished as head coach and general manager of the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Miami’s School of Law.In this episode, host Ken Crippen talks to Marc Trestman about translating leadership and culture from football to the corporate environment.For our Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we focus on head coaches who have won three or more major professional football championships.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today’s special guest is Mike Hollis, kicker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. Also, after 19-year hiatus, he came back to play a season for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League. He currently runs the ProForm Kicking Academy.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we take a look at some of the great players that came out of the University of Idaho, Mike’s alma mater.Mike's Website:https://www.proformkicking.com/Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.

Today's special guest is Lindenwood University's head football coach Jed Stugart. Prior to being at Lindenwood, Stugart coached in various capacities at the University of Northern Colorado, MidAmerica Nazarene University, University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), and the University of Sioux Falls. He also had a country music career, which we discuss in this episode.For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week, we discuss the players from Azusa Pacific (Jed's alma mater) who made it into the NFL.Football Learning Academy Website:To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.comSocial Media:Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademyMusic By:Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-84.