EP 26: Interview With Retired NFL Player Joe Hawley

https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ATG-Joe.png ()Joe played 8 seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  One thing he learned to do as a kid that helped him in his career was learning to ride a unicycle.  It definitely helped with his balance.  He also liked to skateboard as a kid.  He started out in football in high school, since he was too big to play at a younger age in California.  He excelled in high school and was recruited by some top schools in the country.  Being a 3 star recruit, those schools didn’t want to wait for him to make a decision.  They wanted him to make his choice quickly.  Not knowing where he wanted to go he waited.  UNLV and coach Gary Bernardi recruited him heavily, they wanted him badly and he made a strong impression on Joe.  Due to that strong connection, and the chance to play right away, Joe decided to go to UNLV.  He performed well, however since he was at a smaller school, he wasn’t expected to get drafted or even go to the combine.  But he did, and made an impression on some teams, and thought he would become a member of the Denver Broncos.   Atlanta is where he ended up though and had an up and down 5 years with the team.  He became a starter, but injuries and coaching changes ultimately resulted in him leaving the team for Tampa.  His body continued to break down, sustaining injuries to his neck and knees and he knew his time playing would come to an end soon.  Having his 2nd contract and achieving most of his bonus incentives, he felt comfortable walking away from the game being able to have a good amount of money stored away.  He was a bit stressed having to choose what he would do next in his life.  He had business interests and opportunities but decided to do something unique.  He started his blog, Manvandogblog, and traveled the country documenting his travels and doing something he loved to do.  His goal was to inspire people to do what you love and enjoy.  He’s received lots of feedback and notes from people that were inspired by him to make changes in their lives.  He has also started a new company, Live Simpl, that is a line of nut butter snacks that people can eat on the go.  There will be more flavours coming in the near future, but right now Creamy Macadamia is what’s available.  For more information on Joe and his businesses, please go to the links below. website: http://www.manvandogblog.com/ (www.manvandogblog.com/)Live Simpl site: https://livesimpl.com/ (www.livesimpl.com/)instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manvandogblog/?hl=en (www.instagram.com/manvandogblog/)twitter: https://twitter.com/manvandogblog?lang=en (www.twitter.com/manvandogblog)Resourceshttps://www.atgirdiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)