Vick Ballard talks going from JUCO to the NFL to an aeronautical engineer at Lockheed Martin

On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast, former Colts running back Vick Ballard joins Peanut and Roman to share his remarkable journey. Vick opens up about starting his football career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College before making it to Mississippi State and eventually being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. He reflects on his breakout rookie season and the devastating injuries that derailed his promising NFL career. Vick talks candidly about the emotional toll of early retirement and how he channeled his drive into academics and a new profession. He walks us through his impressive post-football path—earning a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from UCF, then a master's degree from the University of Florida, and now working as an aeronautical engineer for Lockheed Martin. But Vick's goals in life aren't close to complete. His next challenge? Real estate development. His story is a powerful testament to resilience, reinvention, and never settling for less than your full potential. The NFL Players: Second Acts podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartMedia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.