Loading episode…
Loading episode…

General Sports
Episode context
Listen here or keep browsing the show and related sport coverage from here.
With football season right around the corner, I thought it'd be fun to bring an NFL player on the podcast to find out what it’s really like to play professional football in the NFL... and Will Blackmon definitely didn’t hold back.
After spending 12 years in the NFL and winning a Super Bowl, Will knows firsthand that life in the league isn’t always as glamorous as it looks. In this episode of Athletes After Hours, we get into the harsh realities behind professional football, from the laundry list of injuries that come with playing at the highest level to the pressure, uncertainty, and sacrifices that's required to stay in the league.
Will takes us behind the scenes of what it actually feels like to win a Super Bowl, the truth about NFL careers that fans rarely get to see, and the complicated transition that happens when the game you’ve dedicated your entire life to suddenly ends.
We also dive into navigating identity and purpose after sport, building a life beyond football, and how Will is now using everything he learned throughout his career to help prepare the next generation of athletes for the realities of chasing their own professional dreams.
Football is back.. but this is the side of the NFL you don’t see on game day.
CONTACT ME FOR BUSINESS INQUIRIES 💌: graciekramerteam@unitedtalent.com
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIALS —

Next listen
Gracie & Savi Simo on Pro Beach Volleyball, Battling Anxiety, & Paying to Play
Listen guide
"Gracie & Will Blackmon on Pro Football, Winning a Super Bowl, & Surviving the NFL" is an episode of Athletes After Hours with Gracie Kramer. Runtime 1 hr 18 min. Published August 26, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.