A Cup of bELieve Podcast Presented by the Teachers Insurance Plan of New Jersey returns for its fifth episode this week as host Eric LeGrand interviews Ryan Clark, who is a Super Bowl Champion, sports analyst and host of the popular Pivot Podcast and mixed martial arts show DC & RC.
After a standout college football career at Louisiana State University (LSU), Ryan Clark was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2002. The Louisiana native went on to enjoy a 13-year career in the National Football League that included stops in Washington and with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he won a Super Bowl ring in 2009.
Throughout his life, the former Pro Bowler has managed a sickle cell trait condition which made it dangerous for him to play football at high altitudes. In a 2007 road game against the Denver Broncos, Clark developed a severe pain in his left side that stemmed from his medical condition and forced him to be rushed to the hospital. It was later revealed that he suffered a splenic infarction, and he had both his spleen and gall bladder removed. He was forced to sit for the remainder of that season, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin deactivated Clark following that incident whenever the team was playing in Denver as a precautionary measure.
After winning Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers in 2009, Clark started again in Super Bowl XLV two years later in a game where the Steelers came up short against the Green Bay Packers. He eventually retired from professional football in 2015 before signing a one-day contract with the Steelers to officially close out his career in black and yellow.
Since retiring from the NFL, Clark has become heavily involved in the media space, working as an ESPN analyst since 2015 and now serving as a host on two highly popular podcasts. On The Pivot Podcast, he is joined by co-hosts Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder as the trio interviews a wide variety of guests across sports and entertainment. He also works alongside former UFC champion Daniel Cormier on DC & RC, which is an MMA podcast that is hosted by ESPN.
Presented by the Teachers Insurance Plan of New Jersey and produced by Malka Sports, A Cup of bELieve Podcast features Eric LeGrand speaking to athletes, entertainers and other notable individuals as they share stories of trials, perseverance and success. The first season of A Cup of bELieve Podcast features six episodes, with shows being released every other week. Coming up next on the season one finale, LeGrand will speak with legendary pro wrestler and WWE Chief Content Officer, Triple H. In addition to Ryan Clark, other guests this season have included Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, award-winning actor Bryan Cranston, Premier Lacrosse League co-founder Paul Rabil and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Carli Lloyd. All episodes are all available now on YouTube and across all major audio platforms.
The presenting sponsor of A Cup of bELieve Podcast is the Teachers Insurance Plan of New Jersey, and a special highlight in each episode surrounds a question by LeGrand where guests share a story about a teacher or mentor who positively impacted their lives.
In October 2010, LeGrand sustained a spinal cord injury at his C3 and C4 vertebrae while playing football for Rutgers University. Since that life-altering incident occurred, he has become a worldwide source of inspiration whose message of positivity has influenced a countless number of people throughout the world. Additionally, LeGrand has developed an incredible business and professional acumen, becoming an established entrepreneur, motivational speaker, sports analyst, philanthropist and author. Along with hosting his own podcast, he also recently launched his own coffee brand, LeGrand Coffee House, and his own brand of bourbon, Eric LeGrand Whiskey.
On the charitable side, his philanthropic organization Team LeGrand has raised nearly two million dollars for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. Additionally, the Rutgers graduate was recognized by Sports Illustrated with its 2011 Best Moment Award, and he was also presented with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2012 ESPY Awards. Further, he was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2017, receiving the Warrior Award.
