Get ready for an insightful conversation with the recently retired local NFL player, Chad Henne, as he shares his extraordinary journey from high school football to an impressive 15-year career in the NFL. Ever wondered how it feels to hold all-time passing records at the University of Michigan and have your hard work pay off when drafted by the Miami Dolphins? Chad spills all the details!
Join us as Chad opens up about his life before football, how playing multiple sports molded him into a better athlete, and the incredible relationships he built with coaches and teammates throughout his career. Plus, you don't want to miss his first-hand experience of walking onto the field for a Super Bowl and the valuable life lessons he's taken away from his time in the spotlight. Tune in for an inspiring and heartwarming episode with Chad Henne.
--- Welcome to The Brad Weisman Show (formerly known as Real Estate and YOU), where we dive into the world of real estate, real life, and everything in between with your host, Brad Weisman! 🎙️ Join us for candid conversations, laughter, and a fresh take on the real world. Get ready to explore the ups and downs of life with a side of humor. From property to personality, we've got it all covered. Tune in, laugh along, and let's get real! 🏡🌟 #TheBradWeismanShow #RealEstateRealLife #realestateandyou Credits - The music for my podcast was written and performed by Jeff Miller.
Get ready for an insightful conversation with the recently retired local NFL player, Chad Henne, as he shares his extraordinary journey from high school football to an impressive 15-year career in the NFL. Ever wondered how it feels to hold all-time passing records at the University of Michigan and have your hard work pay off when drafted by the Miami Dolphins? Chad spills all the details!
Join us as Chad opens up about his life before football, how playing multiple sports molded him into a better athlete, and the incredible relationships he built with coaches and teammates throughout his career. Plus, you don't want to miss his first-hand experience of walking onto the field for a Super Bowl and the valuable life lessons he's taken away from his time in the spotlight. Tune in for an inspiring and heartwarming episode with Chad Henne.
--- Welcome to The Brad Weisman Show (formerly known as Real Estate and YOU), where we dive into the world of real estate, real life, and everything in between with your host, Brad Weisman! 🎙️ Join us for candid conversations, laughter, and a fresh take on the real world. Get ready to explore the ups and downs of life with a side of humor. From property to personality, we've got it all covered. Tune in, laugh along, and let's get real! 🏡🌟 #TheBradWeismanShow #RealEstateRealLife #realestateandyou Credits - The music for my podcast was written and performed by Jeff Miller.
Speaker 1:
Hello, this is Brad Wiseman. You're listening to Real Estate and you, we are back in the studio and we have a very, very special show today. It's not as much about real estate as it's about success and following your dreams and all that other kinds of stuff. So we have an amazing guest here today, chad Henney. How are you doing? Great, great, i'm doing well, thanks for having me. Good, you're golfing a lot of hurt.
Speaker 2:
I'm trying, you're trying. I'm not doing anything about me playing more.
Speaker 1:
Okay, so you're not going to be in the Super Bowl of golf at all or anything like that.
Speaker 2:
No, i'm not going to be in Tony Romo, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:
No, amazing. So, first off, thanks for being here. I really appreciate it. Thanks for having me. You know you're back home now and you know the first thing that I want to say is you're retired, retired, retired. How does that?
Speaker 2:
feel or sound. Yeah, i mean, everybody looks at me, especially like the older fellows.
Speaker 1:
You mean like myself, I mean these fifties and sixties like retired.
Speaker 2:
You know, we have like 10 more years and I'm like, yeah, i mean I'm retired from the NFL but I'm not retired of you know doing life or like my extra activities on the side. But yeah, I mean, i think it's great. I mean I put my time in. Now I get to spend time with my family. But yeah, it's not like my body was, you know, feeling great after 15 years and that's why, I beat up and luckily I was a backup for quite a while.
Speaker 2:
I didn't really have to take all those hits. but yeah, it feels good It's amazing. And how old are you then?
Speaker 1:
I'll be 38 in two weeks. Did you ever think in your entire life for one that you'd be retired at 38? Or did you think that that was going to be your path?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, i mean, obviously, you know, coming out of high school with all those success and you know I gave myself an opportunity, not knowing that obviously I would have a 15 year NFL career, but it did go that path and my goal was 12 years. So I could have been retired three years prior, but I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. But at the same time, it's just family time. I spent a lot of time in the building, studying, putting my body through you know, torture most of the time. But yeah, here I am And I'm glad I went through that process.
Speaker 1:
Well, we're glad you did too And it's, and congratulations for all of that. It's just amazing. So you know, i'm just going to read through your accolades, which is just just phenomenal. So first, i'm just going to go through this because so people understand, you know what you've done, because I didn't realize until you know, today or yesterday when I was studying about. you starts out, in Wilson School athletic accolades include all state, all American Gatorade, pennsylvania, player of the year. you were five star quarterback recruit and earned a full scholarship to University of Michigan. And that wasn't the only college that wanted you, there was many others. Yeah, there's a couple.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, there was a couple, That's what.
Speaker 1:
I thought You started all four years of your college career one of the first true freshman quarterbacks to earn the starting position. So that that's still. is that still a record, or still?
Speaker 2:
still a record.
Speaker 1:
Remain.
Speaker 2:
Leach back in the 70s was other freshman quarterback, him and I.
Speaker 1:
Incredible And that says to I love this work. To end your career? I don't think, or end a college career, i would think that's funny. The end he was named the MVP of the Capital One Bowl. You received all big 10 honors or junior and senior year to date. You still hold the all passing records at the University of Michigan. Still holding that. Not Tom Brady, not. Do you tell him that often? No, no, that's probably not.
Speaker 2:
I'll take his seven Super Bowls over any college accolades, so true.
Speaker 1:
So true, Yeah, we'll just let that go. You were drafting the second round of 2008 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, where you played for four years. Now I want to stop there. What was that feeling like? I mean, I did music for a big part of my life Susie knows this And it's to me that's like getting the record deal, Suzy, You know what I tried so hard to do when I was younger. But that's like for musicians getting the record deal. Sure, You know you got the record deal in football. Yeah, And that that moment how did it be amazed? I heard it was on MTV. Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 2:
MTV shot a little footage of it, i think it was I don't know if it was Adrian Peterson and somebody else with us but yeah, we did that. But yeah, to be drafted, it's a dream come true. You know, when you're a little kid and you're playing football, you're like man, i want to be in the NFL, like my. My role models were Joe Montana, like Jerry Rice, like Dan Marino, like those guys. And to be one of those guys and then get drafted with one of the guys that I grew up watching unbelievable. But yeah, all the hard work paid off and, you know, kind of enlightened what I wanted to do in Miami and, you know, continue my career.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and it was Miami, which is nice because it's warmer, i know.
Speaker 2:
Because the pick before me, the quarterback, went to Green Bay.
Speaker 1:
Oh gosh, i was like please, please, please, please please, it changes your wardrobe like really quick, oh my God, really quick. A lot of white, oh yeah, a lot of white, not as much sand. Yeah, exactly. So we'll go from there to Miami. And then you moved on to play for Jacksonville Jaguars, which is nice, because you stayed in Jacksonville, you stayed in Florida area which is great.
Speaker 1:
No state tax. No state tax, which is wonderful. It is such a great thing. I have a buddy just moved there just because of that reason, And he's with the NFL actually, he's NFL Films. And last stop was Kansas City Chiefs, of course, where you spent five seasons. You finished your career going to six straight AFC championships and two times Super Bowl champ. Did you bring the rings? I did. He didn't bring the rings. Son of a gun.
Speaker 2:
That's it. Podcast over No, just kidding, just kidding.
Speaker 1:
Just kidding. You announced your retirement through the 15-year career And now you're doing something different. It's a new company, it's something you're doing to help younger people. It's 24-7 QB, your QA quarterback. You're training quarterbacks in the area. Yeah, i think it's awesome.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, i feel like I have all this information and I didn't want to go to the route like, yeah, i could be Andy Reid's disciple and coach under him or go to college, right? Um, i just felt like I want to spend more time with my family and with this process, i get to set my own schedule and can be around the kids whenever I want.
Speaker 1:
I love it And I love also what that the company you have, your three things that are with the training that you're doing for for young kids is. it's a live, learn and love. You know, when I was looking at this last night, i love that. it's not just about the game, right, it's. you're like a whole, it's a whole person.
Speaker 2:
It's a process, yeah, and I think that's the most important thing. It's not just what you do on the field, because everybody sees that Right. It's really when you're behind the lights and when the you know lights are turned off. What are you doing then? Are you taking care of your body? Are you stretching? Are you doing the film work that you really needed to do? And I feel like I have all those you know attributes that I learned as an athlete that I can really give back to the youth.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and then there's the the learn part. You said the fundamental leadership. Leadership is very important, obviously, as a quarterback too, but leadership, um, you know, I don't think kids think of that stuff today. They don't think about when they get into a sport or get into something like that. They don't think about the whole person. Yeah, you know you, you're very accessible too as a person here in the community, which is awesome. You know you're very successful. A lot of times, um and I always say that about you You're somebody that you can go up to and just say, hey, how you doing? You know, and a lot of times, people get to a point in their careers or a point in their life where they feel that they're not there anymore. They're above that. Right, You know, and I give you a kudos for that, so that's awesome.
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you. Yeah, i mean. I think the more you can be around people and, you know, share your experiences um, you can change somebody's life in just one conversation.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. And then the other thing is the why love is loving the process, you know, and I think a lot of times is it about not being attached also to the fruits of your labor? you know you're doing it because you love to do it not because you're looking at this, this contract or whatever it is, and ahead of you you know, and that's something that you're teaching them.
Speaker 2:
Right, there's, there's different attributes. I mean you can say, all right, i'm. you know winning Super Bowl, you know trophies, i'm doing this. but are you really loving it? Like, do you love the grind? Because everything's not easy. You're going to have your ups and downs each and every day, but if you can enjoy it and say, hey, i learned from this down and make it a positive, you're going to be such a better person throughout life.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, absolutely. And then the consistency striving to be your best, appreciation for others, which I love, and loving yourself, plus what makes what makes you you. you know, i think a lot of people forget to do that. They forget to love themselves, and it's okay to love yourself. A lot of times people think that that's egotistical. It's not, because if you don't love yourself first, you can't give anything out.
Speaker 2:
You can't give anything to anybody else. And I think you know find yourself first, love yourself, and then, you know, do what makes you happy.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, Absolutely. So let's go. Let's go back a little bit. What was the first time you threw a football and went, wow, this is something I love to do. Do you remember that point?
Speaker 2:
You know I was always running back and linebacker.
Speaker 1:
My wife told me that this morning and I was supposed to know that I forgot.
Speaker 2:
So no worries. So I started playing quarterback in ninth grade. I was always a baseball pitcher. I knew I had a strong arm, but never really played quarterback until ninth grade and eighth grade. We have two high school or junior highs Wilson and then Wilson central. And southern.
Speaker 2:
And now it's obviously green valley and southern, but same thing, and our high school coach. we had the game together and the high school coach was in the stands. at that game I threw a half back pass for like 30 yards for a touchdown. The next morning he brings me up from the high school and he goes we're going to transform you into a quarterback and let it be my dad's very old school.
Speaker 2:
He's, you know, hard nose offensive linemen goes quarterback What He's like you're going to be soft And I was like no dad, I can take the other things out of my game and be a linebacker and still be a quarterback. But, yeah, that's how the process all started.
Speaker 1:
You know, one coach seeing me on one play changed my whole life, but it's, that's somebody that saw something in you that you didn't see in you Absolutely And nobody else saw on you. And those are, those are people that, uh, that created part of your legacy.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. Isn't that amazing, jim Contafio?
Speaker 1:
So do you. Is he still around?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, it was actually just within this morning, So we're going to start up camps, even though I do the 24 seven quarterback. He does SVS, He's based out of Lancaster and does a lot of things And I kind of want to do Lancaster as well. but I want to bring it all back to Berks County.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's great. What a great story. Is there other sports that you excel in? You said baseball. You were doing baseball.
Speaker 2:
Yeah. So I stopped baseball when I got done with eighth grade and then I switched over track and field and I threw Javelin. I was on the four by one. Uh was on the runner up, state uh title team my junior year and track uh basketball. I played basketball. So I played all three sports and nowadays it's a different.
Speaker 2:
It's a different lifestyle. You know everybody wants to transform into one sport, especially early on. I would say I disagree. I know it's going to be hard because you have to practice all three, but if you can keep multiple sports it's going to make you a better athlete.
Speaker 1:
I was just going to say do you find that those other things that you did, the other sports that you played, do you feel that that made you a better quarterback? Absolutely.
Speaker 2:
I mean movement on the basketball field. I mean track, obviously speed, but at the same time it gave me a break from my main sport and relieved all the stress, all the stuff that I was going through. I could just say I'm done with football today and guess what? I get? to go shoot hoops with my buddies.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's great. It's really awesome. So do you have any musical talents?
Speaker 2:
No. Okay, that was a quick, real quick answer, right, so I started the snare drum for two weeks when I was in third grade I think I took my dad's old snare drum phone like 1960s, 70s revamped it but I felt like I could just go into that class in third grade and just beat the shit out of the cops, Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Not the case Didn't work out so well. They just said no, you need to do this.
Speaker 1:
And.
Speaker 2:
I felt like it was. It was too slow for me.
Speaker 1:
Amazing, amazing. Now you're, you're married, obviously, and you have two kids, jason, is it Jason, chase, chase, why don't I write Jason down? and Hunter, hunter. There we go. Hunter, you moved Back to Berks County after being, you know, jacksonville, you know would have Florida. You were in Michigan, you were, you know different, why, back to Berks County. What brings you back, besides family?
Speaker 2:
Yes, besides family. I mean, obviously, Brittany and my wife grew up here, Both went to Wilson. Family is a big thing, but at the same time I just felt like the people here. I love the atmosphere here. I feel like it's a hardworking community. It's not, you know, white collar. I feel like it's still blue collar And just the way people are raised here is just different. You know, I've been in multiple cities throughout the US and just I felt like Berks County just had it in my back of my mind and like that's exactly where I want to raise my kids And, you know, give them that mindset of, hey, you have to work for what you get.
Speaker 1:
I don't know, florida's really nice, i don't know.
Speaker 2:
I just Maybe, maybe 15 years after the kids around 15, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:
Then go back down there. Yeah, that's so true, that's around. So, besides the Super Bowl, super Bowls I should say What are some of your favorite moments in those 15 years? You know the Super Bowls are a given. you know What are some of your favorite moments, what are some of the moments that you're like gosh, i'm so glad I'm doing this, or this is, i can make a difference while I'm doing this.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, i mean, i think there's multiple games, but I think, besides the games, i think everything's a network And you know this as well, and the people that you meet throughout the process is what really enlightened me. That man, like there's some really really good people And there's some really bad people, but at the same time you learn so much from different people and that helps out throughout the experience and makes the experience so much better. But I mean, yeah, there's the Monday night games where, hey, you know you beat, you know the Patriots, you beat the Jets like those are all great and great moments in my career, but I think when I step back, what I'll miss the most is the coaches, my teammates, like just being around in that locker room, yeah, the friendships And everything else, absolutely.
Speaker 1:
Not that you can't still be friends and stuff like that, but it's just the camaraderie, the energy, the energy coming out on a Super Bowl. I was at a Super Bowl, believe it or not. Most of my friends Suzie knows me very well. I don't know much about sports. What are you playing? Well, yeah, so when you're brought the soccer ball out, no, just kidding, but no, so I was at a Super Bowl back in 90, it was the Patriots and Packers. It was in the late 90s.
Speaker 1:
It was down to Orleans, down to Orleans, and I got the privilege. it was amazing that I got to go. That was the most surreal, most you know as a player walking out onto that field. That what does that feel like for you? Cause for me it was great, it was wild.
Speaker 2:
You're like pinching yourself.
Speaker 1:
I'm at a Super Bowl. I mean, this is like crazy you know It takes your breath away.
Speaker 2:
I think when you step back and you just look at all the people and then everybody's like, hey, the flashing lights right when the first kickoff comes out, you're like, oh man, this is gonna be. But then you look at it and you're like, well, that wasn't that many flashes. You're like what the hell? We really at the Super Bowl.
Speaker 2:
But I think not that it wasn't like that, but it all kind of you're so engulfed in the game that sometimes you forget what's really around. And but yeah, i mean three Super Bowls in the last five years with the Kansas City Chiefs. I mean those moments, even in COVID like what an experience that was, and I think you know it's just one of those that you're like man. That's really really cool. It's one that you always remember And glad my kids and my you know, my family got to experience it as well, what was the difference during COVID?
Speaker 1:
What, what? I didn't, i don't remember, well, i think they only allowed like 25,000 people. It was in Tampa.
Speaker 2:
That was, you know, tom Brady's home game for Tampa Bay. But yeah, there was like cardboard mics, people in the stands.
Speaker 1:
Oh, i do remember that. Yes, they put. They made it look like people.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so I remember that It looked like it was full but it wasn't And it was just. It felt like an away. We left on Saturday morning like we would do for a regular away game. We didn't stay the whole week. We didn't have a media day. We didn't have this the hoopla.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's so good.
Speaker 2:
And it was just like just didn't feel right, yeah, and we got our ass kicked too, so We don't have to bring that out. No, that didn't help either.
Speaker 1:
Has nothing to do with COVID. I mean, no, or maybe it was. Maybe you all had COVID. We probably did, you probably did. You know, who knows, we probably have it now, who knows? But that's, that's awesome. I'll tell you what I appreciate you coming in here, man. What a great conversation. Got to learn a lot about you by studying. You know your career and everything. I'm just super proud of you from being here in the area. You're a great guy doing great things. Keep it up. Looking forward to see what happens next in your career and everything else you do. I would say you're not retired, you're re-inspired, absolutely.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I love being around you.
Speaker 1:
That's my new word for that. I was thinking about it actually this morning. I was thinking about the fact that everybody's saying you're retired, and I don't like that word. So I thought you know what? Instead of me ever saying I'm retiring, i'm going to say no. Instead of being retired, i'm re-inspired.
Speaker 2:
Right, find something new. Find something new.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, absolutely All right. There you have it. Thanks, chad, for coming. I appreciate it. Chad Hennie, wow, amazing Super bowls, all kinds of things. He didn't bring his rings, but that's all right, We'll let him go Next time you have to bring those in. Ok, a little bit, all right, sounds good. All right, there, you have it Next. See you next Thursday at 7 PM.
