Welcome to another episode of the Dropbaq Podcast. I'm excited to bring you a great conversation with another former QB who took a couple of detours but ultimately achieved his dream of playing quarterback in the NFL. David Fales set records at San Jose State before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL draft. After side stepping pass rushers in a few more NFL cities, he began the more difficult job of figuring out who he is without the thing that had always defined him. If you're a former athlete who struggling to figure out your next steps, turn up the volume and listen closely to how David is approaching life outside the arena. Instagram: @fales10

Today's guest was born and raised in the great state of Michigan. He earned all-state honors in basketball and football and played QB at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. More impressive than his accomplishments on the field are his passion and commitment to leadership. Eric is a certified speaker, trainer and coach for the John Maxwell Team, the #1 leadership organization in the world. He also is the creator of the Winning Edge QB Academy where he trains athletes not just to be winners on the field but winners in life as well. winningedgeskills.comEric's book link https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Edge-Way-3-Dimensional-Competitor/dp/1732860300/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M47V4BSTCF4H&keywords=the+winning+edge+way&qid=1665831875&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjkzIiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=the+winning+edge+way%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1

Chris Hixson's passion for football, and more specifically, his passion for the position of quarterback is contagious. His QB career began by watching Roger Staubach on TV in Texas, playing his high school ball in Washington state, then moving across the U.S. to continue his development at the University of Rhode Island. After a successful career in the Arena League, Chris's focus eventually turned to the development of other young aspiring signal callers. Chris went on a mission to discover how to play the position more efficiently and the result has been an information processing system that he created with Super Bowl Champion Trent Dilfer. Chris believes he's developed the cheat code for how to play the sport's most mentally demanding position at the highest level.  QBIQSystem.comFacebook, Instagram & Twitter @ QBIQsystemDropbaq.comInstagram @ dropbaq, @billburke_16

Drew Henson was a unique talent both on the gridiron and on the baseball diamond. Growing up in Brighton, Michigan where his dad was a college football coach, he earned all-state honors in high school in football, baseball, and basketball. He was even an All-American punter. He broke countless records and won national awards and would commit to being the quarterback at the University of Michigan. But eventually, the New York Yankees came calling and Drew would become one of the rare individuals to play Major League Baseball and quarterback in the NFL. I ask him about the great athletes he encountered along his journey and the difference between stepping under center and stepping into the batter's box.Drew Henson Instagram  @drewhenson7Twitter @drewhenson7Dropbaq Instagram @dropbaqTwitter @dropbaqdropbaq.com

Jim McMahon is not only one of the most recognizable quarterbacks in football history, but he is one of the most recognizable figures in all of sports over the last half century. Best known for leading the 1985 Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl title, Jim played with a style and personality that made his career must see TV.  He was a 2 time All American at BYU and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Never afraid to speak his mind, he clashed with his head coach with the Bears, Mike Ditka, and he even clashed with the Commissioner of the NFL at the time, Pete Rozell. But he was loved and respected by his teammates, played the game to win and had a lot of fun doing it.  Enjoy this conversation with the great Jim McMahon.Jim McMahon on Instagram: @jimmymac9xxDropbaq on Instagram: @dropbaqBill Burke on Instagram: @billburke_16

As a quarterback at the University of Iowa, Drew Tate had the opportunity to play for the accomplished Kirk Ferentz and played so well in 2004 that he earned first team All Big Ten Honors .  Drew is from Texas and was responsible for one of the greatest finished in college football history leading the Hawkeyes to a thrilling last second victory over LSU in the 2005 Capital One Bowl.  After college, he headed north to Canada and had a long career in the CFL, winning a Grey Cup in 2014. He explains his 3 keys to success and tells me what playing quarterback has meant to him.  Drew Tate on Twitter @coachdrewtateDropbaq.comThe DROPBAQ Podcast on Instagram @dropbaqThe DROPBAQ Podcast on Twitter @dropbaqBill Burke on Instagram @billburke_16

Jeff George Jr. comes from a football family and followed in his dad's footsteps by attending the University of Illinois.  He eventually landed at the University of Pittsburgh after never finding the comfort and continuity of playing under the same coaches and systems for very long.  He is still keeping the dream of playing at the pro level alive but he also has started to open his mind to the possibilities of what could be next.  We talk about being decisive, accountability, not having a backup plan and the challenge of staying positive.  I hope you enjoy this episode.  Connect with Jeff George Jr. Instagram @jeffgeorgeqbConnect with the show:Instagram: @dropbaq, @billburke_16Twitter: @dropbaq, @billburke_16DROPBAQ.COM

Casey Jacox didn't think he'd ever play college football. After a devastating injury, he spent his senior year in high school watching from the sidelines.  As a result, he quickly found out that the mental work was much more difficult than the physical rehab and had to humble himself in order to turn his football future around. Casey played his college ball at Central Washington behind Jon Kitna and he's now an author, speaker, podcaster (The Quarterback Dadcast) and sales coach.  We talk relationships, trust, and the balance between patience and persistence.  Get In touch with Casey:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyjacox/Instagram:@caseyjacox9  - @theqbdadcastTwitter: @caseyjacox -  @QBDadCastConnect with the show:Instagram: @dropbaq, @billburke_16Twitter: @dropbaq, @billburke_16dropbaq.com

Drew Stanton was a two sport athlete in high school and decided to stay home and play college football at Michigan State.  After a great career there, he was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions and went on to have a long, successful career in the NFL by learning how to survive.  He shares how coming to grips with his weaknesses, learning the art of communication, and becoming more self aware ultimately culminated in winning a Super Bowl title with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Drew Stanton on Twitter @drewstantonBill Burke on Instagram @billburke_16Dropbaq on Instagram @dropbaqdropbaq.com

Mike Tomczak, who after a good career at Ohio State, went undrafted in NFL but landed with the Chicago Bears as a free agent.  He tells me the story of how he made sure he played in Super Bowl 20, talks about the loyalty of Jim McMahon, and how important visualization was to his longevity in the NFL.  Armed with a work ethic instilled in him by his family, he began his pro career by winning his first ten starts and went on to play for 15 years in the League.  Instagram: @mike_tomczakInstagram: @dropbaq, @billburke_16dropbaq.com

Chuck Long was actually surprised that he was offered a scholarship to play college football at Iowa.  He wasn't heavily recruited out of high school but he became a Hawkeye and played for Hall Of Fame Head Coach Hayden Frye.  During his senior year, he lead Iowa to a Big Ten Championship and finished second in the Heisman Trophy race to none other than Bo Jackson. We discuss what made his team successful, what quality made Hayden Frye an icon, and what impact the game of football has had on his life.  chuck.long@iowasportsfoundation.orgTwitter @chucklongiowaInstagram @dropbaq, @billburke_16dropbaq.com

Quinton Porter was a quarterback standout from a state that definitely does not stand out when you think of hight school football.  He emerged from the state of Maine and headed to Boston College where he would experience the normal ups and downs that a typical athlete goes through-everything from the adversity of throwing interceptions to battling current Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for the starting job. But he also had to endure and overcome a devastating personal loss as well. We talk about how overthinking can make you less productive and how stepping outside of yourself can make everything a lot more fun.  Quinton Porter https://www.picogp.com/the-picomag/quintonInstagram @dropbaq, @billburke_16dropbaq.com

Welcome to the first solo episode of the show.  During this short story, I talk about a lesson I learned not during, but 2 days after, one of the biggest wins of my career.  This experience not only opened my eyes to what makes a football program/corporation/family succeed or fail, but it also taught me just one of the reasons why Nick Saban is now considered the greatest college football coach of all time.  How can this show be better?  What would you like to see improved?  What are you curious about?  Email the show at bb@dropbaq.com Leave a rating/review in Apple Podcasts.  Text the show to a friend.  Please enjoy!Instagram: @dropbaq @billburke_16dropbaq.comThe Slight Edge Book by Jeff Olson

Preparation, resilience, toughness, and leadership are just some of the skills Ryan Hawk learned playing quarterback at Centerville high school near Dayton Ohio.  A decision his parents made would forever impact not only his football career but would eventually lead him to impact hundreds of thousands of others through his passion for learning and his curiosity around what makes the most successful people great at what they do. Ryan is now a speaker, an author, and host of the Learning Leader Podcast.  We talk rejection, being ignored and the life-altering lesson he learned while battling future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger for the QB1 spot at Miami of Ohio.  I hope you enjoy it.Learningleader.comRyan on Instagram @ryanhawk12Dropbaq on Instagram @dropbaqBill Burke on Instagram @billburke_16

Tyler Palko and I have a couple of things in common.  One being we were both left handed quarterbacks and the other is we are both driven to help other individuals and groups reach their full potential and lead like they were meant to.  At the University of Pittsburgh, Tyler led an upset of Notre Dame, in the NFL he battled the mind of Bill Belichick in his first career start and shared a quarterback room with several Hall of Fame signal callers.  Now Tyler helps businesses design their own playbook for success.  We talk about whether or not you need to have the title of leader in order to have people follow you and he also shares what it takes to be elite in sports or in business.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.Tyler Palko Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerpalkoTyler Palko Instagram  @_tp.3The Dropbaq Podcast on Instagram @dropbaqDropbaq.com

Kirk Cousins is living the dream.  After nearly ending up as a quarterback in the Mid American Conference, he secured a spot in the Big Ten playing for first year Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio.  He led the Spartans to a share of the Big Ten title in 2010 and would eventually be picked in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Washington Football Team.  There he learned from the likes of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan and dedicated himself to getting a little better each day.  That commitment, along with the humility to constantly look for ways to improve earned him the starting job in Washington and most recently with the Minnesota Vikings.  We talk morning routines, chasing the next goal, and of course, how to be a great leader.  He's one of the best quarterbacks on the planet but even with all of his accomplishments on the field, he's an even better human being off it.  Please enjoy and please consider leaving a rating/review on Apple Podcasts with this link.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropbaq-podcast/id1565577360Kirk on Instagram @kirkcousinsDropbaq on Instagram @dropbaqdropbaq.com

After three state titles in high school and being named Gatorade National Player of the Year, Max Browne decided to take his talents to USC.  He enrolled early with hopes of playing right away but had to wait and work on his craft for three long years before getting his shot.  He eventually was replaced by Sam Darnold and decided to transfer to Pitt hoping the change of scenery would inject new life into his time in college.  Once a shoulder injury ended his college career, he was forced to face some hard truths about himself.  We dive into pursuing your purpose, being intentional, and the importance of having mentors in our lives.  Max brings a ton of value to this episode and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please consider leaving a rating/review in Apple Podcasts with this link. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropbaq-podcast/id1565577360YouTube: Max BrowneInstagram & Twitter: @MaxBrowne@dropbaq on Instagram dropbaq.com

Austyn Carta-Samuels started as a true freshman at the University of Wyoming and played his way to the Mountain West Conference's Freshman of the Year in 2009.  But feeling as though his potential could be greater realized in a different environment, he decided to transfer to Vanderbilt and finish his career playing for head coach James Franklin. Tearing his ACL and losing his grandfather in the same week tested his resolve but he explains how he wouldn't have been able to to handle either of those setbacks without the other. Austyn's passion for the human mind and his authentic spirit of giving have helped him wake up to his own vulnerabilities and continue to fuel his mission of unlocking the potential in others. You may want to take some notes as listen along because Austyn packs this episode with inspiration.  Please consider leaving a rating/review in Apple Podcasts with this link. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropbaq-podcast/id1565577360Austyn Carta Samuels on Instagram: @austyncs_6LockedInQB on Instagram: @lockedinqbThe DROPBAQ Podcast on Instagram @dropbaqDROPBAQ.com

Christian Hackenberg was a can't miss prospect after attending Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.  After turning down scholarship offers from some of the most prestigious programs in the country, he decided to call State College Pennsylvania home and play college ball for the Nittany Lions of Penn State.  He started as a true freshman and was selected as the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year in 2013.  He left school early and was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.  Although his pro career didn't pan out the way he dreamed it would, his unique ability to put everything in its proper perspective and his leadership skills have him looking for ways to calmly quarterback some of the most important people in his life-both now and in the future.  Please consider leaving a rating/review in Apple Podcasts with this link. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropbaq-podcast/id1565577360 Instagram: @chackenberg1@dropbaqdropbaq.com

Casey Therriault knows better than anyone how one split second decision can have a ripple effect, not only on your own future, but on the lives of so many others.  What began as a fun night out with friends quickly turned into a nightmare of uncertainty and pain.  He bounced back from a prison sentence to become only the second white quarterback to start at the historically black college of Jackson State University.  He explains how his upbringing and the adversity he's faced has given him the perspective and the humility to embrace every moment as an opportunity to learn and grow.  He also shares the one daily habit that keeps him grounded and his strategy for taking on any challenge.  I hope you enjoy it. Please consider leaving a rating/review in Apple Podcasts with this link. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dropbaq-podcast/id1565577360Twitter: @TherriaultCaseyFacebook: Casey Therriault #11DROPBAQ Podcast on Instagram: @dropbaq