About this episode

John Offerdahl shares his journey from NFL linebacker to restaurateur and philanthropist, discussing his life, career, and inspiring stories.

In this episode we sit down with Miami Dolphins legend John Offerdahl, linebacker, restaurateur, philanthropist, and all-around force of nature, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans football, faith, family, and food. We kick off the episode with a discussion about his life after football and his Offerdahl’s Off the Grill restaurants (now with five locations!) and his founding the Hand-Off Foundation. Be sure to visit and contribute here: www.handoffmeals.com John then takes us back to his Wisconsin roots and how it was to grow up as the youngest of five and having all older sisters. We talk about his days at Western Michigan, where a half scholarship turned into a full ride, his Senior Bowl MVP performance, and eventually being drafted in 1986 by the Miami Dolphins as their first overall pick. He talks about the player that mentored him during his first camp, the influence of defensive coordinators Chuck Studley and Tom Olivadotti, and of course, his memories of playing for the legendary Don Shula. John also shares the unforgettable story of the day he risked his life to save strangers trapped in a sinking car — and we wrap it all up with a rapid-fire “Binge Burner” round…

People in this episode

Host: JB

Guest: John Offerdahl

Topics covered

• football
• restaurant
• philanthropy
• family
• inspiration
• Miami Dolphins
• Wisconsin

Keywords

• John Offerdahl
• Miami Dolphins
• Offerdahl’s Off the Grill
• Hand-Off Foundation
• football
• inspiration
• Wisconsin
• Senior Bowl
• Don Shula

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hand-Off Foundation, Offerdahl’s Off the Grill

Places: Wisconsin, Miami Dolphins

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