Ep 10: Life After the NFL: Finding Identity Beyond Football
What happens when the dream you chased your whole life isn’t the real goal?
In this powerful episode of The Power of OR Podcast, former NFL offensive lineman Tim Kohn shares his unlikely journey from a lonely, suicidal teenager to the NFL – and ultimately to something far greater than football.
Tim’s story isn’t about fame or fortune. It’s about identity, about discipline forged in adversity, about discovering that God’s purpose is often hidden in the very thing we think defines us.
From the weight room to the Raiders locker room, from getting cut multiple times to rebuilding his life in financial services, Tim reveals how faith reframed everything.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
The breaking point at 16 that changed the trajectory of Tim’s life
How relentless discipline in the weight room became spiritual preparation
Why being drafted into the NFL wasn’t the ultimate win
Getting baptized in an NFL team hot tub
What repeated setbacks (including being cut four times) taught him about identity
Why football was never the real purpose
The challenge of transitioning out of professional sports
How faith shapes his work today as a wealth advisor
Why success now looks nothing like it did at 23
For anyone who has ever tied their worth to achievement, faced an unexpected transition, or wrestled with what remains when performance fades, this conversation will hit home. Tim shares how God’s hand often becomes clearest in hindsight, when the improbable connections, closed doors, and painful detours suddenly reveal purpose.
Sometimes the real “OR” isn’t football or finance. It’s performance or purpose. And when the cheering stops, what matters most isn’t the platform you stood on but the Father who was guiding you all along, even before you could see Him.
Featuring: Tim Kohn
Role: Former NFL player turned Financial Advisor