Blaze Your Own Trail - Becoming a Game Changer with Rennie Curran

Episode Date: August 26, 2021

About Rennie: Rennie Curran is a former professional athlete, keynote speaker, author, and the CEO of Game Changer Coaching. He delivers powerful keynote presentations, workshops, and one on one coaching on topics such as leadership, teamwork, overcoming adversity, and performance. His clients include Chick-Fil-A, Coca-Cola, Suntrust, University of Georgia, Associations, Sports Teams, Non-profit Organizations, and many more. Rennie’s talks are engaging, humorous, and full of practical takeaways. All of his keynotes and workshops are customized to meet the goals of each organization. Rennie’s unique combination of leadership experiences with the National Football League, The Jon Gordon Companies, and building his own company translates to powerful and practical coaching, training, and speaking services for his clients. Whether you’re a student, athlete, or business professional Rennie’s mission is to help you reach your fullest potential. In this episode we discuss: Growing up in Gwinnett County Lessons from his Parents His passion for Football Having a chip on his shoulder High School Days Coaches & Mentors Committing to Georgia The NFL draft process Life after Football The Game Changers Foundation Game Changer Coaching And more! Connect with Rennie: https://renniecurran.com/ Connect with Jordan: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanjmendoza/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/therealjordanjmendoza/⁠ Clapper: ⁠https://clapper.vip/jordanjmendoza⁠ Join my Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/linkedintrailblazers⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.blazeyourowntrailconsulting.com Installing strategic sales systems & processes will stop the constant revenue rollercoaster you might be facing which is attainable through our 6 Week Blazing Business Revenue Coaching ProgramBook a discovery call with Jordan now to learn more! Are you an entrepreneur?Join my FREE Group Coaching Community where we have live calls, Q&A and more! Our Trailblazer Ecosystem also enables you to network with other entrepreneurs and creator hub eliminates multiple subscriptions and logins creating a one stop shop to take action!Use code: FOUNDING100 for 12 months access FREE and Founding pricing for life! (While Supplies Last)Join now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you ready to find out how to blaze your own trail? Welcome to the Blaze Her Own Trail podcast with your host, Jordan Mendoza. In this podcast, Jordan interviews people from around the world to find out about their journey to success. If you're looking for valuable content with actionable advice, you've come to the right place. And now your host, Jordan Mendoza. Hello everyone and welcome to the Blaze Your Own Trail podcast. I'm your host, Jordan Mendoza. and today I've got a very special guest.

His name is Rennie Curran. And I'm going to give him just a second to tell us who he is and what he does. Yeah, man, thanks so much for having me all, Jordan. My name is Rennie Curran. Once again, I was born here right in Atlanta, Georgia. And I am now currently former professional athlete, keynote speaker, author, and the CEO of Game Changer Coaching. I also have a nonprofit called the Game Changers Foundation, which helps current and former athletes in sports, business,

life and we do that through community engagement, mentorship, and professional development. So that's a little bit about me. I love it. I love it. Well, on the show, man, one of my big things is I like to rewind. I like to get context into people's journeys, you know, because you haven't always been a professional speaker and, you know, haven't always had these businesses. So let's rewind back to when you were a kid. So I know you said you grew up right here in Atlanta. So give us some context. How were you as a kid, you know, from the adolescent middle school, high school years, were you always into athletics, or did you have that academic side as well?

Did you put a lot of emphasis on school? Man, I was a knucklehead. That's all I say is a kid. Both my parents, Liberian immigrants, came here in the early 80s. My mother came here to Emory on the scholarship to get a master's in nursing. And then once you finished,

it opened up the door for my father to come. he didn't get his immigration papers right away, but he was able to develop the skill through one of his friends, which was fixing shoes. And so he built that skill and eventually bought into his own franchise and owned one out in Kennesaw in Townsendom Mall. So typical hardworking family,

very humble people. My mom worked at Grady Hospital for about 25, 30 years in the diabetes department. And so we spent the early part of my life right off Notre Hills before Highway. And that's where I was just really, learned a lot, man. I was the youngest of three, only boy.

I was rough. Like I said, a knucklehead, just always adventurous, looking for trouble. And I would typically find it. And, you know, it wasn't until we moved to Gwinnett that I really started to get some structure. I went to Boys and Ghost Club early on.

Started playing music, actually, played the piano, drums in church, and got an orchestra by the time I was in middle school. But once I found football, that was like it, man. I found a group of brothers, a family, and my little league coach became like my second father. His name was Ronnie Benton, and he was the one who first took me to the first Georgia game, and that's where I got exposed to the tradition of the red and black and all the, you know, special

things that come with just being a Georgia fan. And, yeah, it just became a passion, man. We think between our, like, six and seven-year-olds when they started, and I did. join them at 10 years old. And when we ended around 7th grade, we only lost six games. Wow. That's awesome. Yeah. It tells you the kind of discipline that we had and the kind of work ethic. And that was really where my foundation started in terms of just wanted to be a high achiever and wanted to just do more and blaze my own trail. Love it. Love it. So would you say that move was life changing for you? Oh, man, without a doubt. I wouldn't be talking to you right now.

if we hadn't moved to the suburbs, you know, Brookwood, just amazing community, amazing people. Yeah. You know, it just really, really makes a difference. And we all know that just your zip code can a lot of time determine your trajectory in life. You know, I had a lot of great people, man, but without a doubt, like that community just made such a big difference. Just from the coaches to the teachers to the culture there. I mean, the culture is culture of excellence.

So that's kind of what's expected. And at that time, it was Brookwood Parkview. Like, that was the powerhouse, you know, powerhouse schools. And my family knew nothing about football. So it's like, it's not like they were like, oh, yeah, we need to get them in. Yeah. Just happen to be serendipitous, right? Like, you ended up there.

Yeah. So I just happened to be in a powerhouse program with just, and then down the street, there's a guy by name of Chip Smith, who, Chip Smith had CES at that time, him and a few other guys. but there's a guy who trained Brian Erlacker, Champ Bailey. I mean, so many players who he basically invented pre-draft training. Love it. 15 minutes down the road.

And so my little league coach took me with his son. He put his both in there like seven-day grade. So that gave me an edge as well, man. So I don't take it for granted just the advantages that I had and the privileges that I have been in that community that aren't afforded to a lot of kids. And so that's something I think about on day. Absolutely. So when's the last time you thank your parents? You thank your parents for that move.

For that move, man. Yeah, because I mean, that's huge, you know, and it's funny because I talk to a lot of athletes and it seems to be there's like this pivotal moment. Like there's a moment. Like, you know, I was talking to one guy and it was like his mom decided to put him on a bus because they were trying to add gentrification to the affluent areas. And if his mom would have never put him on that bus, he never would have. play football he never would have made it to went to college he never would have made it to the NFL and and play with joe montana you know like so it's just crazy how that one little thing can make such a big impact oh yeah you're right man it's it's true on both ends of the spectrum it's like one positive change can make all the difference and one negative change can make 100% well and i think about that in terms of my journey as an athlete like i had coach my freshman

year of high school who I mean I can't stand the dude and made me lose my confidence like he would just kind of poke fun at me in front of the team and just different things like that that really made me lose my love for the game and luckily I had my little league coach in my life or as I would have quit football once again I wouldn't be talking to you yeah he moved me from a running back position I played my whole entire career to linebacker and um I I I said I was ready to just quit and hang it up. But that's how easy life can change just because of one, one person or one incident. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And I can relate to that. My son, his eighth grade and freshman year, I mean, the coaches were just, they're just terrible. You know, like they're only playing all the

sons. You know what I'm saying? Like, all the, every coach is playing their sons. I'm like, my son has, how is he going to get better if you only put them in with three minutes left in the fourth quarter? You know, and this crew has been playing together since they're five. You know what I'm saying? But there's all that, you know, bureaucracy that happens. Right. And it's so unfortunate because if you want your team to perform, if you make it to the playoffs, as you know, everybody's got to be good.

Everybody's got to be at the top of their game. And when you're only given opportunities to the kids because they're the coaches' kids, I mean, what message is that sending? Yeah, it's sad, man. I hate hearing anything like that when it comes to the game, especially at that age, man. Like, you don't, like, who remembers who won the chance? championship, you know, two, three years, like nobody. At that age, it should be all about building

character, leadership skills, life skills, things that are going to help them in life, like not who, you know, how many rushing yards and things like that, like, how many of us really even make it to college, you know, on scholarship. Yeah. So I hate, like, that's something I really, really am hoping to change in terms of the culture of sports. It's just that whole mindset of just thinking like, you know, your kid has to be this at this age and you're pumping up his head and, you know, you're pumping up his head just to believe that he's the next whatever before he's even hit puberty. Or just feeling that whole athlete identity because it's so damaging.

And I'm sure you've seen this as well. Yeah. How many men are, men and women are broken after their dumb plan because the only time their parent, you know, discipline them or gave them a pat on their back. or congratulated them was for something that they did on the field or with a ball. It's like when you remove that, it's literally like you take away their self-worth. Yeah. They don't even know, like, how to navigate it.

That's a lot of guys who I work with now. So, yeah, it really, really easy change. 100%. So thinking back to your coach or you're literally a coach, right, the one who is pretty influential, what are some lessons that he taught you that now you find yourself teaching other kids or teaching other adults. You know, so can you share just a couple of those? Because I would love for the audience, you know,

because I think it's important that for one, you know, if people have added value to you, that you take that information and you repurpose it and you add it back to other people. It's all about reciprocity and giving back. So I'd love for you to just share some highlights or some things that have really stuck with you even to this day. Yeah, I mean, to me, there's no better leader in my life

than my little league coach. I learned so many lessons. I mean, for him to be able to take us as a group of, like, this young kids, knucklehead of kids and really get us to be extremely disciplined and, like, believe in each other and fight for each other. And there's no, you know, no real politics or anything that, like, we just really fought for each other to the point where, like, we're still connected to this day.

Like, we had a Zoom call session with about 20 or 30 of us about two months ago. So that's how close-knit we were. That's awesome. Yeah, one of the biggest lessons that he taught me, man, growing up. And he would always do this whenever we would have, like, those times where we were getting caught up in our success. So we weren't going as hard as we should or after a loss, which we only had six losses our whole time together. But he would sit us down and he would look us all in the eyes and he would be like, I want you how to do some tonight. I want you to go home and I want you to look yourself in the mirror.

and I want you to ask yourself what you're about. And like that, that's always stuck with me, man. And to me, that meant self-accountability. To me, that meant just awareness. You know, that means being able to look at yourself and be honest with yourself. And a lot of people have a hard time doing that when it comes to their business, when it comes to their personal life and it comes to where they're going. So that's resonating with me so much.

Like you have to start with you, you know, and looking at yourself every day. really thinking about where you want to go and who you are as a man. What are your values? What do you stand for? What are your standards? So that's one of the things, man. And beyond that, we had all the types of mantras that we used to say,

like each coach had his own mantra, like one of our coaches, who was my linebacker coach, Fred Lamar, he used to say, a winner never quits and acquitted, quitter never wins. Love it. We have BTH, bring the hell.

Like, it was such a, special moment in my life, man. I really wish that every child could get that experience that I had with my coach. And like I said, my parents at that time, I didn't mention this, but after we moved to Gwinnett, like maybe two years later, we really struggled. My dad lost his franchise. And then my mom, she had to get a surgery for fibroids. And there was some complications with her surgery to a point where she almost died. Wow. We went from like that middle class family to like, I mean, barely making like it barely could afford the garbage bill and just really really really struggling i went to that you know free and reduced lunch kid um type of title and they stepped in

my my literally coaching is uh and the rest of the parents like they would pick me up every single day for practice that's awesome yeah buy me clothes at times like this really really really help me out man so it's all those lessons just of you know leadership and mindset and being selfless and serving and helping to pick somebody else up when they're down, man. Like, these are things that are rooted at the core of who I am now. So I can't not help a kid, you know, who reaches out to me and not try to connect them with somebody or give them some information, man. Oh, I love that.

I definitely love that. And it says a lot about, you know, that you didn't just take in that information and let it go out the other side. Like, you've actually planted those roots, you know. And now you're giving back, which is amazing. So let's talk high school a little bit. Let's talk about your high school career. So you're literally, you only lost six games, or was that through high school?

No, that was just through. That was through rec. Okay, so that was rec ball. So let's talk about high school. So did you stick with that linebacker position all through high school? And then we'll get into college here in a little bit. So let's talk about a little bit about, you know, I know Parkview was a big rival. I'm sure Collins Hill was that a team you played back then?

Didn't play Collins Hill. literally growing up, but you know, they split into a P Street Ridge. That's right. Yeah. Yeah, we didn't, they went on our region, but we played like Central Bonnet, Sauconet, Parkview, North Cross. Yeah, and it was, I mean, so much talent during that time. Yeah, so tell me a little bit about that. So who were some of the, you know, guys that maybe are still in the league

or that ended up making it to the league that you had to battle against? And, you know, so tell me about some of those battles. Yes, I mean, just growing up, our class was extremely talented. Like when I look back, I'm like, if we had had, if we had even a fourth of like the talent come to Georgia that were supposed that were kind of planning on coming, like Eric Berry, like Jonathan Dwyer, you know, Caleb King and them coming. But yeah, there was a few guys. Cameron Hayward still playing now.

Cam Newton was class of 07. I remember seeing him, been like him a lot, but yeah. It's all good. But there were a lot of just talented players across the state of Georgia during that time. Alan Bailey is another one who's still playing. I mean, that dude was like 6'4 and like the ninth grade playing running back. You know, who else, man? There was, man, there was so many others.

But for me, like I said, I got moved from running back to linebacker. So that wasn't necessarily my fit. I just had that mentality where this was developed through anger, through just trying to prove myself and trying to really honestly get back at that coach removing me. I was like, I'm not going to it was like almost a resentment. And I was

like, I'm not going to let anybody stop me from getting to where I have to go. And I just made my mind of that. I was going to make every single tackle or I was going to be near the ball every single play. It was like waterboard. That's what I tell people about time. And so once I developed that mentality and started approaching it that way with that type of energy,

it just became second nature to where I was just like, you watch my film. Yeah, no, I've seen it. You're flying all over the place. Yeah, your goal was to get to that backfield and just your wheels are keep, you just kept going, right? You get knocked down, you get back up and you keep running, you know, just relentless pursuit.

Kind of destroy folks, man. And, you know, on top of all that, just facing what I faced on the, with the coach, it was also what was going on at home, just all the pain and just, you know, us not having and just being tired of that, man, wanted to really change things for my family. and I knew football was my vehicle. I knew God gave me a gift that I could not waste. And so that really pushed me just to really strive just for perfection.

That was my aim. Every single practice, every single game was how perfect can I be. And at the same time, it's like I realized that I wasn't as tall as the prototypical linebacker. And that happened around that ninth grade, 10th grade years. I started to meet Chad Simmons with rivals.com. And I started going to the different showcases. you know, I got my measurement and I started looking around and compared myself and seeing the other linebackers and I saw guys at 6-1, 6-4, this and that.

And my favorite school, University of Georgia, I'm reaching out to them. I got connected to them through one of my coaches at that time, Dickey May, who came from DeKula. He connected me with Des Bryant, not Des Bryant, Dez Williams, and Danny Ware. You know, they had the three-headed monster at that time at University of Georgia. This is like 0,4,05. And so I would go up there, man, way before Georgia even had me on their radar. I was just like that annoying little kid. So my coach, like I said, Coach May, he connected me with Des Williams.

And so I would just go up there. I'd be in the locker room, just like 13, 14 years old, wide-eyed. Just like, man, this is just crazy. I'm here. And as I looked around, I was like, man, I saw so many players. Leonard Pope was like the first player. I saw. He was like 6-8, 2-8.

285 pounds. I'm like, man, I don't know if I'm ever going to play here, like if I'm ever going to be that big. But it just motivated me, just being in that environment and just knowing what I could accomplish. But at the same time, just knowing that my height was going to be an issue. And I heard it over and over and over, even from my own coaches that, hey, man,

don't be surprised if a lot of teams don't come at you. You know you're a little bit undersized for a lineback position. But I just use it as a chip on my shoulder. It really, like I said, just strive to do more. awesome man awesome and so who is the first collegiate offer that you received because i'm sure you remember it right you probably remember it like it was yesterday the first first uh team that that actually offered you so who was that the first offer was um mississippi state i leave and sylvesta crum was there at that time and he called me it was uh i want to say the end of my sophomore year like

kind of beginning of junior year that like that summer and um yeah i was I was just like, man, I was on cloud nine. I was like, man, there's some hope here. Like, we got some, we got some, some, some grease. We kicked me with grease. And before that, man, it was just, like I said, just going hard. I was never the guy who showed up and got the position right away. I got moved up to varsity after my freshman year.

But we had a guy who was starting that lineback at that time, who was a team captain, who was a defensive leader. So I really just had to put my head to the ground and just have faith. and continue working and train as if I was a starter long before it ever happened. And it wasn't until like six, seven games into the season that I actually got the opportunity to get on the field. And once I did, man, never look back. And that was the story of my whole entire career.

So once I did those things and just really, really just kept working, kept getting in the wait room, kept going to Chip Smith's place and training after school and putting in that extra time. Like, good things just happened. Like, I remember being at one of my team. teammates house and we're sitting there making the highlight videos and that was back when you had to put everything on the DVD and printed out and whatnot. And so, you know, I went to Georgia Tech, went to Auburn, went to Georgia, and I would just be there, you know, with my Timberland boots on to give me two extra inches and shaking the coaches hand, handing on my DVD and just trying to

present my best self, man. Yeah, that was my first one though. And then from there, you know, a little bit more interest started coming in. I think Boston College was at. after that. And then Auburn came in. And once Auburn came in, it was like the floodgate started. Like, people really started taking me serious. That was my junior year when, um, after I made, I had like 198 tackles that year. I mean, I was just going crazy, man, trying to make me 25 plus tackles a game. And, um, yeah, Georgia finally came in last. Came in last. Okay. So, but when that one came, did you know? Did you know that's where you were going to go? I knew, man.

Like, I knew Georgia was a place that I wanted to go just after having that, having conversations with Coach Rick, just seeing the type of man that he was. And he was the type of guy that he'll make you feel like you've known him for years as soon as you meet him. Like, you'll have his undivided attention. He's just genuine family guy. And, yeah, once I met him and just saw the things that they're doing in the program and just thinking back to being 10 years old, 10, 11 years old,

and sitting in that stadium and the tradition. and just knowing the fact that like, you know, I'm, Atlanta is where I'm going to live. This is where I was born. I ain't going nowhere. Like, it's where my family is. My school is right down the street, Snellville. Like, I was, it meant the world to me to have the opportunity to be that hometown kid and that just inspired people. You know, just like David Green, like David Pollock.

And just, I watched David Green especially. And he was a guy who did things right, who protected his brand, who was a stand-up guy. And I was like, I want to be like that. I want to be a kid from Snellville that inspires the next generation. And it's not just a good football player, but as a leader as well. So that all those things came into account when I thought about going to University of Georgia. This is the decision I made. That's awesome.

That's awesome. And so let me talk me here about the first game that you suited up for, you know, between the hedges, right? Did your parents go? Were they there? And what was that moment like just kind of, you know, looking up at this, the sea of red and black and having your parents, you know, at this game, having family there. And, you know, it had to have been surreal. It had to have been, you know, you remember going there as a freshman and walking through

the locker room and now all of a sudden you're a freshman in college and you're at the place that you saw yourself playing at. So can you just give some context for the audience? What was that day like for you? Yeah, I mean, it was magical. I'm not going to lie. And it's kind of like, I don't know if you've seen 300. where it's like he devours that wolf or whatever

and he finally gets to that moment where they're celebrating him and he arrives. That's what it felt like. Like you devoured that wolf, which is training camp, which is no joke. I mean, that was,

talking about faith building, character building time, like extremely tough. Like, that was, I think we had record 104 degrees, like every day that year. And it's already hot here regardless.

So, you know. Yeah. 100, though. That's super hot here. Yeah, that was the first time I really thought I was going to die on a football field, like my freshman year, and then you're confused because you don't really know the playbook like that. But just getting to the first game, man, I'll never forget it. We played Oklahoma State, and that's when they had Desj Bryant and Pedigrew.

I mean, it was amazing. That was my first tackle was, I think his name was Brandon Pedigrew played tight-in. He ended up going to Detroit Lions, but he was like 6-8 and like... He's huge, man. Yeah. Yeah. And I'll never forget that first tackle, man. It's just like looking up into the stands and just having those flashbacks of being a kid,

sitting at the, you know, 50-yard line and just out. It's like, you hear, man. It's just a surreal moment when you're out on the field for the first time. Like everything is happening at like a million miles an hour. I don't care how talented you are or how talented you were in high school. When that college, that first college snap, man, you're just wide-eyed, man. You see the stadium, you see the lights, you see everything, and it's hard not to get caught up in it. It's like an outer body experience your first couple times until you really, really start to get those reps in.

But after I got a couple plays in, you know, it was kind of just click, man. But even that, like once again, just like high school, I said I didn't get on the field right away. That was my first game. And luckily we had a good game, so got a couple snaps in. But after that, it didn't really play for a while, like for maybe five. six, seven games. We went to South Carolina after that and had a couple of the big games.

But I found myself frustrated. I was like, man, why didn't they pressure me, man? Why didn't, you know, why did they even bring me out here? Like, you know, I'm just, you know, just thinking back to my head of just the days of being called short, you know,

and undersized and all those things. And even some of my own teammates that are like, man, but you little. Like, I heard every single short joke in the book. Like every stage in my career. It didn't stop at Georgia. it didn't stop in the NFL. And so I, once again, I had to go back into that, just faith mode, man, just really believing

that I was eventually going to get an opportunity. But yeah, the first game was just amazing. That's awesome. And I know you played there, 07 to 09, right? You played there for three years. You're up for a number, number of awards, the Buck Kiss Award being one of them. So, you know, what was that like, you know, being at home, right, or being in your dorm, room and we're putting on ESPN and all of a sudden your name's on the screen and you're up for all these

awards right you're a first team all SEC I mean these are some great accolades that a lot of people would would be super excited about but they could also play to your ego and they could get to your head so so how did how did you balance all of that attention because that that's that's tons of it you know you're looking at you're looking at ESPN and your name's going across the screen you know what I'm saying like that had to have been for one surreal, but it had to play with your ego a little bit. So I'd love for you to share, how did you deal with all of that attention? Man, honestly, that was something that was never really a part of my life, was that pride and that ego.

And that's just stemming from my parents. These, you're talking about humble, selfless, you know, people, man, just peaceful people who don't really bother anybody. And so that was my roots. That was my foundation. Just knowing where I came from, knowing how I came from, knowing how. many people helped me like it came but it didn't stay for long you know those little moments where you're like feeling yourself or whatever yeah um so that that really uh made the biggest difference

was just my foundation my people my parents aren't proud people at all and then like my faith was another thing like i just believe uh you know that god does not like pride and if i ever you know look at myself as better than others or if i ever get to that point where i'm really feeling myself feel that I will be humble, you know, that life will humble me. And so just thinking about it from that perspective, it always kept me, kept me humble. And I, and then I always had that chip on my shoulder because I'm, I like never forgot. And, you know, even when I did have that success, I still had, you know, teammates in back in my ear, you know, the guys, you got certain guys on team that is the jokesters and whatnot who will keep you humble. So I'm still hearing the short

jokes. I'm still hearing that, I'm still, you know, freshman sophomore. So, So, yeah, all those different things just really kept me humble. And then another thing that really kept me focused was at that time, you know, by my sophomore year, my daughter was born. Beautiful daughter, she's 11 years old now, but she was born right after the South Carolina game of my sophomore year. So I wouldn't even 21 years old yet. And so once she came in, I held her in my hands and I looked down at her,

that light switch kicked on and you know just as a father absolutely like all right man it's it's I've been going on time like yeah yeah now it's a whole other level now I gotta make it like

it's no it's no but's no question like it's like I gotta hit everything moving I gotta really succeed and not just succeed I gotta I gotta be the best like out here regardless of my height

regardless of my size I gotta make myself undeniable and so that that became something that really elevated my game, like from my numbers in the wake room to like how hard I was going in the classroom and just trying to really better myself as a leader on the team, man. So yeah. Okay. And so I know you played three years. You decided to, you know, forego your senior season to go to the NFL draft. So was that a difficult, was that a difficult or an easy choice knowing that you have this precious life that just came to the earth? Did that help out

that decision to to jump early and go to the draft? It was extremely tough because when you talk about going to the draft and all that, it's not just going to the NFL, it's like a complete life change. I mean, you're literally becoming a CEO of your own company, whereas you've been, you know, this college kid, you've been able to go downtown, hang out with the boys, like all that stuff is there's just so many uncertainties when you talk about that. And for me, it was like I had that pressure. of, you know, just knowing that I'm leaving this life that I've grown familiar with,

all my teammates, everything that's familiar to me, and then everything that I have the potential to accomplish by staying, right? So I would be the team captain. I would be, probably go down as Georgia's all-time leading tackler in the school history, be able to finish my degree, like, had all the potential to do all these things that would help me. But then I thought about my daughter. I thought about my family. Like, my family's still struggling at this time. I'm taking that Pell Grant check. I'm splitting that thing in half, sending back home. I'm taking out student loans, even though I have a scholarship and helping out my mom

with the bills. Like, this was real life things that were going on outside of that success on the field that I really had to think about. And things that nobody's going to help me with. Like, you know, coach wasn't going to help me with it. Team Hades weren't going to help me with it. Fans weren't going to help me with it. Fans couldn't help me with it because of NCAA, of course.

Absolutely. And so I was just like, man, I have to do what I have to do. And the only knock against me was my. my height. It's the same thing that's been a recurring thing in my whole career. And I'm like, I thought about it. I'm like, I'm not going to grow two inches by staying for my senior year. And once I got that grade, which was like a second, second round, third round grade, I'm like, man, it's probably not going to get any better than this. Even if I do come back and have a phenomenal season, I'm probably just going to land here. And so that's when I, that's part,

that was a major part of me making my decision. Still did not make it easy at all whatsoever. But And, you know, just really thinking strategically helped. And then also praying about it, you know, in any major moment, I always believe in prayer. And that God will give you that clarity. And when I prayed about it, man, it was like a Sunday right before I had, like, I had to submit my papers or whatever. I think I had to submit it on like that Tuesday. But I prayed on Sunday and I was like, God, just showed me make it clear as day. Monday, they fired the whole defensive coaching staff.

John, Janzig, William Martinez. What a sign. What a sign. So I made that, that made the decision a whole lot easier because I was like, man, I don't want to come back. And then I know how some coaches are. They come in and they have that ego trip or that power trip. They want to establish things their way. They want to have their guys on the field.

New coach coming, he may not like bigger linebackers or smaller linebackers. He may want bigger linebackers. So I had to think about all those things in terms of like, if I stay, what's it going to be like? So, yeah, that's what it came down to. That's awesome. And so, you know, you get drafted in the third round. I believe it was, if I remember correctly, 97th pick overall. Is that right? Okay. So where did you spend draft day? Were you at home? Were you with, you know, with family and friends? How did that whole process go down? And what was that, you know, call? You know, getting that call. Who called you from the Titans? Was it was it Jeff Fisher there at the time? You know, who was it that actually made that call? And, and, and, Tell me what that moment was like between you and mom and dad because it had to been special. Yeah, so I was at home, man. I didn't go anywhere.

We didn't, like I said, humble beginnings. So I came right back to where it all started. And we were just in the living room, just hanging out. And I didn't know where I was going to go. The first day, of course, I wasn't expecting to hear anything. And did get a call from a team that was like, man, we're going to try to get you in that second round. You know, we got a pick in there. And it was the Indianapolis coast.

So a second day comes and we're sitting there again and I'm just watching TV screen. I'm seeing guys that I know personally. And I'm like, man, dang, wow, he made it. I'm seeing other guys from like, you know, southeast, west, South Dakota or something. And I'm just like, what did you come from? And so it's just like all these different emotions, man, as you're watching. And then, you know, that second pick, that second round pick comes up from the team from the coach. and then they end up taking another linebacker from Iowa

and I'm just like, well, that's, why did they do that? Like, they called me on the first day of the drive and they called me the beginning of the second day. Like, we're going to try to get you. And, you know, when I saw that happen, I was like, oh, yeah, this is a cutthroat business. Like, that was my first kind of red flag that this is a, this is no joke.

Because it's not like they called me or like, hey, Reni was sorry. Like, nah, they just made that picket kept them moving. And so after that, I'm just like, man, I don't know. That's when that fear starts creeping in. Like, your heart starts being fast after every pick and you start getting more and more irritated

because you just don't know what's going to happen. And then people are texting you and calling you like, hey, you've been picked here, you've been picked yet. You just like, oh, like stop, me up. And, you know, that was like one of the most exciting but stressful days in my life. You're sitting there, like, literally eyes glued to the screen. Like, I was watching a TV screen from six hours.

at least six hours, man. Just seeing pick after pick after pick. And then finally, like, when I was just about to go to bed and just called a rap, but now, I'm like, man, nobody's going to pick me. Like, we get to the end of the third round, and that's when my phone starts ringing, 615 number. I'm exhausted, you know.

Just everybody, eyes are drooping. Like, from watching the TV screen, pick up the phone and it's Jeff Fishing. He's like, man, Rini, I know you've been waiting a long time, Welcome to Tennessee Titans. And I'm just like, I just zone out, man. It's like the movie where you hit that moment and then it hits the rewind button with all the flashbacks. Yeah.

You had to overcome. And all the time you heard no and all the short jokes and like everything, all the time in the white room. Like all those moments just started flashing back Little League, everything, man, the struggle with the family. And then, you know, you passes the phone to the defense coordinator. And I talked to Czech Cecil. And then I talked to the team owner. and then I talk to the GMs and the player personnel guy, and everybody's just congratulating me and welcoming me to the team.

And, you know, as I'm talking to everybody, I look at my sister, my mom, and everybody's crying and just shedding tears. And then, you know, get out the phone. And then as soon as I hang up the phone, but I look up to the TV screen, name flashes, Rennie Currant, you know, Roger Goodell makes the announcement. And then after that, man, I look down on my phone and no lie within, like, three minutes, I got like 300 text messages.

I bet. Yeah, I bet you were getting blown up like crazy. I've never seen, to this day, I've never seen my phone, like, blow up that much. Like, it was like my phone hit the jackpot. And so, like, 300, like, it was just like, and then, like, voice mail box immediately full. Oh, I bet. There's people that you knew, people that you haven't seen it along.

I'm sure it was, you know, a mixture of everybody, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, everybody who was reaching out, man. I mean, from the teachers to teammates to whoever, man. And it was just like surreal. Like just being on Cloud 9, man. It was, like I said, you just think about,

all you think about is just all the times that before that. And that's what makes it so special. You know, it's just like that struggle, man. Like, you know, you have no, a lot of times no hope, you know, you lose that sight of, if this is really going to happen many times throughout your journey. And when you finally get there, it's just like, man, it's crazy. And just thinking about, you know, how many guys could have should or would.

You know, that was something I thought about too, just as talented, who didn't get it up here or did the drugs and different things like that. So, yeah, so many different thoughts go through your mind, but just that mindset of gratitude is what I have, man, just being thankful for the journey and for all the people who had helped me along the way. You know, so, of course, my little league coach was there. My trainers came by, you know, teachers, just my teammates.

And that's one thing I always say, man, I would not be Reni Kern without my teammates, without, you know, at linebacker, those defensive linemen who held a block so that I can make a play. Or my other linebackers who played to the right and left of me. So those are all the types of things that I thought about during that time. That is awesome.

And so you get to the Titans. So share a little bit about, you know, training camp and then, you know, what that was like. I'm sure it was very similar to that first time step in foot on the college campus. But now it's elevated, right? Because now you've got a job. Now you're getting paid for this. You know what I'm saying? So what was that experience like?

Yeah. So the first part, man, before, you know, even getting on the field, it's just that life adjustment. It's like moving in Nashville. It's, you know, staying in the hotel and them throwing that playbook at you. And it's like they throw that playbook at you, man, first day and then that second day,

or the same day, like, they'll, like, implement, you know, four to five different defensive plays or whatever. And then immediately, they want you to go out there and perform. Like, it's no different. And I tell guys all the time, Like you got to look at yourself no different than if you are a doctor or a lawyer or any type of other profession. Like they expect you regardless of how you're feeling, regardless of what's going on at home, regardless of, you know, mentally how you're feeling, they want results. And that's just point blank.

That's it. And so going through my first training camp, it was eye opening, man. Just like, it's one thing to hear about the statistics of how many guys actually make it. But when you go through that training camp and you see guys that are good enough kick. cut, you know, because they didn't get, they weren't a draft pick or because it's a numbers game and just for different circumstances or because, you know, like, I was drafted, right? So that I mean, somebody else got to go. And just knowing that that guy, like, you actually develop somewhat of a relationship with them

and then you see him get cut like hunger games. It's like, it's real, man. And it just, yeah, I love the game. But after seeing that, it just starts to, it very quickly can make you jaded. very, very quickly can make you just like, put you in that mindset of what you're like, man, I'm going to just get these checks and I'm going to do what I have to do for my family and his doggy dog. Like that's the, that's the culture you can very easily find yourself in when it comes to the pros. And then, like, you know, you look at just your dynamics of being with your teammates.

Like, it's not, it's not like Georgia where like afterwards we're going to Athens and hanging out. Like, nah, these are grown men. Like, they have families. it's just like a, you know, like a 9 to 5 essentially. The guy who started ahead of me, Will Witherspoon, who also played at Georgia, was I was 21, 22 years old, my first year in the league. This man, it's 33 years old with like three kids. So he's definitely not trying to help me out.

Yeah. He's not trying to give me any type of edge whatsoever. And so I had to learn very quickly that this thing is serious. And then also at the same time balancing, I said being away from Atlanta and from home where I've always been. Like I found myself homesick. And that's what's not talked about a lot is just those adjustments, having your own place, like having to pay bills, all those little things that come with life. You know, you got your agent. You got your financial advisor. You got so many things going on that you have to figure out very, very quickly while still being able to perform on the field. And then it's like you're seeing guys that you used to only see in video games.

So like I'm covering Chris Johnson man-to-man, you know, in practice. And I'm just like in my head, you know, you never stay. Yeah. The last thing you want to do is showing any type of fear. But in your head, you're like, man, this is really, I just covered Chris Johnson. Or I'm like, this guy ran the fastest 40. I got to cover him, seriously. Right.

And I'm about to get blown out. Or like, you look around the locker. It's like, hey, that's Vince Young. I'm like, that's Vince Young, right over there. And, you know, it's just all those surreal moments, man, that you just like, wow. And these guys are, like I said, you come in and you realize these guys have been in this thing for six, seven, eight years. Like, I don't care how much I stay in the film room. I'm never going to catch up to, like, the amount of knowledge that they have.

So it's just like every day you're going in, just trying to, you know, just drinking from that fire hose, man. just trying to suck up as much information as you can while still balancing life as just a person and it's all the adjustments that come with being a professional athlete and how people, how people's perception of you changes. Absolutely. Absolutely. So I know you played in Tennessee. And then I know you made your way to the CFL, Canadian Football League.

And then you had an injury that essentially ended your playing career. Yeah. So tell me a little bit about, you know, when you got injured and did you, did you know that it was over? Right, right when that injury happened, were you like, I'm done? Like, I put in this time and energy and effort, but now I know I need to really jump into what the next, you know, phase of my life looks like. Yeah, I mean, I definitely knew. And my transition, I told people all the time that my transition happened before that moment. So I ended up getting cut after my second year with the Titans. That was when the lockout happened. Jeff Fisher and the staff got fired, new staff came in.

They were all about bigger linebackers, drafted through new guys. And you'd seen that happen at Georgia. So you're like, yep, I know the writing's on the wall here, right? Yeah, exactly. So, you know, it was the first time I liked it where I did everything in my power that I could do and it still wasn't good enough.

So got cut, came back home in Snowville, and at that point, that's when I really started building my brand and building my true identity outside of the jersey. And so started going to workshops, started reading tons of books, man, like self-help books, leadership books, everything from Napoleon Hill to, you know, Ogmandino, so many books, man, just this self-improvement and whatnot. Start going to workshops.

I went to a, I'll never forget, I went to a career transitioning program that the NFL had. And I was the youngest guy there. Like I said, 22, 23 years old. And that's when I like, I got that wake up call for real. Because I saw guys who were 30, 35 years old, some 40, and still hadn't figured things out. They were struggling. Someone played 10 years in the league and they were still. And that's why I was like, wow.

So you mean to tell me, even if you get all the money and all that, like, you can still be lost. Like, you can still be confused and still have a tough transition. And so after that, man, I started. taking my brand off the field so much more seriously than what I did on the field. And I still went hard, still was training, still was training with Chip Smith. But as I went to Tampa Bay and as I went to the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions, man, I was, man, just one foot in football, one foot out in the business world. So I ended up writing my first book as I was going through that time of being a free agent

and the book was called Free Agent. And Mark Rick wrote the forward, right? Yeah, he did. Yeah. And that whole book, the whole theme about it was just like how we all get to that, those times of uncertainty in life and just how to navigate transition and how to navigate times of uncertainty. And so it wasn't just about football, but it was just about life, like whether you're a

student who's coming out, going into the real world, a person in the business world who loses their business like my father or, you know, you go through divorce, any of those major transition points in life, how do you navigate that? So I wrote that book and that created the platform for me to get into public speaking. So when I wasn't doing football, that was, that was 2012, wrote the book, released in 2013. But when I wasn't on that football field of training, I was out speaking somewhere. I was meeting with a business leader.

I was doing something to build my brand. So when 2007, 17 comes and I'm in the spring league and, you know, the crazy thing, you know, I talked to you about prayer. and how like any major decision that I made always approach you with prayer. And the Spring League was out in West Virginia. It was at the Greenbrier, six-hour drive. So as I'm going on that drive, I'm asking God, I'm like, God, do you still want me to play football? Or do you not want me to play?

Like, I need you to show me and let me know without a doubt. And so drove out there, got there, man. First day, we got acclimated second day. We got all our equipment and started learning about the playbook. day, our first day out on the field, Helmings and shorts. My first rep, I'm going against Ben Tate, who played at Auburn, and I run up to cover him. We have usually warm-up drills where we just did man-to-man coverage on the running back. It'd be linebackers, running backs. It would be defensive backs, wide receivers, so we'd all split up. So I get up, like, it might have been like

the third rep, or the third, we might have been the third group to go. But my first rep up going against Bent Tate. I run up to cover him and all of a sudden I started falling backwards. And it was like almost like as if it was in slow motion. So fell backwards, tried to get up really quickly. I was like, man, this dude just run me over. And I planted my left foot down and felt the pain. I never felt my entire career. Like I never had a knee injury ever. And in that moment, like I collapsed, fell to the ground and then regained myself, got back up and I knew something was wrong like i knew knew like it wasn't like i could not run like at all like all the strength i had like before that i could squat whatever like i could put 400 plus pounds on it and do whatever

it's in the best shape of my life but that moment i could barely walk and so i got in uh i like hobbled enough to make it over to like a golf cart and sat in the back of a golf cart and then just look down in my knee like i mean from that it might have been like a 25-yard walk it might have been like a 25-yard walk But from that walk from the field to that golf cart to the training room, like my knee was like, it, it sworeled up. Like, it was just as big as my thigh. Wow. And I was just like, man, I don't know what's going on. They tried to tell me that I may be ruptured my burser joint or something like that where the fluid was like making it low up like that.

But I was like, nah, it's saying right. And every time I would try to walk on it after that, I would just like collapse. Like my left leg would just give. And so a day later, I drive back to Athens and I go see the best trainer in college football, Ron Corson. And what's what I'm called? We, they do the x-rays in my eyes, all that stuff. And yeah, they call me in the room. And like, Rennie, we hate to tell you this, but you completely torn your patel tendon.

Like my kneecap was up in my thigh. Like, tore that thing, man. And so, like, two days later, I got surgery on it. and luckily they helped me out man in Athens like they really really blessed me and they wrote off the whole surgery and that's awesome yeah man like they really really helped me in that moment because they didn't like the spring league didn't give us insurance or anything like that so like yeah woke up from surgery man two days later my mom's having to bathe me like it was humbling man it was humbling but I was so thankful in that moment that like I had built my brand I had worked

myself outside of football before that moment. I had a network. I had my website already built. I was already generated income, had my business. And then second thing, I was glad that I prayed about it because I had peace. Like I was like,

I was like, all right, well, I didn't, I didn't think it was going to happen that way, but, but, you know.

And it was like, I literally, in that moment, I could look myself in the mirror because I was like, man, nobody can say that Rennie Kern did not do his, give his all.

I literally left every single thing out on the field and went as hard as I could. And so, yeah, I had peace. I had clarity. Like two to three days after leaving the hospital, I was at a middle school speaking on crutches in a wheelchair, man, speaking to them, inspiring them to achieve their dreams. And that's my move, man. That's what I'm supposed to do. And that was like a full circle moment, right?

You had been in Little League, looking yourself in the mirror, and now it comes full circle. You had made it to the league. You've made it to the CFL and you prayed about it. You got the comfort, looked yourself in the mirror again and said, I'm okay. Yeah, that's it. I'm okay. I'm going to be all right, you know, and that's one thing about building a network is,

you know, you've heard this all the time. You know, your network is your net worth, right? That's something that no one can ever take away from you. Exactly. You know, you can take your brand away from you by doing something stupid, but no one can take your network or your brand away from you. from you. The only one that can is, is you and the decisions that you make, right? Because brand is synonymous with reputation. Yeah, exactly. And you set yourself up to having a reputation

of someone that was, had a good mindset, was going to work hard, was going to give it your all. So when you end up looking to your mirror that last time, you knew. You were good. Yeah, yeah. And I, and I had to remind myself, man, I'm not going to act like the transition was easy. Like, that's, that's one of the biggest things, man, is you question a lot of things, man. And that's for any man. Oh, absolutely. You lose your job. You lose the things that are familiar to you that society tells you. Oh, it's a hit on your masculinity for sure, man.

Yeah, it's one of those things. I heard somebody say this. I don't know if it's a quote, but, you know, the inner game controls the outer game. Yeah, that's it. Right? What's in between your two years, you know? If you let stuff creep in, like it's going to affect what your output is. But if you can control that, man, that's a big unlock.

Yeah. So I had to spend many a days in that. mirror asked myself like Rennie, who are you? Like, what do you stand for? You know, is football, is that football jersey all you were? Or was it, you know, just an enhancement of who you are? So that those moments, man, after the fact were just as important, just how I approached life. Taking that same linebacker mentality and using it to really fulfill me in business. And a lot of the things that I was able to do, like the success I've been able to have off the field is a result of understanding how to translate the experiences that I had on the field. And so many of us struggle

with that to the point where we feel like when we leave the game of football, like we have nothing to offer the world whatsoever. And so a mixture of that, having that understanding. And also at the same time, like you said, reputation, brand, like all the scenes that I planted from high school, from how I treated the janitor and the lunch ladies to being at University of Georgia, the network that I was able to build there and just how hard I went on the field. Like that gave me credibility in the business world because that's what people remember. They're like, hey, knew you were a leader. We knew you a guy, man, you had this motive that never stopped. And so based off of my performance, it really, really, like I said, about sitting down

with a CEO and I was reaching out to our principal and never thinking about bringing me in to speak to their students or just support my business in any way. They immediately reverted back to what they knew about me. And so that gave me such an edge, man. And I try to tell guys that as much as I can, hey, like, do not take your platform for granted. Build this thing, build relationships, make sure you're planning the right Cs in terms of just the brain that you're building, the reputation that you're building, how you treat people. Because one day it is going to come back up. 100%. Yeah. It's, it's, it's, just like the quote from the late great Dr. Maya Angela, right?

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care, you know, and you planted those seeds early and often. And so when you ended up coming around, after, people remember. People remembered how you made them feel and how much you actually cared about them. Yeah. And I'm sure that's paid dividends, you know, and everything you've been doing. Dividends. I mean, I've had experiences where it's like I'll go to a school, like I said.

as a speaker and it'll be like somewhere random north Georgia, south Georgia. I've been from way cross to to code Georgia all over the state and I'll get to a place and I'll meet with a teacher or the principal who brought me in and they'll be like man you don't remember this but five years ago 10 years ago we're at this event and my son was in line and not only did you sign his autograph but you talked to him and that meant so much to me And that meant so much to my son. I just want you to know that. And I'm just like, I didn't even know these things.

No, that's awesome. Yeah, I'm just being who I am. But like those seeds, man, it really, it leads to something, man. And it can bless you down the road. And I don't think a lot of people think about that. Like they, people always forget, like, where people are today is not where they're going to be at five years, 10 years from now. A percent, yeah.

So you always have to keep that in mind. The same people who you might look down on or whatever, the bridges that you you burn are the ones you're going to need to cross in the future that you may need to cross in the future. So I've always tried to remember that. And even if I can't help somebody, I'll at least you're in respect. Yeah, that's awesome. Well, listen, man, it's been great learning about your story and your journey. And I want to give the audience some just some ways that they can reach out to you because I know a lot of people are going to listen to this.

And I've got listeners in 45 countries. So, you know, who knows? Maybe out in Liberia they're going to hear this. That would be pretty amazing. But give the audience some context. they find you if they want to reach out? You know, where do you, where do you spend time on social or do you have a website, you know, if somebody wants to hire you as a keynote speaker for their event or if they just want to reach out and just ask you for some advice, where are the best

places to reach Rennie Curran? Yeah, definitely. So the first place, of course, is my website and that's rennie Curran.com. And on there, you'll find information about what I offer as far as the keynote speeches, workshops, and then the coaching. So I work with businesses, associations, schools as well, speaking on anything from leadership, team building, overcoming adversity, personal branding, a lot of different topics. And then also on the coaching side, I work with business leaders and also athletes as well, helping with things like personal development. So if you're a leader out there who's struggling with time management, who wants to understand

how to build your brand, build your network, and really just expand what you're doing and grow your business and grow your brand. can definitely help you. And then also with athletes who are going through the transition, you know, I really, really help a lot of guys with their personal brand, getting clarity on just where they're trying to go in life. Also younger athletes, I work with linebackers part-time. You know, that's something I can't get away from. I got to, I can't let all that knowledge and whatnot go to waste. So on my website is where you can find a lot of information. And then also very active on LinkedIn and also on Instagram, Facebook.

as well. So any one of those platforms, I'll be more than happy to talk to you, Twitter as well, too. Awesome, awesome. Awesome. Appreciate you sharing that. I'm going to make sure that that info is in the show notes so people can just click on those links directly and find you. It's been so awesome here in your journey, man. And I think the biggest lesson I learned from you is that you're not a quitter. You never give up. And you're very, very humble. And so kudos. Shout out to mom and dad. You did a good job. You know, teaching him those lessons. And, you know, I'm really excited about everything that you're doing. Hopefully, you and I will be able to collaborate on some aspect as well.

So I appreciate you coming on, the Blaz Your Own Trail podcast. Yes, sir. Thanks so much for having me, man.