Digital Social Hour - From NFL Stardom to Business Success: My Journey | Kenyan Drake DSH #1118

Episode Date: January 18, 2025

🏈 From NFL stardom to building a thriving business, this episode of the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly dives into the inspiring journey of an 8-year pro who retired from the game he loves to focus on family, financial independence, and new ventures. 🙌  Hear firsthand what it's really like navigating the highs and lows of the NFL—from the grind to stay active on the roster to the challenges running backs face in today’s market. Discover how the game’s business side led to his decision to retire and how he’s now creating generational wealth through real estate, running his own gym, and more! 💼💪  Packed with valuable insights about life after football, the college playoff changes, NIL deals, and NFL predictions, this episode is a must-watch for anyone chasing success on or off the field. 🚀 Tune in now, and join the conversation!  👉 Watch now and subscribe for more insider secrets. 📺 Hit that subscribe button and stay tuned for more eye-opening stories on the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 🔥 #sportsmanagement #nfl #financialeducation #retirementplanningforathletes #nflnews CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:28 - Kenyan Drake Highlights, Career Insights 05:00 - Specialized Recruiting Group, Talent Acquisition 05:58 - Career Titles Comparison, Personal Experience 07:01 - College Football Playoff System, Format Analysis 10:01 - NFL Predictions, Upcoming Season Insights 12:41 - What’s Next for Kenyan, Future Plans 13:15 - How to Find Kenyan on Social Media, Online Presence APPLY TO BE ON THE PODCAST: https://www.digitalsocialhour.com/application BUSINESS INQUIRIES/SPONSORS: [e-mail] GUEST: Kenyan Drake https://www.instagram.com/kdx32/ SPONSORS: SPECIALIZED RECRUITING GROUP: https://www.srgpros.com/ LISTEN ON: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-social-hour/id1676846015 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Jn7LXarRlI8Hc0GtTn759 Sean Kelly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmikekelly/

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Bet MGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. I just, I love the game. I don't love the business. That's why I personally retired. I actually just had a daughter recently. So that was another decision in me kind of stepping away. I didn't necessarily need to go and chase that check. To get a season accredited,

you have to have at least three games, like active. You're on practice squad all year, you don't get active check, that season doesn't count. And then if you don't get at least three active games, you don't get that season. All right, guys, we got Kenyon here today. Just announced his retirement a few months ago, right? Yes, sir.

Congrats on an eight-year career. Appreciate you. You were just talking about what the NFL stands for. Not for long, dog. Crazy. Did you know that going into it? Yeah, it's something that's kind of thrown around with players, coaches, of course. You know, you in the league, you got to take advantage of the opportunity that you afford

it. But I obviously understand that the majority of the people don't really make it that long and common misconception that it's a lot of money to be made obviously, but two, three years, man, and it's not really a lot of capital to have a family to sustain, especially when you have to go and get another job. Did that pressure ever get to you mentally? Like, damn, if I get injured or something, how am I going to be on? All the time, man.

It's a dog-eat-dog world. And honestly, the mantra is younger and cheaper. So they're always going to try to replace you in any form or fashion. And you got to go out there and perform or don't get paid. You know what I mean? You get replaced. Yeah.

So I mean, every day you got to show up to work. Crazy. Yeah, they were trying to cheap out on running backs recently, right? Yeah, man. I mean, look, I'm really happy about what the league looks like now. Obviously, Saquon's doing his thing, my boy Derrick doing his thing, and everybody else kind of is chasing them in that top back type

of conversation right now. Really bringing a lot of love, a lot of accolades back to that position. I feel like make backs paid again. You know what I mean? Yeah, because they took a fat pay cut. Yeah, you know what I mean? And that's the market. You know what I mean? So how the they took a fat pay cut. Yeah, you know what I mean? That's just, that's the market. You know what I mean? So, how the market goes is, you know,

dictates what somebody may get paid. That's any business. You know, and the market was just looking real shady for a minute, but hopefully the performance of these guys going out there, you know, doing their thing could help get them back up. Yeah. Was it shady because of injuries, Mamley? Yeah, man, backs do, we do it all, man. We We run obviously, catch the ball at the backfield, gotta protect as well. So that's a lot of wear and tear, you know what I mean? Honestly, if I'm from the other side looking at it, I probably would do the same exact thing. You know, there's a lot of wear and tear on backs year in and year out. The statistics is that backs, after they get a big contract, their production go down.

I mean, it just is what it is. So, you know, like I said, I can't honestly be mad at it because it's business. And if I was in that same scenario, I'll probably move in the same way, you know, get production for as less lease as possible. But- That's cool, you look at it objectively.

Yeah, I mean, you have to. I mean, at the end of the day, it's business. I'm in the business of making money. They're in the business of making money. So you have to kind of find a middle ground in terms of you going out there and handling your business. But understand that the older you get, especially in my position,

they're looking to kind of phase you out and you got to go out there and prove it, which I'm glad that Derek, you know, went from Tennessee and now is in Baltimore and is leading the back or leading backs in general through all these different accolades and stuff like that. So, you know, just hopefully everything could continue to trend up in that direction.

Cause I want to see backs, obviously. Absolutely. Not a lot of them make it past stage 30 I heard, right? No, and it's, you know, and honestly, if you think about sports in general, football is a context for very contact driven year in and year out, week in and week out. And I mean, just look at any position, like you said,

two to three years for any, you know, the average mean, you know, year in terms of how long you stay in the league. So I just, I love the game. I don't love the business. That's why I personally retired. Oh yeah. You could have kept playing. Yeah, I could have, you know, went and probably got picked up

by practice squad teams. You know, I actually just had a daughter recently, probably a year and a half ago. Now she's like 16, 17 months now. So that was another decision in me kind of stepping away because I didn't necessarily need to go and chase that check, going to practice squads, you know what I mean? Trying to, you know, get, because what happens is that to get a season accredited, you have to have at least three games active. So if you're on practice squad all year,

you don't get active check, that season doesn't count. Damn. Yeah, exactly. You work all that, and you get nothing. Yeah, you're working, you're getting paid. You're still getting paid practice squad minimum. But that's not active game check, which is substantial, a little bit more.

And then if you don't get at least three active games, you don't get that season. Damn. You know what I mean? So all that went into it. I knew I could probably go and help a team, but in that capacity, I was just kind of over it. You know what I mean?

I love the game, just don't love the business behind it. Right, because there's a lot not in your control at that point. Exactly. The coach can choose not to play you. He can play you two games. Practice squad is a chopping block. You know what I mean? So once you get in that scenario,

and it can not even be a position, it could be a quarterback goes down or a defensive lineman go down, they're starting at the practice squad. You know, me being a 29 at the time last year and 30 year old back now this year. Looking for the ultimate online casino experience? Step into the BetMGM Casino app

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So go to srgprose.com right now to get started. That's srgprose.com. Specialized Recruiting Group, a tailored approach to hiring. You know, your first time to chop and block it is what it is, so I respect it. Absolutely. Two titles at Bama, which one felt more fulfilling for you? Oh man, definitely probably the second one my senior year.

To be able to kind of live up to the legacy that was set before us when I was a freshman, that was the first one I won. And then obviously years prior to that, you know, with the motivation for me going there because they were setting the standard. So they won in like 09, I think they back, repeated 11 and 12 my freshman year. So we kind of came like close, had to kick six against Auburn, ran into a bus all Oklahoma after that, and then lost to Ohio State that first playoff season. So we were always a game out, never could get to it. And that's, you know, college football is what it is.

But my senior year, just having the ability to be like, hey, this is the platform we're setting, the standard we're setting. You see guys like Tua show up after that, Devontae Smith, all the guys on defense that kind of came, you know, after, you know, all the great guys that we have beforehand. And, you know, I love seeing that success kind of play out

year after year. Did you like when they implemented that playoff system? I did. And I like how it, where it is now gives teams more of a chance now is, you know, we always want more, right? You, you give a, you know, give in, people take a mile. So now is what 12 teams.

Is 12 teams now? Is it 12 or? I haven't been keeping up. I thought it was four. Oh, so what happened is that after this year is the first year they brought it to 12. Oh wow. Yeah. So initially it was four. Oh, so what happened is that after this year is the first year they brought it to 12. Oh, wow. Yeah, so initially it was four teams were kind of like on that friends like, hey, we are, you know,

a mid-major team or like a not a not a power four team. Yeah. We have a great team we want we deserve to be in which I respect it like a boys state this year or, you know, even Colorado is a big 12 championship contender going against TCU eventually. So all I can say is I think it's a great thing for college football. A lot of money's coming in. The players again pay now which I love. It's a wild wild west though. It's crazy just how it can be a one year for agency nowadays. Yeah it's nuts. With players literally from, and it didn't have to even be a scenario where you could be honestly telling the truth.

You could kind of just tell them, hey, I'm a five star, I didn't really get to play this year. Florida's offering me this. It could be a complete lie, but that team could be like, well, we don't want to lose this guy. Let's give him what he want. But then at the same time, it could be the opposite in a sense to where what happened with the UNLV quarterback this guy, let's give him what he want. But then at the same time, it could be the opposite in a sense to where what happened with the UNLV

quarterback this year, and you don't make a non-binding agreement, put something in writing, so somebody can actually honor that. And now, guess what happened? Now he's talking about he's going to take the red shirt this year and not play anymore because of a agreement that he thought he had but didn't put in a right. You know what I mean?

I didn't know about that. UNLV's decent this year, right? Yeah, exactly. So they had a quarterback initially that was leading the charge, I think had him like undefeated. And he kind of had a situation where he was like, man, you know, I have this NIL money that was promising me, like, where is it?

And the school was like, well, we can't honor that. Like, we didn't say that. Like he was, but he was promised by, you know, some coach or whatever the situation is. So in that regard, you know, he decided to, you know, stop playing. Yeah, just rest of his year. Damn.

And then another quarterback came in and still continued to succeed. So I'm glad the program didn't really falter from that, but that's the inverse of those two scenarios where you can benefit from a player, but also not benefit. The players have more power now, right? Yeah, definitely compared to what it was back then, but like I said, there's no regulation in it.

So like anything can kind of really happen, you know, promising it be made and not fulfilled or whatever the case may be. It's just what it is. I mean, NIL money, I mean, University of Colorado, those kids are making crazy money, right? Yeah, shoot really all over. I mean, shoot, I know I could have made some crazy money. I was playing around me. At Bama, yeah, those guys are probably killing it. Yeah, I mean, I love it for them dudes, man. Like the fact that, you know, NCAA in general

could make money off of a product that they weren't paying. I mean, they made billions, you know what I mean? And so I think it's honestly right that the players are now getting paid because it's only right, it's fair business. Absolutely. What are your NFL predictions this season? Who do you think is going to win it all?

Man, I honestly really like Kansas City still because Mahomes is, you know, the wild card, obviously. And in terms of, you know, he can do anything in terms of, you know, being a great quarterback. So you always have a chance, punch his chance with Mahomes at quarterback. So you always have a chance, a punchless chance with Mahomes at quarterback. But their defense is the best in the league.

And you know, OSAN defense wins championships. So I honestly expect them to, if they don't, you know, injuries aside, to continue to, you know, be in close games, win close games, have great coaching, to make it eventually again. And I also think that if, as long as the Lions don't sustain any more energies, I already had an injury to Aiden Hutchison,

as long as he doesn't, or anybody else, sustain a big injury, they have the best team top down. So I think it'd eventually be the Chiefs versus the Lions. You think the Lions will win that NFC? Yeah, I think so, honestly. They have a good defense. Their offense clicks on all cylinders, and I feel like that defense makes NFC. Yeah, I think so, honestly. They have a good defense. Their offense clicks on all cylinders, and I feel like that defense makes timely plays.

I really do think that division, really both North divisions, the AFC North and the NFC North are the best divisions of football. So I honestly think it's a toss up of who could eventually come out of that. And that's one thing I love about football compared to basketball or baseball from a playoff standpoint, because you can,

the better team most likely always wins in a series of seven, like baseball, basketball, those types of series. But with football, anything can happen on any game of Sunday or any game of Saturday. The best team doesn't always win because in the scenario of, you know, the quarterback got hurt, you know what I mean? Now they got to fight to kind of get a backup quarterback to come in or

people just making plays, you know, it's just you never know in a football game. You know what I mean? So it's a season within every week. Every week you're just preparing for another opponent. You got to scrap this opponent and go to the next. It's not like you play every day. So you never know in the playoffs, but the better teams that have the best defense usually wins in any sport. Do you think the NFL should change to series in the playoffs?

Like that's two out of three. Nah, that's a lot. Like they're already trying to freaking bring the games up to like 20 games or something, some shit like that. Oh, they're trying to raise it? Yeah, like they've been discussing it. And whenever like the public gets wind of it, I mean, it's probably already been in the works, you know what I mean?

So the more games that they have, the more money NFL makes and why would they not make the most money they can even to the detriment of the, you know, what's paying them the money? Because I mean, playing 18 games in a season plus playoffs plus preseason, that's a lot of games. That is a lot of wear and tear. Dude, what are you working on next? I know you got a gym out here. Yeah, man. Me and Taylor Berry, I have like a partnership with him

and got a lot of guys come in here off season, man. So if you're looking for a gym to kind of come into, don't know, you know, your target audience, but you know, shameless plug. Got a gym out here, a gym to kind of come into, don't know, you know, your target audience, but you know, shameless plug. Got a gym out here, pro athletes that can come and do the offseason training things of that sort. Really on an up-and-up. Got real estate stuff out here as well. So just really trying to make as much passive money as possible. Oh yeah, that's the name of the game.

Yeah, come on man. A lot of that work and people find you. So social media, Twitter and Instagram, both KDX32. And yeah, I have a LinkedIn as well. You can type my name in. LinkedIn? LinkedIn, yeah. Yo, I've never had a guest shout out on LinkedIn.

Let's go. I love it. You know, business savvy, you know what I mean? So, you know, all love, any type of platform, however you do it, you know, give me a shout. Let's go, I use LinkedIn, so I'm just surprised. Yeah, yeah, no, don't. All right, check him out on LinkedIn, guys, peace.

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Bet MGM is your hockey home for the season. Raise your game to the next level this year with Bet MGM, a sportsbook worth a celly and an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League. BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. Must be 19 years of age or older to wager Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have any questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario.