After a successful career in the NFL (including a 2006 Super Bowl championship with the Indianapolis Colts), former linebacker and Cincinnati Native Rocky Boiman offers up some advice for people looking to rediscover themselves and tells us what it’s like to live out a childhood dream.

Cincinnati Profile: Had you always dreamt of playing in the NFL?

Rocky Boiman: Yeah, I did. I remember being grade school, telling my teachers I was gonna go to Notre Dame and play football, and be a captain, and play in the NFL. I’ve been working my entire life for that. Along the way, I had such great people around me – my mom, my dad, even my sister.

CP: Aside from football, what did you study at Notre Dame?

Rocky Boiman (photo: Rocky Boiman Football Academy)

RB: I studied pre-med. Along the way, I was inspired by a doctor, Dr. Robert Burger – the head guy over at Beacon [Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine]. He helped me out with an issue I had when I was young, and I just saw that power that doctors have, to help people.

By my sophomore or junior year, I knew it probably wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I said “I started this, and I’m going to finish it,” and I’m glad I did. It took a lot of discipline and hard work to get that degree, and I’m very proud of that.

CP: When you entered into the NFL, was there any thought at all about life after the NFL?

RB: You know, I did well in school and everything, and tried to be  well-rounded person, but for the most part, I was (focused) on football. I think that’s the kind of dedication it takes to make it. There’s no “I think I can do this,” it’s gotta be “I’m going to do this,” and “I know I can do it.” So in that regard, I didn’t really get involved in a lot of other things. Every day at practice, I showed up and I wanted to be the best, and I wanted to get better at what I did. Having that mindset enabled me to play [pro football] eight years, and that’s a long career, NFL-wise.

CP: You recently formed a political action committee, and helped (Republican congressman) Steve Chabot get reelected. Is politics something you find yourself getting more and more involved in?

Rocky with Congressman Steve Chabot in 2008 (photo: leadpac.org)

RB: Actually, I do. That’s something that, I’d say four or five years ago, really sparked my interest. Looking at the state of our country, and things that I thought needed some changing, I wanted to help out and get involved. With Steve Chabot’s campaign, I mean, what a great guy he is, and what great things he’s done as a congressman here. That was actually in ’08, when I joined his campaign, and he was unsuccessful. Then I came on again this year and helped him.

I just wanted to do more. I didn’t want to be the guy that’s yelling at the television and the newspaper. I wanted to put myself out there and be proactive, so I took it a step further and did the political action committee [LEAD PAC]. LEAD is an acronym for leadership, excellence, action and dedication. In my experience in the NFL, I played with some of the best leaders, best coaches – you’re talking Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jeff Fisher, a lot of great leaders – and they all had these characteristics that made (those teams) the best. We won a Super Bowl when I was on the Colts. They all had long-term vision, they always stuck to the plan, and they were all men of great character. I figured if we expect these characteristics from our leaders in what is arguably one of the toughest professions in the country, why aren’t these same characteristics the ones we expect from our elected representatives? That’s why I started LEAD PAC, with the mission of finding representatives that will be the next leaders of our city, our community, our state. I wanted to keep it at the local and state level, because, in my opinion, that’s where real politics starts to happen – at the grassroots level – and goes up. Maybe other communities can see how this one’s done, and say hey, that’s a pretty good idea.

CP: One thing that’s important for anyone to remember is to take advantage of opportunities. One you recently jumped on is El Arco tequila. What’s that about?

RB: As I mentioned, I have so many different things going on right now. Being in the NFL, I get pitched a lot of different things, and I’m not going to do something I really don’t believe in. I do my homework, and this is something that I think people are really gonna like.

CP: In the NFL you had great opportunities that presented themselves – you have the championship ring on your finger – is that the message you want to convey? Keep an eye out for opportunity?

RB: Keep an eye out for opportunity and don’t really limit yourself. I think you’ve got to find a balance between having too much on your plate – which maybe, right now, I do – but I think you need to do that, to a point, to find yourself a little bit, find what you want to do, and find what you can be successful with. I mean, something like [El Arco] might sound crazy, the political action committee or my desire to get into politics might sound crazy, or my football academy might sound crazy, but I think you’ve got to find what you’re good at and find a way. For me, I just want to make an impact on this community and in this world, and be successful.

I know people say that all the time – “don’t be afraid to try something” – but there’s a lot of hard work that goes into that that people don’t want to talk about. You’ve got to do your due diligence and really put yourself out there, and see where it goes.

Former NFL linebacker and Cincinnati native Rocky Boiman is founder and CEO of the Rocky Boiman Football Academy, and founder of LEAD PAC political action committee. A graduate of St. Xavier High School and the University of Notre Dame, Rocky played eight years in the NFL, including a two-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts – earning him a Super Bowl ring in 2006.

Be sure to check out raw video of our entire interview with Rocky below!