Episode #378
Resilience and disciplined rehab fueled Rocky’s five-year comeback from severe combat injuries, despite being told he’d never play again.
The NFL of the late 1960s–70s was a different world—long drafts, scarce data, and uncertain opportunities that required persistence and adaptability.
Small acts of support and organizational patience (a postcard from Art Rooney, time on IR/taxi squad) created opportunity, which Rocky seized through incremental improvement and later applied to new careers like speaking.
Reality is only what you create in your mind.
Team's not doing well. We need you.
You can only do what you can do.
Growing up north of Pittsburgh, Rocky Bleier was a household name in my home.
I had always known about his story as a great running back and as a wounded combat veteran but I never knew the story behind the story until this interview.
Rocky’s story is a gripping tale of courage on both the gridiron and the battlefields of Vietnam. His life story details how ordinary people can become extraordinary achievers, which defines success in the new American century.
The hard lessons Rocky learned early in his life that helped him overcome adversity and reach his goals have paid off after football. Truly, he’s an epitome of a success through failure story.
Get to know the real Rocky Bleier behind his legendary NFL fame— through success, failure, and everything in between. Tune in now!
