#649 - TJ Ward - 3X Pro Bowl Safety Won A Super Bowl With The Denver Broncos

Super Bowl champion and 3x Pro Bowler TJ Ward sits down with Jimmy to revisit Denver’s epic Super Bowl 50 run, life in the league with the Browns and Broncos, and the leadership that defined one of the 2010s’ most feared defenses. TJ opens up about playing a title game in his Bay Area backyard, the “clutch” side of Peyton Manning that fans forget, and why DeMarcus Ware was the OG leader of that locker room. He also dives into scheme fit, memorable matchups (Gronk, Antonio Gates, Jamal Charles), and the very real grind of injuries and concussions. College fans will love TJ’s Oregon stories—Autzen’s energy, the Nike effect, Chip Kelly’s era, and honest thoughts on NIL, the transfer portal, and the breakup of the Pac-12. Post-football, TJ shares what he’s building now with his new show Safety First and where to follow it. 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Super Bowl 50 homecoming memories 02:27 Defense-led title run & Peyton’s clutch factor 03:39 Browns → Broncos culture shift & leadership (DeMarcus Ware) 07:02 Oregon Ducks: Autzen energy, uniforms, coaches 10:46 NIL, transfer portal, and donor money 13:43 Walk-on to star: injuries, rehab, breakthrough 17:03 NFL health: concussions; dropping weight in Denver 19:24 Cleveland love & toughest matchups (Gronk, Gates, Charles) 21:04 Scheme/coach fit: Rob Ryan, Ray Horton; Tampa frustrations 24:29 Post-football: TJ’s Safety First podcast 25:33 Outro