Bill Burke on Beating Tom Brady, Playing for Nick Saban, and Learning Life Lessons Under Center
Quarterback is probably the single most important and difficult single position in team sports. The position demands athleticism, intelligence, poise, and elite decision-making skills. Those who excel at the position must be truly gifted and even so, it is not a guarantee of a professional career.
My guest on this episode, Bill Burke, is a perfect example of this. Bill played quarterback at Michigan State University - my dear alma mater - from 1996 to 1999. During that time, Bill started at quarterback his final two seasons.
Bill discusses some of his great wins, including beating #1 ranked Ohio State in 1998 and Tom Brady’s highly ranked Michigan team in 1999. He also talks about playing for the legendary Nick Saban. Despite his success, he spent only one pre-season in the NFL demonstrating how difficult it is to play quarterback professionally.
Bill has moved onto a successful professional life outside of football, including hosting The Dropbaq Podcast, where he interviews former quarterbacks about their experiences and life lessons playing the most difficult position in team sports.
Bill followed a rocky path to Michigan State, put in the time and effort required to elevate himself to starting quarterback, and ultimately achieved great results through persistent hard work and sacrifice.
Further, Bill has successfully applied the lessons learned on the field and in the quarterback room to his life after football.
My suggestion to high school student-athletes would be to believe in yourself and remain patient in your athletic pursuits. While things may not always unfold the way you expect, the lessons learned through hard work and patience will last a lifetime.
I want to thank Bill for his kind generosity and the wisdom he shared with The Freshman Foundation Community.
You can learn more about Bill @dropbaq and dropbaq.com.
You can learn more about The Freshman Foundation on our website at freshmanfoundation.com.
Thank you for listening. We’ll see you back in one week for Episode 15!