Richard Seymour – former NFL star still going strong

The first thing any athlete with ambitions can hope for is to have a long and successful sporting career. There is a lot that can go wrong along the way to prevent that from happening, and for various reasons, too. Then there’s a question about what’s next, and Richard Seymour has a strong, and perhaps a little unusual answer to that. 

Seymour spent his active years in professional football playing for Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots, who picked him in the first round of the 2001 draft. 40-year-old was considered to be among the best of defensive linemen in the NFL. He played in seven Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowl championships. Then came 2013 and the decision to retire. And the decision was voluntary and entirely belonged to the famous player, as he didn’t need to continue playing if the right deal wouldn’t come around. Hence, there was anatural conclusion to begin a new chapter in life.    

Even the most fulfilling career has to come to an end at some point. In the world of professional sports, we had manyexamples when that end came too soon for many promising young talents. A career that ran through its course more naturally, still concludes in retirement much quicker than a regular job. Sportsmen and women from various fields, especially if they managed to make a name for themselves, tend to stick to what was known to them. That is why some of them prefer to stay in their respective businesses and try to find something to do there. When faced with a similar decision, Richard Seymour focused on the world of professional poker. 

Of course, he is not the only one of the former athletes that turned to this way of making a living, or at least – a fun way of spending some of their accumulated wealth with a potential possibility to expand it. Various ex-stars are drawn to this exciting profession: Brazilian super striker Ronaldo, Australian cricket player Shane Warne, tennis icon Boris Becker, boxer Audley Harrison, baseball player Orel Hershiser. 

They all have achieved some success in this game. Having acquired a substantial amount of cash along the way, most likely they are not in it for the money. You would rather think different reasons are involved here, such as an eagerness to show off mental strength, or a thrill that accompanies facing the battle of wits with strong opposition when stakes are high. 

However, it does not feel like it is just a hobby for Seymour. Known to be a dedicated card player and a frequent participant of prominent live events and esteemed poker tournaments around the world, he has his eyes on the prize. He participated in the last WSOP event, recognized as the unofficial world championship, and managed to finish in 131^st place, taking home $59,295. His total earnings so far have exceeded over $600,000. 

Seymour’s history goes to show you that some people need to continually challenge themselves in one game of skill or another. Nobody has to be good at everything, but true winners will try nonetheless. We cannot be sure what future holds for former NFL star, but we can wish him all the best in his endeavors.