The Sam Acho Podcast

Sam Acho: Welcome to the Sam
Acho podcast, featuring Cliff

Marshall, also known as CliffNotes.

This is the place where we go first,
we give space and we grow hope.

We talk about faith, family,
football, and finance.

And so we're so excited, uh, once
again to have a very, very special

guest.

Clif Marshall: Absolutely.

Sam, I wanna introduce to, uh, everyone
out there listening, Eric Wood.

Uh, Eric is a former professional
football player who was a

center for the Buffalo Bills.

The National Football League.

He played his college football for the
Louisville Cardinals and was selected

in the first round of the 2009 NFL
draft with the 28th overall pick.

Eric played nine seasons in the NFL,
including a Pro Bowl appearance before

retiring in 2017 due to a neck injury.

Since 2019, he's been the color
commentator and analyst for the

Buffalo Bills radio network.

Eric is a Christ follower, a
husband, and a dad who currently

resides in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ewood.

Thank you so much for
being on our podcast.

Eric Wood: It's an honor to be on.

I'm a fan of this podcast.

I've reached out to you guys before
giving you some feedback and some,

uh, positive encouragement after
episodes that you've had in the past.

So it's an honor to be on with you guys.

Love you both.

Clif Marshall: Absolutely, Eric and
I wanna say, um, we have known each

other, I guess since 2002, 2003.

Uh, I knew you when you were as.

Senior in high school, I was a strength
and conditioning coach with the

Louisville Cardinal football team,
and we began recruiting you outta

Cincinnati Elder, um, Jeff Brom, who's
the head coach now at the University

of Louisville, who's a great friend of
mine who was actually in my wedding.

Um, he's done many great things
over the course of his coaching

career at Western Kentucky, at
Purdue, and now again at Louisville.

But I say his greatest feat ever.

Was finding the diamond in the rough
Eric Wood, because you didn't have a

ton of offers right outta high school.

So walk me through that process of kind of
how you chose to be a Louisville Cardinal.

Eric Wood: Yeah, it was, it was easy
because I only had one scholarship offer,

so it became a very easy decision for me.

And you know, you, you mentioned
it, Jeff Brom had, was recruiting

other guys from a high school,
elder high school in Cincinnati.

We had a bunch of division one talent.

I was a tight end my junior year, switched
to offensive line my senior year, and I

wasn't really on the recruiting radar.

I started gaining some interest
my senior year, and then Jeff Brom

offered me my first scholarship offer
actually after a basketball game

became and watching me play basketball.

And so to me, I.

I mean, there was a lot
of positivity around that

Louisville program at the time.

They had a good 2003 season.

Brian Braum was the US USA
Today player of the year.

He was coming in to play quarterback.

They had some other
nice recruits coming in.

And so I'd love to say, you know,
I saw the foresight and I saw maybe

early playing time or how good our
offenses and teams would be, but.

You know, God, God, God made
it a very easy decision for me.

And look, I can get
decision fatigue in life.

And so for me it was a very easy decision
and ended up being an incredible one

to go join the Louisville Cardinals.

Sam Acho: Eric, what do you remember most
about your time at Louisville and why

did you decide to call that place home?

Eric Wood: Yeah.

Honestly, from the day that I got to
Louisville, this city just embraced me.

Whether it was Tom J, the athletic
director at the time, the coaching

staff, people around the community,
I had a great group of friends that

didn't play football, met him through
our long snapper at the time, who

was from Louisville, so I got to be.

Good buddies with him
and a lot of his friends.

So I had a, a friend base outside of the
football program that's actually the group

of friends that I met my wife through my
college girlfriend, who's now my wife.

So got to meet her through that, that
kind of friend group that I still

remain friends with to this day.

And so, to me, you know, I'm
from the west side of Cincinnati.

Where we live in Louisville is, is
a little bit different from where

I grew up, grew up and, um, and,
and look, when I got to the NFL.

I asked some people, uh, Jason Spitz
included, who Cliff coached as well at

Louisville, played a long time in the NFL.

I said, what gets guys
outta the NFL the fastest?

He said, you forget
what got you to the NFL.

So, in the off season, I would go back
to Louisville and train with the college

guys at least a couple days a week,
maybe, you know, if I had, you know,

certain areas I wanted to improve on.

I, I'd go see, you know, a
one-on-one trainer for those, but

at least twice a week throughout my
entire career, I would go back and

train with Louisville Cardinals.

I always say it kept me young, you
know, my wife, someone would come

on the radio and I'd be singing
along to like a newer hip hop song.

She's like, how do you even know this?

I'm like, because I train
with the college guys.

They keep me young.

And, and for me it also allowed
me to build relationships with

guys, to be able to mentor to guys.

And, you know, I mentioned Jason Spitz.

Well, I got to be that for so many
guys at Louisville because of it.

And so.

We love Louisville.

I, I didn't know I was gonna be calling
games on the radio for the bills.

Uh, when my career ended, we sold
our house pretty quickly up there

and moved back to Louisville.

So, uh, commuting for work nowadays
isn't super convenient because I'm going

to home and away games for the bills,
and we live in Louisville, but this

is home for us and we love it here.

Clif Marshall: Well, part of living in
Louisville, Kentucky, Eric, is you get

to be a part of the Kentucky Derby.

So talk to me about that, and how many
consecutive Kentucky der have you been to?

Eric Wood: I'd say probably 15 or 16.

I mean, we went in college, but I wouldn't
even really call that going to the derby.

We, you know, I don't even
know if I ever even placed a

bet on a horse in college now.

I didn't know anything about
horse racing at the time.

I didn't have any money.

And you know, we're out in the infield
with, you know, the masses, I'll say.

So waiting in line to place a bet, you
can't do it on your phone nowadays.

Like, uh, you can now back then.

And so, uh, the Kentucky Derby special
though, you know, we love bringing people

to Louisville, showing off the city, uh,
what they've done with Churchill Downs.

Uh, bill Mud, the president of Churchill
Downs Inc's a good friend of ours and.

So what they've done at
Churchill has been incredible.

It's an incredible experience.

I always say it's the best sporting
event to bring your wife to

because there's no competing team.

So it's not like walking into
a football game where if you're

wearing Steelers, you know.

If you're a Steelers fan, you're wearing
a jersey and you're in Cincinnati,

someone's gonna cuss at, you know,
you're just complimenting outfits.

Hey, who you, who you
like on this next race?

You're, you're all there to,
you know, place a few bets,

have fun, connect with people.

The wives like to show off with the
hats and the dresses, do the red carpet.

And so it's fun for us to bring
other couples in each year for it.

And, uh, each year gets more fun than
the, than the last, in my opinion.

Sam Acho: That's so good.

Eric, you were a first round pick
and an NFL Pro bowler Cliff mentioned

about some of the opportunities
of only having one college offer.

When did you know you could
play at the highest level?

Eric Wood: Yeah, that's a great question.

So.

I'll say this, you know, I, I,
I used to run a podcast called

What's Next with Eric Wood.

When my career ended, I was trying
to figure out what's next for me.

And so people from a variety, interest,
uh, industries, we did over 200

episodes and I got to pick people's
brains that are just successful,

uh, in life, people that I admired.

And that doesn't necessarily
mean financial success.

Uh uh, that doesn't mean
financial success necessarily.

A lot of times it comes with it, but it's.

Everybody from pastors, the big time
businessmen, uh, and women to NFL owners,

to coaches, to players, whoever it may be,
guys I looked up to and I just wanted to

learn from, and it stood out to me that.

Someone at some point gave them
the confidence to either take that

risk to go all in, that gave them
the confidence to say, Hey, I can,

I belong in this room that I, that
I deserve to be in this position.

For me.

That moment came, I made the freshman
All American team, um, my red

shirt freshman year playing center.

And look, I mean, I played between
two guards that played in the NFL.

We had a.

All American quarterback.

I, I di I, I was just a
freshman in that role at center.

You know, maybe I deserved
it, maybe I didn't.

We had a really good offense, but
I got that award and we got a note

in the mail that came with the
award and it gave the breakdown of.

X amount of percentage of guys that
are first team freshmen, all American

end up being a first round draft,
pick a second round draft pick,

playing this many years in the NFL.

And I framed that, you know, that was, you
know, I was 18, 19 years old and I framed

it at the time 'cause I wanted to keep it.

I wanted to save it.

And to me that put confidence in
me to say, Hey, I can go all in.

You know, I came to the University
of Louisville with one goal

and make sure they got a good
return on their investment.

Whether that was me, you know, practicing
hard, working outta the weight room hard.

Or if that was gonna be a star in
the field, I wasn't sure, but I was

gonna go in there and work my tail off
because that was my only opportunity.

And I know you weren't, at the time, you
weren't getting cut in college, like you

kind of can now with the NIL and all that.

But at the time, you know,
I was just trying to, to, to

find a role within the team.

And so that note that
I got from rivals.com,

I guess.

It gave me the confidence to say,
oh, I got a shot in this league and

if I go all in, I might one day be
able to be a first round draft pick.

That year, Nick Manel got drafted in the
first round as a center and I thought.

Okay, there's only gonna
be one potentially.

Now, my year there was two, me
and Alex Mack, but there might

only be one because there was only
one that year in the first round.

And that became my goal.

I became obsessed with it.

Um, and, and it really drove me to
say, okay, I can, I can go out and

change the trajectory of, of my
family, maybe financially just by

going out and putting in the work.

And it, it, and it drove me to, uh,
to really go out and attack each

and every day to go try and be.

That first round draft pick
that NFL football player.

Clif Marshall: That's great, Eric, you had
a heck of a career with the Buffalo Bills.

Um, then you transition into, you know,
your role now working with the bills,

um, and, and doing media, but you're
also a husband and you're also a father.

Talk to me about how you
manage work-life balance.

Eric Wood: Yeah.

That's interesting.

And that's something I ask many people
that, that I've met throughout time.

Kind of the common denominator that
I've gotten advice on is, look, there's

gonna be different seasons of life.

You know, the fall for me is a lot
busier work-wise than the off season is.

But wherever you're at, be all in there.

Whether it's with your
family, be all in with them.

If you're at work, be all in there.

'cause it's never, it's not likely
gonna be a perfect 50 50 balance, or

I'm gonna be, you know, 80 20 at home.

I, I don't know how that looks
based upon the season of life

that we're in or the season.

Of the year that we're in, that, that
determines what that work looks like.

But, you know, when I'm home, you
know, am I taking the kids to school?

You know?

Yes.

Can I, if I, if I'm able to, yes.

I wanna be able to do that.

And so, you know, obviously it.

I'm, I'm blessed to just have a
completely supportive wife that when I

get outta the NFL, she goes and lets me
chase my next dream in broadcast again.

You know, she understands it's good for my
soul to be around the Bills organization

and to go travel and call games.

Now I try and bring them along with me
as much as I can, and school and sports.

It's getting more and more in the way of
that now than it was maybe a few years ago

when we'd look at the off season or the
schedule for the bills that year and say.

What are the best away trips
that we can bring the family to?

Where could we sneak into vacation?

That's getting harder and harder to do.

But you know, my wife is so supportive and
you know, she never makes me feel guilty.

Those times where, you know, we got a
long road trip and then I gotta stay

and do an appearance for the bills.

I never catch any grief.

But then that also makes me want
to go all in on the back end when

I come back home because I'm not
catching grief in those moments.

So.

You know, I know that's a, you know, kind
of a long-winded answer to say, my advice

would be wherever you're at, be all in
and, and then just understand, you know,

when you, when you feel that angst, maybe
you've been gone too long, maybe the Holy

Spirit's trying to tell you something
that, you know, as you continue to learn

those seasons and those rhythms, maybe.

Okay.

As we schedule out the next one, we
try and figure out something where

maybe I'm not gone as long because.

I'll tell you this, I, I, I, I rarely ever
get angst that I'm not working enough.

I, I generally get the angst
like, man, I, I'm not pouring into

the family enough at this time.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Sam Acho: Hmm, Eric dig.

Let's dig deeper there for a second.

You played at a high level,
you succeeded at a high level.

You are in broadcasting media at a high
level, but you talked about this angst as

far as feeling like, man, family matters.

Where is that from?

Eric Wood: Honestly, it probably
comes from coming from a divorced

household to where, you know, just
deep down, you just think like,

man, I don't ever wanna ruin this.

I don't ever want to.

See my kids 50% of the time, and I
don't ever want to get to that spot

to be where my parents were, where you
only get custody of the kids so often.

And, and I would imagine that's where
it stems from, uh, just, just being

completely honest and, and just.

If I'm telling you my values and, and
where I say I'm prioritizing my life

and that would be my faith, then my
family, and then football is my job.

And so, you know, it kind of goes back to
the faith, family, football, finances, um,

and then I know it doesn't begin with an
F but I always say philanthropy as well,

but, but it's like, okay, if that's what
I'm gonna say, I'm about in that order.

When it doesn't become that order,
I know deep down that's when the

Holy Spirit starts tugging on me.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Great.

Uh, great wisdom, Eric, right there.

I do want to transition and talk a
little bit of football because we have

you, and obviously we have Sam, both
experts, both in the media, right.

And both study the game
like no one I know.

So I want to ask you, what is your
prediction first on the Buffalo Bills,

and then secondly, what is your prediction
on the Louisville Cardinals this year?

Eric Wood: Well, I'll start
with the Louisville Cardinals.

It's harder and harder these days to
stay up with these college programs.

Sam, I see you on college
football live all the time.

I don't know how much prep work
you gotta do for those, but this

is not like when I first got to
ESPN, that was pre transfers in NIL.

And you kind of knew the rosters.

Hey, here's who's coming back.

Here's who the studs were.

Well now, okay, where's
this guy even at now?

Okay, I recognize that name
or, and so college football's

getting harder and harder.

I have full confidence in Jeff
Brom, and they've adapted so

well to this transfer NIL era.

To where, you know, they're going
out and a majority of who they're

bringing in or transfers that they,
that they're working on, you know,

throughout the year to bring those guys
in to fundraise to get those guys in.

So I got a lot of confidence
in my Louis Cardinals.

They got a fairly, uh, favorable
schedule this year as well.

Uh, prediction for them.

I'll say, uh, 10 and two and probably
likely, uh, just missing the playoffs

based upon strength discussion.

So that would be my guess.

I, I hope somehow they can sneak in there.

Uh, they got Miller Moss
at quarterback this year.

The transfer from USC.

I'm not gonna lie, I haven't seen
him play a ton, but I did see him

torch my Cardinals in the bowl game
a couple years ago, and it's not

surprising that Jeff went out and, and
tried to go get that dude this year.

As far as the Buffalo Bills goes,
they've been so close these last four

or five years, just barely can't get
over the hump at the end, whether

it's been the Chiefs or they've got
knocked out by the Bengals one time,

uh, in the a FC divisional round.

Part of it's staying healthy
throughout the season, especially on

the defensive side of the football.

They've been dinged up on
defense in the playoffs.

So can they stay healthy?

Can they put pressure on the
opposing team's, quarterbacks in the

playoffs without bringing a blitz?

That's been their Achilles heel, and so
to me, they bring in Bosa this off season.

They bring in Michael Hoyt,
they sign Larry Ogen Joby.

They draft three defensive linemen in
the draft in the first four rounds.

If those guys can make an impact this
year, I think this is a team that can.

Go all the way.

This is the last year in the
historic Highmark Stadium.

I saw Sam there last year
and it's a special place.

It's gonna be a fun sendoff season
as they moved into a brand new,

beautiful facility across the street.

We're right now, I mean, it is
old school in Buffalo, but it.

But it's our old school.

It's our, yeah, I don't wanna call it
a dump, but I mean, it is what it is.

But it's a fun, awesome atmosphere,
uh, friendliest people that you're

gonna meet in the NFL for the most
part as you're going into the stadium.

It looks like a big
college tailgate out there.

I hope we don't lose some of that with
the, uh, you know, the cost that's

gonna come with getting seats at the new
stadium, but it would be a storybook year

to kind of ride off Highmark Stadium.

Hopefully host throughout the
playoffs there as well, if the

bills can go out and get the one C.

But honestly, I think two biggest things
for bills this year handle business in

the regular season control home field
advantage throughout the playoffs.

I think that gets them over the hump.

And then can this defensive
front put pressure on the

quarterback in the playoffs?

Because that's what's knocked them out.

I mean, they just simply have not
been able to affect the Mahomes,

the boroughs in the playoffs,
and that's what's bid 'em.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Eric, you talked a lot
about influence, right?

Whether it's influencing the quarterback
or maybe people who have had a, that

stadium that's had an influence on you.

I wanna talk about a coach.

Which coach has influenced
your life the most and why?

I.

Eric Wood: That's a,
that's a great question.

I would say to me, my offensive line
coach, when I got to the University of

Louisville, Mike Summers, um, I didn't.

I'll admit, I didn't realize how special
he was until maybe now, later in life.

Then we've remained friends and you
know, the, the little lesson, you know,

you're talking about a Christian man.

Married still to this day, to his wife
Kathy, who I absolutely adore, and

they would have us over to their house.

And I got to see him not only be
a coach on the football field,

but then how he treated his wife,
how he treated his daughter, Amy.

I get to see how he is with his grandkids
now, and we'll go out and visit.

My daughter loves horses.

I'll go, Michael texts
me, Hey, we got some fos.

Bring your daughter out.

Come meet these horses.

And, and still to this day, he's
pouring into me now on the field.

I was a sponge.

I, and I played one year of
high school offensive line.

So when I got to the University
of Louisville, one of the great

things, and you know, you talk about
blessings in life, you could say,

well, I had no experience at O Line.

Well, I had no bad habits either.

And so Mike Summers could just mold me
into the player that he wanted me to be.

And so I really appreciated, uh, and
still to this day, the impact that he

had on me and the others in that room.

And then when I think about.

Guys that you know, affected my career.

We had an offensive line coach come
to the bills named Aaron Kromer,

and he was absolutely outstanding.

He had kind of a, I don't
wanna say checkered reputation

coming into the bills.

He had the J Cutler comments
when he was in Chicago.

He had the incident prior to coming to the
bills with a little scuffle on the beach.

But talk about a guy that really helped
transform my game to the next level.

Kind of get out of the like.

Meathead, we're gonna use all we
got and we're just gonna move these

guys off the ball into, Hey Eric,
I need you to become a technician.

You're getting older and I'm gonna,
I'm gonna really teach you some

techniques to transform your game.

And he did.

And it wasn't a coincidence then.

That's the year that I get into the Pro
Bowl, Aaron Cromer's first year, and so.

Uh, Aaron Kromer when we had a
coaching champs, uh, a coaching staff.

Change goes out to the Rams, wins the
Super Bowl with the Rams, and then Sean

McDermott calls me a few years ago, and
I'm glad Sean told this stir 'cause I,

I would never wanna bring it up unless
Sean told it first and he did last year.

If someone asked how he got connected
to Aaron Cromer, 'cause he's now back

with the bills and the bills had one of
the best offensive lines in the league.

So this is actually kind of a funny story.

So a FC championship game, we
have some people over our house.

I get a call from Sean McDermott.

I knew that they had just fired their
offensive line coach, and I looked

at my wife, Leslie, and I said, I
think Sean's about to offer me a job.

And he wasn't offering me the job.

He wanted to know who I would recommend.

And I said, Hey, if you can get Aaron
Cromer, who loves Buffalo, his family

loves Buffalo, if you can get him back.

That would be the ideal
coach for this group.

Just knowing the young guys they had
the talent that they had, and they

absolutely love him up in Buffalo.

So I, I would say Mike Summers
and Aaron Cromer would be the

two most influential on me.

But that, I mean, I, there's so many I
could name, you know, strength coaches,

they spend so much time with the players.

I think back to a Joe Ken, who
I had laid in my college career,

who treated me like a pro, I mean.

If I wasn't feeling, if, if something
was bothering me, it wasn't a hey, he

would get tougher and push through.

It was a no.

You're a, you're, you're a,
you're gonna be a pro, so I'm

gonna treat you like a pro.

And he taught me how to manage my
body and maximize some strength gains.

Jason Amp.

I mean, he was there early
in my career at Louisville.

He did so much to transform my body to
a division one and future NFL Center.

And so there, there's, there's a lot
of those folks out there, Joe Dallas,

Andres, um, who passed away last year.

He was with the Ravens.

He was my offensive line coach
earlier in my career in Buffalo.

I mean.

Like I said, I mean, Sam, same way.

I'm sure with you, cliff, you think back
the people that influence you, you hate

to just name a couple because you're gonna
leave the people out, but man, just, just

so fortunate to have been around so many
great coaches, and I'll end with this.

We had very little success
throughout my time in Buffalo.

We broke the longest playoff
drought in all of professional

sports my last season in the NFL.

When you're that bad, we had
including interims, seven

head coaches in nine years.

And so you could say, Hey,
that's, you know, terrible

because there's constant turnover.

Well, I also got to meet so many
tremendous individuals because there

was so many of those people coming
through the facility every, you

know, one and a half to two years.

And then now I get to see those
guys through broadcasting on the

sidelines and catch up before games.

And so, you know, at the time
where I probably didn't see it

as a blessing, that's something
I do see as a blessing now.

Clif Marshall: Well, Eric,
you talked about some coaches

that have influenced you.

Is there a book that you've ever read that
maybe had influence on your life as well?

Eric Wood: The book that probably has
had the biggest influence on my life

actually stemmed from a Tony Dungy book
that I read, and he was referencing,

uh, apologetics writings, and so.

I had never kind of
delved into that world.

And so I started with the Case for
Christ, which is maybe the most popular

Christian apologetics book ever.

And look,

however you get down to it, you're
gonna need some type of faith to

believe in what you cannot see.

But I loved the Christian Apologetics
writings and especially the Lee

Strobel, uh, writings that he's done.

And he's written a bunch of 'em now.

I've read, I believe 'em
all at this point, but.

Being able to, to really say like, this,
this happened and this is why it happened.

And you know, the apostles,
you know, they all died.

11 of the 12 died
extremely violent deaths.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Eric Wood: And they wouldn't have done it.

Like maybe one or two of them does.

But if they didn't witness it, if they
didn't see it, they wouldn't have done it.

And the book's great.

It goes through many other examples.

Case for Easter is incredible.

Um, case for Faith.

I mean, you could read 'em
all, they're all great.

But I would say the case for Christ is
probably the book that had the biggest

influence kind of on my walk with Christ,
which is the biggest influence in my life.

And, uh, but I give Tony Dungy the
credit for turning me onto that.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Eric, I'm gonna transition a little bit.

You know, on this podcast
we talked about going deep.

You know, we, we like to kind of talk
about some hardships and struggles,

and so my question for you is, what's
the biggest adversity that you faced

in life, and how did you overcome it?

Eric Wood: Yeah, I mean I've,
I've been through a good

amount of adversity in my life.

I would say the biggest.

The biggest one that stands out would
be having the career ending neck injury.

Before the 2017 season, I signed a
contract extension with the bills.

Everyone thought we were tanking.

Um, call me an eternal
optimist, but I didn't see it.

I mean, we had a lot of
talent still on the team.

We had just brought in Sean McDermott.

We had the new ownership group in place.

Brandon Bean was getting hired,
or Brandon Bean had been hired.

And so I had a lot of faith in those
guys and I said, I believe we got,

we can have a winner here in Buffalo.

And so I signed a contract extension
before the season first contract that

Brandon Bean ever gave out as an NFL GM
and play every single snap that season.

We break the playoff drought,
we're getting ready to draft our

future quarterback in the draft.

Who ends up being Josh Allen
and I go to exit physicals.

Which every, every player in the NFL
has to take a physical before you

leave the facility for the off season.

And they said, Hey, let's,
let's get an MRI on your neck.

You had some stingers this year.

I'm like, my high school
buddies had stingers.

I, I never missed a snap the
entire season and my son's

about to be born in Louisville.

I need to get the heck outta here.

And so they said, let's get grab an
M MRI on your neck and you can leave.

Three days later, I'm in the hospital
room waiting on my son to be born.

So 50 minutes before he's born,
I find out my career is over.

I have a career ending neck injury.

Disc and bone sitting into my spinal cord
at C2 C3, and they said, look, I know

you saw Ryan Sha ear laying on the field.

That should have been you.

I don't know why it isn't based upon
the MRIs, but as high as it is, you

could never come back and play football.

And so at that time, it's not only
hard on you, it's hard on your

family, it's hard on your wife.

I mean, we were worried about how we were
gonna get a two week old to the Pro Bowl,

and now we're trying to figure out what
are we gonna do with our house in Buffalo?

What does this next
stage of life look like?

You know, there was some disputes
contractually with the bills, which

was tough because those are my buddies.

Those are myrie, you know, I
thought you guys cared about me.

And the second part of the question
on how I got through it, I'll say

this, it, it was my faith in God.

It was the people that.

God had put in my life for a reason
and I didn't know exactly why.

I was surrounded by such a great
group of people nationally, but

especially in Louisville that
could really just pour into me.

Through that time, I was
working with an executive coach

at the time, uh, six months.

I started with him six months prior.

To my career ending, who ended
up just being perfect to help me.

Throughout that transition, I wrote
a book called Tackle What's Next?

It's chronicled much deeper in that,
uh, in that book there, I honor many

of the podcast guests that came on
and helped me through that transition,

people that poured in into my life.

But you guys will get a kick out of this.

So, uh, uh, our team chaplain
in Buffalo, he based our entire.

Chapel series that year
around Matthew 25 7.

He who builds the foundation on
the rock, you know, the storms will

come, the winds are gonna blow, but
he will not crumble because he has

his foundation built on the rock.

And I, I just kept thinking, man, this
could be really valuable for somebody in

here, but like, life's good right now.

I'm not injured.

And I had dealt with injuries
throughout my career.

I got hurt my first four
years in the league.

Went on IR twice, broke my
leg again in 2016, like.

I was thinking, man, this
is gonna be so beneficial.

And it was me.

It was literally for me, I
had rocks from the season.

'cause that was the theme that year.

And we'd have different verses
on these rocks all kind of

based back off of Matthew 25 7.

And it was amazing that it was all for
me, and thank God that through U of

LFCA and through the people that poured
in my life, that I had a foundation

built on the rock that included.

My faith in God, but also friends and
family that, that they lifted me up and

people came into my life and said, Hey,
if you want to transition into media,

please let me help you out because
you've been so great to me, you know,

throughout your time with the bills.

And it, it just really helped.

Was it all sunshine and rainbows?

Absolutely not.

Is it sunshine and rainbows now?

No.

I don't know if I'd still be playing
at 39, but at 32, I felt as good as I

did throughout my entire career, and my
confidence level was so high in the game.

In my game.

And then at what point
would I have hung it up?

You know, it's, you're on the
verge of the Super Bowl, each year

you get to snap to Josh Allen.

Uh, and me and Josh have
become pretty good buddies now.

And you know, it just,
there's times where it hurts.

You see them report back to training camp
this week and I'm like, I really wish

I could have had a few more of those.

But But you know what?

Life gets better each and every year.

We're at such a fun stage with
a 7 and a 10-year-old now.

Me and my wife are, are in, in as
good of a spot as we've ever been in

our relationship, and it continues
to get sweeter in, in our marriage.

And so, uh, extremely blessed to be
sitting in these shoes right now.

But at that time, in 2017, heading
into early 2018, it was difficult.

Clif Marshall: What a great testimony.

Eric and I tell you, God doesn't
cause pain, but he can use

pain to draw us closer to him.

And you explained that
through that adversity.

You leaned upon your faith and you,
and you grew closer to God through

that, if that was your greatest

Eric Wood: I was gonna say
real quick, real quick.

I would get asked to speak often
prior to the career ending injury

at, you know, an FCA event or a
a, a men's group at a church, and.

I would always say like, my testimony's
boring, you know, I got poured

into by a good amount of people.

I'd never necessarily had a rock
bottom moment to where I came up.

Uh, I didn't have that, you know,
saw to Paul transition per se.

I just kind of, you know, over time
I said, wait, that guy's a Christian.

He's a Christian.

What's the common denominator here?

I wanna be like all these people.

What's the common denominator?

Okay, well let me check this out.

Let me, let me dig deeper.

Let me dive deeper.

Got baptized in 2012 and after
that I have my testimony.

It, it is like God has used that story to
put me in rooms and put me around people

and potentially impact so many people
because of that pain that you mentioned.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Cliff, can I ask one just to dive deeper?

'cause Eric, you kind of went back
and, and shared about that testimony.

What was God, what did you learn about the
character of God during that sudden stop?

Eric Wood: I don't know if it was the
character of God, but kind of just

going back to that foundation like.

Chris Morgan at U of L, our FCA
director always says, you know, in

life you're either going into a storm,
in a storm or coming out of one.

You know, it's, if you're in a
sweet spot in life, just get ready.

Those storms are coming, you
better have your foundation.

Right.

And I realized the importance
of that, uh, much deeper.

And I mentioned, you know, coming from
a divorced household and we had some

turmoil in the house as a kid, like.

I've, one of my biggest transitions in
my faith over the last probably four

or five years, and some of it comes
with having a son now, is I, I, I, I

would always say that I believe God was
my Lord and Savior, but when I prayed

Heavenly Father over these last four
or five years, it feels different now.

And, and just like the, the way
I see my son and the love I have

for him and understanding that.

God's love is so much greater in
in, it's in almost incomprehensible.

But that's kind of been one of my biggest
transitions in my faith journey over

these last four or five years is God is
my father and not just my Lord and Savior.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Hmm.

Clif Marshall: Eric, if that was
your greatest adversity, the neck

injury, right, that ended your
career, what is your greatest victory?

you've had some great victories too.

I mean, being a first round draft
pick, being a pro bowler, you know,

being a dad, what would you consider
your greatest victory in life?

Eric Wood: I would say career wise, um,
I got the nomination for Walter Payton

Man of the year twice with the bills.

And, you know, that's not
the sexiest award in the NFL.

It's not, you know, MVP of the league,
but to be voted on that by your

teammates, which is a, a character
award and also a performance award,

but to be that twice for the bills.

You know, I, I just remember sitting
there as a rookie and a young guy

in the league thinking, man, I
wanna be just like Fred Jackson.

And Brian Scott, and a number
of those guys who had won.

That nomination in the past and to
get honored with that was career-wise,

probably my greatest victory, I'd say.

Now making the Pro Bowl was extra special.

You know, we didn't grow up
going to Hawaii as a kid.

I got to bring a bunch of people out to
Hawaii with me to experience the last

Pro Bowl in Hawaii that, you know, they
had never experienced Hawaii before.

And to be in that setting was
was absolutely incredible.

Honestly, I'd say my greatest
victory right now is just looking

around at my family and just seeing
my kids and how they interact

and my relationship with my wife.

And look, that doesn't come without work.

And we've been in a couple's bible
study for, uh, we were trying to

do the math the other day, I think
about 12 years now, where we're

getting poured into by other couples.

We surround ourself with other
couples that we can learn from.

We have.

Close friends that are, you know,
our age, but I almost see them as

mentors in relationships as well.

But, you know, I, I would just
say, you know, where I'm at as

a husband and father, I would
consider my greatest victory.

And I give all the credit to the
people that I've got to witness

and learn from throughout my life
to be able to make that happen.

Sam Acho: Who are some of
those people who you've learned

from, who've made that impact?

Eric Wood: Yeah, so Dave and Beth Stone.

So Dave Stone was the pastor at
Southeast Christian Church for.

19, 20 years.

And so he invited me and my wife
to a, a bible study, a couple's

bible study at their house.

I believe it was 2013,
right after we got married.

And so we've been doing that and
you know, we might meet 10, 12

times a year, but super impactful.

Um, I was in a disciple development
group with seven other guys at

Southeast, including Kyle, Adam, their.

Current head pastor at Southeast.

And just learning from those
guys has been really special.

I mentioned Chris Morgan on here a
couple times, our U of LFCA director,

just seeing him in college and how he
interacted with his wife and how he

served our team and then served his
three girls was just beyond special.

Um, and then, and then we just have
some, some close friends, you know,

whether they're our age or older,
where we, you know, I'll say, you know.

What, what makes it work?

You know, how, how do you, how do
you get to be 60 years old and you're

having fun with your wife still?

You have a relationship
with your kids, you have a

relationship with your grandkids.

'cause you see it all the time
where people don't have that.

They, you know, they just didn't
make the investments along the way

and it becomes an estr relationship.

So, um, you know, those are
a few specific names, but.

Like I said earlier, I, I know I'm leaving
some out, you know, and, and I, it's,

uh, I've remiss to not mention them by
name, but, um, you know, those, those

are the ones that stand out right now.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Eric, I have a great respect
for Southeast Christian Church.

I actually started attending that church
in 2004 when I was finishing up my

career at the University of Louisville,
and Dave Stone was preaching there.

Kyle Iman was his.

Assistant at the time, and we often
visit that church, uh, from time to time

when I'm driving back down to Kentucky.

And I know you're a part
of a men's group there.

Um, you know, as you mentioned, and one of
the bible verses that I like is Proverbs

27 17 and that says iron sharpens iron.

Can you talk about just getting plugged in
at that church and in those bible studies

and how that's helped you in your walk?

Eric Wood: Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, when you attend the fourth
biggest church in the country, I

don't know where the metrics are now.

I know.

At one time it was fourth, and
maybe, you know, I know that

that changes each and every year.

But if you're not getting in with a
small group of dudes or couples, it's

gonna be tough to, you know, get those
personal touches each and every week.

Now, you, you, that's not taken away
from anyone who doesn't attend the

small groups, but I would recommend
if you're at a really big church.

To get that accountability in
life, you're probably gonna need,

uh, to get in a smaller group.

You know, we've all been in locker rooms.

You get enough accountability in a
locker room, you know, you can't get

away with anything in a, in a locker
room, whether it's college, NFL, whatever

it may be, with a coaching staff.

Someone's checking you constantly.

But when you get with a small group,
it allows you to dig deeper with a

smaller group of guys or gals that
can, that can check you in life

and say, Hey, I see these blind
spots, uh, in your life and, and.

Look, I, I've always really prided
myself on being coachable and, and I

want to continue to be like that now.

I mean, I love to play golf.

I have a dude who gives
me lessons and can.

Tell me what's going on there.

I have, you know, I had an executive
coach, a, a, a life coach per se, uh,

for a while, for a long time, three and
a half years, to, to try and help me in

my transition and check for blind spots.

I've had my own personal advisory
board where I open up my finances.

Everything and say, Hey, pick this apart.

Tell me where I'm going wrong.

And these are all guys that I
look up to and, you know, have the

characteristics I wanna be like in life.

So, you know, I just think there's
tremendous value in, in being a part

of a small group and you know, even
especially, you know, people that

transition from military or team
sports or whatever it may be, finding

that group again can be so valuable.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Sam Acho: So you talked
about Cliff, your life verse.

Eric, I want to ask you,
what is your life verse?

What verse in the Bible has kind
of emanated with you the most?

Eric Wood: Yeah, so we have a,
a verse that's on our wall right

before you leave our garage door.

Proverbs 1125.

He who refreshes others will be refreshed
and a generous person will prosper.

And look, there's,
there's so much that can.

Stray our attention, our kids' atten,
you know, attention on what they

should be like, what they want to do.

And I say, look the woods,
we want to be joy spreaders.

We wanna refresh others.

We are beyond blessed.

And I'm not just saying find like we
are so blessed in our current stage

of life with health and resources
and where we live and all that.

Like we should be joy spreaders
and we're gonna be generous.

We've been given a lot.

Time, talent, and treasure.

We're gonna use it to benefit others.

And so that's become, that's
become our family's verse.

And my personal, it was my
verse personally, and then I

made it our family verse too.

Like, but it, but it just
simplifies it, you know?

It's like when my daughter gets
outta the car before school, I

say, what are you gonna make today?

Best day ever.

What are you gonna do?

Spread joy.

Alright, go get it.

I, you know, do I want
her to get good grades?

Sure.

She rides horses.

Do I want her to win first place?

Absolutely.

I take more pride in watching people
light up when she walks in a room because

of how she treats people and how she
treats classmates like, to me, that's

what the woods should be all about.

And so we try and spread joy and
bring generosity everywhere we go.

Clif Marshall: Great wisdom Ewood.

At the end of every show, I like to give
a cliff notes and two cliff notes that I

took from you today, both very impactful.

The first you said, be all in,
be where your feet are, so if

you are at work, be all in.

Be where your feet are.

If you're at home and you're being a dad.

A husband, be all in, be where your
feet are, and the second one you just

finished saying it, refresh others
so you can be refreshed, spread joy.

And that's Proverbs 1125.

So thank you brother for the wisdom
and the um, the great advice you've

given us here over the last 45 minutes.

We can't thank you enough for
being a part of our podcast today.

Eric Wood: No, like I said at the start,
it, it's an honor to be on with you guys.

This is a, this is a bright spot of
my day to be able to connect with you.

Two.

Big fan of the podcast, appreciate
what you're doing, the message that you

guys, uh, spread in your daily lives and
then now spreading through the podcast.

And I'm glad you're doing the podcast
so more people can be exposed to it.

So I appreciate both you guys.

Sam Acho: Now we appreciate you and
one thing I know we usually, this is

usually our ending, but man, you've
mentioned this a couple times, uh,

on our podcast we talk about faith.

We talked about it on this podcast,
family talk about family football.

Finances.

You've mentioned that word a couple
times, and I, I have a question because

you went from kind of, people might
call it like unknown to first round

pick, to signed a big deal, and then
all of a sudden, unbeknownst to you,

your career ends, but you've talked
about finances in different ways.

How have, what has money
been for you and your family?

Eric Wood: Man, that's a great question.

And, and, and honestly, you know,
you look around and you could

compare yourself to anybody.

We see the salaries that some of
these guys are making nowadays,

and you could say, Ooh, and, and,
and one of the things I've tried

to just strive for is contentment.

Like, yes, I still want to be successful.

I wanna be a good steward of my money.

I wanna make successful investments
And I want to be paid what I

deserved in broadcasting, but
being content, we, where we are.

You know, money has provided us a,
a, a certain comfort level in life to

where, you know, I remember as a kid, my
parents constantly fought about money,

and me and my wife don't have to fight
about money and, and it, you know, so

it provides some comfort and security.

It's allowed us to be generous
and make an impact, and that's

really what we want to do.

It's allowed us to have.

Incredible experiences.

I'm getting off the grid with the
family before the season starts

to back up next week, and we're
going out to ranch in Montana.

And had I not played in the NFL,
we might not be able to do those

types of things, but you know, I, I
just never wanna let money define.

Who I am, it's not gonna be my identity.

Yes, we're blessed.

You know, do some people have more?

Of course.

Do some people have less?

Sure.

But that's not gonna define
how I look at anybody.

Um, but I also feel like the way we
have been blessed financially, we

need to be good stewards of the money.

We need to be generous.

We need to be generous at the church,
and we need to, we need to make a, a

kingdom impact because of the financial
security that we currently have.

Clif Marshall: Amen.

Sam Acho: Amen.

That's so good.

That's so good, man.

Well, Eric, we're so grateful to have you.

On the Sam Macho podcast featuring
Cliff Marshall, I thank you for your

time, effort, energy, investment.

I remember watching you from
afar and being like, man, there's

something about this dude.

I know you said that about guys,
that you got a chance like,

well, what is it about this guy?

And for me, you being, uh, a few
years ahead of me, I'm like, man,

there's something about this man.

And so from just from one man to
another, now I'm in media, but yes,

as a player and all those things,
it's like, dude, I respect you.

And it's, it has very little,
I would say, to do with.

The stats or accolades as
a football player, but it's

the way you played the game.

You talked about that return on your
investment to the coaches like that.

For me, you said I was a freshman,
I wanted to have a great return.

I wanted them to have a great return
on their investment that showed up.

You talked about that Walter Payton
Man of the year like that showed up.

That's something I
cared about as a player.

Yes.

Pro Bowl first round and so, and
then now what you're doing in

media, we got a chance to connect.

Last year in Buffalo, and I
mean, we had, don't know, 10

minutes, 30, whatever it was.

But it was so refreshing to hear
the way you talked about God, about

money, about your family, about
your career, about your future, and

for those reasons, uh, thank you.

Thank you on behalf of,
uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, a man.

I would say a young man.

Uh, we're both young men, but a man
who admires you and respects you.

Thank you for, for, uh.

Going all in because it shows
up in everything you do.

Eric Wood: I, I, I really
appreciate those words, Sam, that

that was extremely encouraging.

I appreciate that brother.

Sam Acho: Uh, definitely.

And thank you all so much for
listening to the Sam Macho podcast.

We can't wait to see you soon.