“I had a huge temper, and I beat up a kid because he called me the N-word,” Former NFL player reveals how he avoided juvenile jail and became a neurosurgeon after retirement.

Former NFL player Dr. Myron Rolle has led an interesting life from becoming a professional football player to a neurosurgeon. The youngest of three boys, Rolle grew up in New Jersey, and he said he often got into trouble as a kid.

In an interview with People, Rolle indicated that his life could have gone completely different if he had not made the decision to change:

“I had a huge temper, and I beat up a kid because he called me the N-word. The pivot point for me was standing in that courtroom in front of that judge and having him admonish me for beating up this kid so badly that he had to get medical treatment for his injury.”

From that point on, Rolle decided to take control of his life, and he has not looked back since. Rolle went on to earn football scholarships from two schools, studied at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and had a career in the NFL.

Rolle played college football for Florida State and earned first-team All-American honors in 2006. He was also the ACC Defensive Player of the year in 2006. After college, the Tennessee Titans drafted Rolle in 2010 with the 207th pick in the 6th round. He also spent some time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012 before they released him that same year.

In 2013, Rolle retired from the NFL and enrolled in the Florida State University College of Medicine program. After graduating in 2017, Rolle is now a neurosurgeon resident at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Myron Rolle incorporates 2% Way into his NFL and medical careers

Myron Rolle credits his success to an old lesson from his Florida State football coach, Mickey Andrews. The 2% Way dictates that every individual can work on reasonably tangible and practical goals to improve themselves every day. Over time, these incremental improvements become significant improvements.

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Rolle took this philosophy and applied it to his life. The 2% credo is also the centerpiece of his self-help and autobiography, “The 2% Way.” As a former NFL player and now a medical doctor, Rolle has come a long way from that kid in New Jersey.