https://atgridiron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ATG-Rick.png ()SUBSCRIBEhttps://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/after-the-gridiron/id1441939773?mt=2 (iTunes) | https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3poqibyqfnwjnj5mwcn6lhmz2i (Google Play) | https://open.spotify.com/show/3hnoI8YbzNAcJ0Tlg1Hb0B (Spotify)Rick had a long pro career lasting 12 years in the NFL. He played for the Seahawks, Packers, Bears, Jets, 49ers, Raiders and Lions. He grew up in a football family with his dad being a football coach and was exposed to the game at a young age. He did punt, pass and kick as well as football camps growing up but didn’t start playing tackle until 7th grade. He played other sports as well including baseball which he loved, but football was main sport. His dad stepped away from coaching right when Rick started high school football. He didn’t want to have a conflict of interest, allowing for accusations of favoritism, as well as a business opportunity that came for him. Rick still excelled in high school and was recruited by top schools around the country. The Big Ten was his focus, feeling that he would fit in best with a Big Ten school. However Notre Dame was right in his back yard and a power house team at the time so it was easy for him to choose them as his University.He had a great career there and finished with a Cotton Bowl victory. He was thought of as a franchise quarterback and it was widely known that he and Drew Bledsoe would be the top two picks in the draft. The order remained a mystery until the selection was made by the Patriots on draft day. Neither he nor Drew knew who would be the first pick until it was made. Rick decided to stay home with family on draft day and didn’t go to New York for the draft. The closest he got to a Super Bowl was when he was with the Raiders and they lost the game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego. Despite the loss it was a great experience for him to be a part of the game and the atmosphere around it. At the end of his career he knew it was time to move on from football after playing for 7 teams. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do but ended up starting a wine company. His last 4 seasons he was in the Bay area and with the Raiders he had training camp in Napa which initiated his interest in wine. An opportunity came to start a small brand, which is how he liked it, not wanting it to overwhelm his life. He also does work with his foundation, Mirer Family Foundation, which he started at Notre Dame. They assist kids mostly in the Northern Indiana area, providing scholarships for students wanting to attend Notre Dame and other charitable causes as well. For more info on Rick and what he’s involved with, check out the links below.LINKSfoundation: https://www.facebook.com/MirerFamilyFoundation/ (mirerfamilyfoundation)wine business: https://www.mirrorwine.com/ (Mirrorwine)twitter: https://twitter.com/rickmirer?lang=en (www.twitter.com/rickmirer)RESOURCEShttp://www.atgridiron.com (www.atgridiron.com)http://www.symfonies.ca (www.symfonies.ca)
