CBS Sports shared an article about an NFL player who is retiring and pursuing a new career as a firefighter. The story centers on Tom Zbikowski, a former safety who was released by the Chicago Bears in August after five inconsistent seasons in the league.

Zbikowski, who played college football at Notre Dame, has decided to leave the game behind and join the Chicago Fire Department. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune's David Haugh, he admitted that his passion for football had faded long before his release. "No, not really," he said. "It hasn’t been for a while. Football got old to me. … I enjoyed my first two years in the NFL because it was a challenge. I was playing with the best. But after a while, you don’t care whether you win or lose because you’re still getting a paycheck. I enjoyed high school and college much more."

His NFL career began in Baltimore, where he spent four years before moving to Indianapolis in 2012. That one season with the Colts, however, was the most difficult for him. To cope, he turned to heavy drinking — a habit he says became almost ritualistic. “I’m the only guy who can drink six beers, then spar 10 rounds on the same day,” he joked, noting that he’s also a skilled boxer. He even described his pre-game routine: “Four glasses of scotch and four Guinnesses.” Out of the 64 games he played, he estimated at least 12 were played with a hangover.

“Get a little messed up, sneak a girl into your room, feel on top of the world,” he said. “I had some of my best games off of benders — some of my worst too. My two best seasons ever were 2005 (at Notre Dame) and 2009 (in Baltimore) when I was the most out of control drinking, so I thought, hey, maybe I should go back to that.”

Unfortunately, this lifestyle led to weight gain, and in an attempt to lose weight, he took what he called a “water pill” — which turned out to be banned by the NFL. He was suspended for four games, a decision that likely contributed to the Bears letting him go.

Now, Zbikowski claims he no longer relies on alcohol or painkillers. He’s preparing to start training at the Chicago Fire Department academy next month. “I’ve had an extremely blessed life and I saved three-quarters of my money, so I can do whatever I want and I want to be of service to a community,” he said. As a third-generation firefighter, he sees the role as something meaningful. “Firemen show up in scary situations. They’re symbols of pride, of faith, of what’s good in society. I like to live dangerously.”

Thanks Dan

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