I Was an NFL Player, But I Wasn’t Ready for This

I’ve worn a lot of titles in my life—athlete, entrepreneur, husband, father, and maybe the one people are most curious about: former NFL player.

But none of those prepared me for the emotional rollercoaster that is infertility.

When you’ve been through two-a-days in the heat, battled through injuries, played in front of screaming crowds, and stared down 300-pound linemen, you think you’ve seen it all. You think you know what pressure feels like. You think you understand pain. You think you know how to fight.

But nothing—nothing—compared to sitting in a waiting room, holding my wife’s hand, hoping for answers we couldn’t control. No playbook. No coach barking instructions. Just silence. And a lot of questions.

When my wife and I started trying to grow our family, I had the same mindset I brought to the field: let’s go. Let’s do the work. Let’s make it happen. But this wasn’t a game I could outwork or out-tough. This was different.

Infertility has a way of shaking the strongest foundations. It challenges your faith, your identity, your patience, and your relationship. As a man, especially one who’s been praised for being strong, resilient, and driven, I didn’t know how to admit I felt helpless. I didn’t know how to support my wife without “fixing” the problem. I didn’t know how to process the grief, the waiting, the uncertainty.

But what I’ve learned—and what I want to share with every man walking this road—is that strength isn’t about being stoic. It’s not about pretending everything’s fine. Real strength is staying present when things get uncomfortable. It’s being vulnerable enough to say, “I’m scared too.” It’s learning to be the kind of partner your wife really needs—not just the provider, but the emotional teammate.

That’s why I created The IVF Playbook for Men. Because this journey deserves more conversation, more support, and more honest stories from men who’ve lived it.

You don’t have to be a former NFL player to feel unprepared for this. None of us are ready. But together, we can change that.

Whether you're just starting IVF, deep in the process, or navigating what comes after, I see you. I respect you. And I’m here to walk with you—because no man should go through this alone.

Let’s rewrite what strength looks like.

— Corey