The Official Football Learning Academy Podcast

Ken Crippen
  • 4.5 (8)
  • Football
  • Weekly

Each week, the Official Football Learning Academy podcast will take you deep into the history of this great game. Through interviews with players, coaches, or administrators in the NFL, as well as interviews with Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors, authors, and historians, you will learn about how the game evolved and important moments that shaped the sport into what it is today. You will also get first-hand accounts from the people who have made history in pro football.

  1. Oct 23

    Episode 403 - Interview with Former NFL Wide Receiver Kevin Dyson

    What do you do when your career's most agonizing heartbreak is played on a permanent loop across global sports media? In Super Bowl XXXIV, Kevin Dyson caught a slant from Steve McNair and was tackled exactly one yard short of a game-tying touchdown. It's a highlight that has been played for over 25 years. But on the latest episode of The Official Football Learning Academy Podcast, Dr. Dyson shared a masterclass on what happens after the whistle blows. He didn’t let that single yard define his life. Instead, he channeled that elite competitive drive into a different playbook—earning his doctorate in Educational Leadership and laying the groundwork to open the Music City Academy. Whether you’re an athlete dealing with a brutal injury, or a professional navigating a major career transition, Kevin’s mindset of turning "One Yard Short into One Million Possibilities" is exactly what you need to hear today. Join us for an incredible, raw conversation about NFL locker rooms, elite resilience, and building a legacy beyond sports. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 403 - Interview with Former NFL Wide Receiver Kevin Dyson

  2. Oct 23

    Episode 402 - Interview with Long-Time NFL Sportswriter John McClain

    Today, we take a deep dive into the heart of Texas football history, tackling a massive question: Why are some of the game's greatest innovators and icons still locked out of Canton? To help us break it down, we are joined by the absolute blueprint of Texas sports journalism—legendary Hall of Fame sportswriter, John McClain. John spent decades in the trenches covering the Houston Oilers, and today, he’s helping us build a courtroom case for two men who defined an era but are still waiting on their gold jackets. First up, we talk about a man who didn't just break ankles on special teams—he fundamentally changed the culture of NFL showmanship. The father of the modern touchdown celebration, a member of the NFL’s 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, the legendary Billy 'White Shoes' Johnson. And later in the episode, we shift from the field to the front office to talk about the polarizing trailblazer who bucked the NFL monopoly, risked his fortune to co-found the AFL, and forever changed how professional football is played: K.S. 'Bud' Adams Jr. It’s a story of oil wealth, white cleats, the 'Luv Ya Blue' era, and the fight for football immortality. John McClain is in the building. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 402 - Interview with Long-Time NFL Sportswriter John McClain

  3. Sep 23

    Episode 401 - Interview with Former NFL Safety Blaine Bishop

    In this episode, our special guest is Blaine Bishop, who played for the Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans from 1993 through 2001, then spent 2002 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Blaine just released a book titled, “Counted Out: A Story of Redemption in the NFL.” In this episode, we talk about his new book, his football career, and much more! Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 401 - Interview with Former NFL Safety Blaine Bishop

  4. Jun 22

    Episode 317 - Interview with Former NFL Defensive Back Quintin Demps

    Today, our special guest is Quintin Demps. After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, Quintin was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout his NFL career, he also played with the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, and Chicago Bears. After his NFL career, Quintin got into coaching, with stints at both the high school and college level. He has just recently been named to the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026. In this episode, we talk about his football career, coaching career, the Quintin Demps Foundation, and much more. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 317 - Interview with Former NFL Defensive Back Quintin Demps

  5. Mar 28

    Episode 316 - Contributor Profile of Jack Lavelle

    In this episode, we focus on Jack Lavelle, one of the first people hired by an NFL team to specifically be a scout. He started with Notre Dame, then went to the Green Bay Packers and finally the New York Giants. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 316 - Contributor Profile of Jack Lavelle

  6. Mar 28

    Episode 315 - Contributor Profile of Steve Belichick

    In this episode, we focus on Steve Belichick, scout and coach at the United States Naval Academy, and father of Bill Belichick. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 315 - Contributor Profile of Steve Belichick

  7. Mar 27

    Episode 314 - Contributor Profile of Mike Giddings, Sr.

    In this episode, we focus on trailblazer Mike Giddings Sr., who was the first director of pro scouting in NFL history and the founder of ProScout, Inc.. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy EPISODE SUMMARY Join us to learn about The Official Football Learning Academy Podcast by listening to this trailer episode. THE OFFICIAL FOOTBALL LEARNING ACADEMY PODCAST BACKGROUND Each week, the official Football Learning Academy podcast will take you deep into the history of this great game. Through interviews with players, coaches, or administrators in the NFL, as well as interviews with Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors, authors, and historians, you will learn about how the game evolved and important moments that shaped the sport into what it is today. You will also get first-hand accounts from the people who have made history in pro football. HOST - KEN CRIPPEN BIO Ken Crippen was in a leadership position within the Professional Football Researchers Association for 15 years and is now the founder and lead instructor at the Football Learning Academy. He has been researching and writing about pro football history for over 30 years and has been a sought-after interview for publications like the Wall Street Journal and Rolling Stone magazine, and a sought-after guest on podcasts and radio shows, namely The History Channel, ESPN Radio, and Fox Sports Radio. He has written two books, been the managing editor of two other books, and a contributor to yet two more books. He has also written hundreds of articles on pro football history, has won the Dick Connor Writing Award for Feature Writing (which is now called the Lesley Visser Enterprise News/Features Award) from the Pro Football Writers of America, as well as the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Ralph Hay Award for lifetime achievement in pro football research. Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 314 - Contributor Profile of Mike Giddings, Sr.

  8. Mar 21

    Episode 313 - Contributor Profile of Dick Haley

    In this episode, we focus on long-time scout and personnel person Dick Haley To learn more about trailblazing contributors in NFL history, visit our Historical Scouting Reports class, where the greats in NFL history. Check it out at the Football Learning Academy website at www.football-learning-academy.com. Football Learning Academy Website: To learn more about the FLA, go to: https://www.football-learning-academy.com Social Media: Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FootballLearn1 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballlearningacademy/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@footballlearningacademy Music By: Jeff Nixon, Safety for the Buffalo Bills from 1979-82.

    Episode 313 - Contributor Profile of Dick Haley
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Each week, the Official Football Learning Academy podcast will take you deep into the history of this great game. Through interviews with players, coaches, or administrators in the NFL, as well as interviews with Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors, authors, and historians, you will learn about how the game evolved and important moments that shaped the sport into what it is today. You will also get first-hand accounts from the people who have made history in pro football.

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