Nate Boyer: Green Beret, NFL Pro & The Power of Embracing Discomfort

In this episode, my guest is Nate Boyer (@nateboyer37)—former Green Beret, UT football walk-on, NFL pro, and co-founder of Merging Vets and Players (MVP). MVP helps veterans and athletes transition beyond their uniform. He wrote, starred in, and directed MVP (2022), and his latest venture is 8Primal, a Texas-based ranch-to-table meat company delivering premium, locally sourced meat to your door. Nate excels in every arena he enters.

We dive into Nate’s journey—from his early years to the military and competing at the highest level on the football field. He shares what drives him, the power of embracing discomfort, and why family and relationships shape his decisions. We also explore the complexities of war and the true meaning of freedom. Nate’s mindset will inspire you to dream big and take action. Please enjoy my conversation with Nate Boyer.

Thank you to our sponsors.

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Judd Lienhard Links 

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Nate Boyer Links

Website: https://nateboyer.org/ 

Instagram: @nateboyer37

Timestamps:

[00:02:00] Nate Boyer - Veteran/Special Forces, college football walk-on, NFL

[00:03:15] Colin Kaepernick controversy

[00:15:15] Film industry journey

[00:20:17] Building mental toughness

[00:27:11] Complexities of war 

[00:29:02] Proud military moment

[00:32:38] The Righteous Mind - 5 Pillars

[00:33:57] David Foster Wallace- Reader, Essays & Arguments, Conversations,  Nietzsche\

[00:51:10] Helping village children, Dr Suess

[01:00:33] Fallujah War - Decision to join the military

[01:02:47] Special Forces - Green Beret path

[01:06:44] Sponsor: 1st Phorm

[01:11:35] Special Forces 10th Group

[01:19:56] Iraq as a Green Beret

[01:28:17] Summer in Iraq & Afghanistan 

[01:47:41] Merging Vets & Players

[01:52:11] MVP  movie 

[01:55:54] D-Day + 80 

[02:06:05] Favorite athlete

[02:08:20] 8Primal Brand & Ranch

The Judd Lienhard Podcast delivers raw, unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, exploring performance, mindset, and resilience. From NFL vets to Special Forces operators, each episode is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits.

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