On the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast, former Pro Bowl receiver Braylon Edwards joins Peanut and Roman. Braylon didn’t come to sugarcoat. He came to be real. Braylon starts out telling the guys how his Detroit roots came out when he defended an elderly man from an attack at a local YMCA (3:50). He then talks about his wild days in the NFL, which included a friendly challenge for Olympic legend Michael Phelps (10:55), a friendly rivalry with LeBron James (23:14), and a friendly conversation with Jets coach Eric Mangini that led to his trade to the New York Jets (31:40). Speaking of his time with the Jets, Braylon names the coach who he blames for the Jets back-to-back AFC Championship Game loses in 2010 and 2011 (38:10). Braylon also opens up about his struggles finding his identity after football (41:26), and how going back to school to get his college degree helped him find it (44:32). Braylon also discusses how he overcame a dependence to opioids (49:22), and the therapeutic process of writing his book Doing it My Way (55:30). It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss.

The NFL Players: Second Acts podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Radio.