BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Tide's second all-time passing leader leaves injury-plagued 'great ride' for timber business.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Brodie Croyle plans on attending every Alabama home football game this fall.
"First time ever, except when I was suiting up," the former Crimson Tide quarterback said.
Croyle made that revelation Saturday morning at the D1 Birmingham sports training facility next to Brookwood Medical Center.
Several feet away, a group of youngsters performed pushups on the building's indoor artificial grass. Ex-Alabama player and recently acquired Philadelphia Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans stood nearby. Croyle and Ryans, facility co-owners, were about midway through a special training session for members of D1 Birmingham.
Croyle had driven to the gleaming, state-of-the-art facility from his new house in Tuscaloosa. He moved there in December after deciding on a new career path.
After five seasons in the NFL, Croyle has retired from professional football.
He'd signed with Arizona last August. He spent two weeks with the Cardinals before being waived. Tryouts with Indianapolis, Miami and Houston followed, but no offer came. Croyle sensed an injury-plagued career approaching its end.
He sat down with his family. They prayed. Near the conclusion of the 2011 season, Croyle made his choice.
"I'm very grateful for everything football gave me," said Croyle, 29, who prepped at Westbrook Christian in Rainbow City. "I just felt it was time, and that's a mutual decision with NFL football. There's very few guys who retire on their own terms. It was a fun ride, but I'm glad to be back, glad to be doing what I'm doing."
Croyle now works with Tuscaloosa's IngeWood Land Company. Founder Inge Beeker played varsity tennis at Alabama. He and Croyle have traded their racquets and pads for real estate and timber.
"If somebody's looking for a hunting track, we'll try and find that for them," said Croyle, who is pursuing an Alabama real estate license. "If somebody's looking for somewhere to put some money in timber investment, we can find that as well.
"It's something I'm passionate about, something that I've always been around," added Croyle, who grew up on the 500-acre Big Oak Ranch, a home for abused or neglected children that was founded by his father and former Tide defensive end, John Croyle.
Still, letting go of football wasn't easy. In college, Croyle threw for 6,382 yards - more than any Tide quarterback besides John Parker Wilson. After being selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft, Croyle played five seasons with the Chiefs as a backup quarterback. He left as a free agent following the 2010 season.
"It's always tough when you've been doing something since you were a kid," Croyle said. "The surgeries, the injuries -- I wouldn't trade any of it. It was a great ride. All those things build character. All those things are placed in your life to teach you something. I definitely learned from all of them and will carry that on to the next chapter of my life."
Croyle recorded eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions over his NFL career, one that saw him battle various knee and shoulder injuries.
"Your body is basically your resume," said Croyle, who has undergone three ACL surgeries. "I knew it was time."
Now that his NFL days are over, Croyle said he will spend more time training athletes at D1 Birmingham. He and Ryans, who in March was traded from Houston to Philadelphia, helped open the facility in 2010. Bobsledder and Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers is the third co-owner.
In Tuscaloosa, Croyle and his wife, Kelli, are raising their one-year-old son. They soon could become regulars on the Alabama campus.
"It was tough being in Kansas City and trying to get back for games or fundraisers," Croyle said. "That school gave me so much and offered so much to me that I'll do as much as I can to help them."
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Brodie Croyle plans on attending every Alabama home football game this fall.
"First time ever, except when I was suiting up," the former Crimson Tide quarterback said.
Croyle made that revelation Saturday morning at the D1 Birmingham sports training facility next to Brookwood Medical Center.
Several feet away, a group of youngsters performed pushups on the building's indoor artificial grass. Ex-Alabama player and recently acquired Philadelphia Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans stood nearby. Croyle and Ryans, facility co-owners, were about midway through a special training session for members of D1 Birmingham.
Croyle had driven to the gleaming, state-of-the-art facility from his new house in Tuscaloosa. He moved there in December after deciding on a new career path.
After five seasons in the NFL, Croyle has retired from professional football.
He'd signed with Arizona last August. He spent two weeks with the Cardinals before being waived. Tryouts with Indianapolis, Miami and Houston followed, but no offer came. Croyle sensed an injury-plagued career approaching its end.
He sat down with his family. They prayed. Near the conclusion of the 2011 season, Croyle made his choice.
"I'm very grateful for everything football gave me," said Croyle, 29, who prepped at Westbrook Christian in Rainbow City. "I just felt it was time, and that's a mutual decision with NFL football. There's very few guys who retire on their own terms. It was a fun ride, but I'm glad to be back, glad to be doing what I'm doing."
Croyle now works with Tuscaloosa's IngeWood Land Company. Founder Inge Beeker played varsity tennis at Alabama. He and Croyle have traded their racquets and pads for real estate and timber.
"If somebody's looking for a hunting track, we'll try and find that for them," said Croyle, who is pursuing an Alabama real estate license. "If somebody's looking for somewhere to put some money in timber investment, we can find that as well.
"It's something I'm passionate about, something that I've always been around," added Croyle, who grew up on the 500-acre Big Oak Ranch, a home for abused or neglected children that was founded by his father and former Tide defensive end, John Croyle.
Still, letting go of football wasn't easy. In college, Croyle threw for 6,382 yards - more than any Tide quarterback besides John Parker Wilson. After being selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft, Croyle played five seasons with the Chiefs as a backup quarterback. He left as a free agent following the 2010 season.
"It's always tough when you've been doing something since you were a kid," Croyle said. "The surgeries, the injuries -- I wouldn't trade any of it. It was a great ride. All those things build character. All those things are placed in your life to teach you something. I definitely learned from all of them and will carry that on to the next chapter of my life."
Croyle recorded eight touchdown passes and nine interceptions over his NFL career, one that saw him battle various knee and shoulder injuries.
"Your body is basically your resume," said Croyle, who has undergone three ACL surgeries. "I knew it was time."
Now that his NFL days are over, Croyle said he will spend more time training athletes at D1 Birmingham. He and Ryans, who in March was traded from Houston to Philadelphia, helped open the facility in 2010. Bobsledder and Olympic gold medalist Vonetta Flowers is the third co-owner.
In Tuscaloosa, Croyle and his wife, Kelli, are raising their one-year-old son. They soon could become regulars on the Alabama campus.
"It was tough being in Kansas City and trying to get back for games or fundraisers," Croyle said. "That school gave me so much and offered so much to me that I'll do as much as I can to help them."
