Dat Nguyen has spent his entire life proving people wrong.

The son of Vietnamese refugees, Nguyen grew up in the Texas Gulf Coast town of Rockport. His skills on the football field earned him acclaim at every level of the game. He was all-state at Rockport-Fulton High School and All-America at Texas A&M University.

Nguyen was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1999 and would be a starter and star at linebacker for them for the next seven seasons. He had by all measures an outstanding football career, but injuries took their toll.

When he retired in 20056, just like that, football was gone.

This was not the end of Nguyen’s story though. He has so much more to tell and show people.

“Preparing for life after football is very important,” he said. “I know a lot of guys, even guys who played in high school, that don’t know what to do with themselves once the game is over. Even if it was just high school and they didn’t get to go on to college, a lot times these guys have been playing for years and years and then suddenly it’s gone. It’s important for them to use those lessons football teaches you and apply them to whatever you want to do next in life.”

For Nguyen, the skills honed on the gridiron – passion for winning, teamwork, self-discipline, sacrifice and an understanding of the value of hard work – allowed him to transition from the field to the sidelines. As a coach, Nguyen plied his trade for three seasons with the Cowboys and then two more with his alma mater.

“I think the football skills you get, they really do allow you to be successful in whatever field you choose,” he said. “If you go into the corporate world, you have skills working with and relating to a bunch of different people and making things work and learning how to come together for a common goal. Even if you go into another path, football helps you learn a lot of life lessons, like dealing with adversity. You don’t always win in football. Sometimes you lose and football teaches you how to get back up after a loss and keep going.”

After a coaching change in 2011 at A&M, Nguyen decided to change careers. The transient nature of coaching is not suited for what he wants for himself or his family. Eventually, he landed a job working for ESPN Radio, where he co-hosts an afternoon sports talk show on KZDC in San Antonio.

Now secure in his legacy as a player, he knows his knowledge and understanding football skills will allow him to succeed in his new career.

“I accomplished everything I wanted to do in football,” he said. “Getting to play in the National Football League for a number of seasons was more than I could have hoped for. Football taught me that everybody is a piece in a larger puzzle. Some people are bigger pieces, some are smaller. If you allow yourself to check your ego at the door and be a part of a team wherever you are, you’re going to be successful in life.”

Eric Moreno is a freelance writer based in San Antonio, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas-San Antonio and a lifetime season ticket holder for UTSA Roadrunner football. In his free time, when not attending games, is an avid reader and traveler. Follow him on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.