The New York Jets’ 10-year veteran is taking on a new challenge
D’Brickashaw Ferguson spent 10 years protecting the blind side for the New York Jets. Now he’s looking to protect others in another fashion.
In a recent episode of the “NFL Players: Second Acts” podcast, the former left tackle announced he’s enrolling in nursing school.
D’Brickashaw Ferguson played 10 years in the @nfl for the @nyjets Now he’s going to nursing school. This man is the true essence of the phrase “More then an athlete.” Congrats bro 👏🏿 🚨Check us out🚨 #NFLPlayersSecondActs @Harp41 pic.twitter.com/isu8K1yzXt
— Charles Tillman (@peanuttillman) May 26, 2023
“I wanted something that I could offer. Like, yes I play football, but I have this,” said the 10-year NFL veteran. “I’m qualified to do this work – and I play football.”
Ferguson, who had open-heart surgery at nine years old, chose to play football to prove his toughness. While his 10-inch scar on his chest can prove that on its own, the former Jets left tackle wanted to attribute more to society than his talent on the gridiron.
“Even without football, I can still do my job with excellence. And that’s something we learned as athletes.”
The 2022 Jets Ring of Honor inductee will look to replicate the excellence he had on the football field, in the medical field.
Ferguson, a product of the University of Virginia, was selected fourth overall by the Jets in the 2006 NFL draft (the same draft that the Jets paired him with his running mate, Nick Mangold). “Brick” would miss only one snap in his entire 10-year NFL career and achieve three Pro Bowl appearances.
Brick is fourth on the Jets’ all-time list for consecutive games played. His 167 consecutive starts are second all-time in Jets history behind only Winston Hill’s 177 (another great Jets tackle). He’s also never missed a practice in his career, either – being on the weekly injury report itself for only three weeks in his entire career.
Ferguson was not only an iron man to be envied, but he was truly an excellent pass-protector. PFF ranked Ferguson as one of the top 10 pass-blocking tackles in five straight seasons from 2008 to 2012.
At the time of his retirement, Ferguson owned the ninth-best streak for snaps without surrendering a sack since PFF started tracking data in 2006, which was a run of 592 straight sack-less snaps in 2010.
Now, heading into a new chapter in his life, Ferguson has completed all of his prerequisites and enrolled in multiple nursing programs. Proving in yet another way that he’s more than just an athlete, he will begin his studies in the fall.
“(I) did the prerequisites, and then I just started applying to nursing schools. I applied to nursing programs, got into several … going to start in the fall.”
While Brick doesn’t know whether or not he wants to pursue the route of a nurse practitioner or go into the E.R., he’s excited for the journey that lies ahead.
“I’m excited for that opportunity … I like the ability to learn and be able to figure that part out.”
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