Former NFL Player Shamiel Gary Says He's Found His True Calling

Just over a year ago Shamiel Gary was released by the Buffalo Bills he's playing days were over but he's found a new career and he's flourishing in it.

“Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin said the reason why he played football was for other people and once he said that, I said man, that's what I truly believe God is calling me to do," said Gary.

An old saying is NFL stands for Not For Long, and after 6 different teams in 3 years, Shamiel Gary wondered what's next? It turned out to be motivational speaking which he says was his calling.

"I think I heard Kobe say this ‘if basketball was the best thing I've done than the rest of my life, I've failed.’  If NFL was the apex of my career than I failed as a human being," said Gary.

His journey to the NFL included not being highly recruited out of high school then going to Wyoming and transferring to OSU. It was during that time his grandmother battled Alzheimer’s' and his mother battled cancer. He went undrafted and his story is one of the main points of his message.

"Not being afraid of getting outside of your comfort zone because I've been in that place and you can't catch an interception in the NFL if you're hesitating, so I just really want to get people to not hesitate," said Gary.

So for the past couple of years, he has spoken to people of all ages across the country about persevering. He recently spoke to Sequoyah Elementary out in Broken Arrow.  His message is working.

"I want them to feel inspired enough to when they're tired when they're afraid about what somebody think, they're like, okay, I can do this, I can step outside the box," said Gary.