More so than ever before, professional athletes are proving themselves to be capable of understanding much more than just the X’s and O’s of the game. Despite having played in one of the most brutal positions in all of sports, the former running back of the Indianapolis Colts, Vick Ballard, is proving to be just as thoughtful in retirement as he was punishing on the field.
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The Mississippi State product now spends his time as an aeronautical engineer. After his time in the NFL had come to an end, he pursued a mechanical engineering degree before assisting the NFL Players’ Association with the process of helping players transition into their lives after football.
During a recent appearance on the NFL Players Second Acts podcast, the former fifth-round draft pick gave fans an idea of what his new day-to-day life is like.
“I’m what they call a stress analyst. I support the production of an aircraft they call the F-16… I do Airframe stress for the F-16. Whenever anybody on the production floor does anything that deviates from the blueprint, let’s say you drill a hole in the wrong spot. They send it to us and say, ‘Okay, can you analyze this to make sure its viable to fly?’ So that the pilot can be safe.”
While it’s somewhat ironic to hear that a former NFL running back is now primarily focused on safety, Ballard’s diverse skill set stands as a testament to the success that one can have when they are fully committed to succeeding. Having now earned his way into two of the most exclusive job fields in the world today, it’s fair to say that his work ethic is undeniable.
Even though his job title may surprise some football fans, Ballard insists that he has always had a passion for engineering. After professional football was no longer a viable option for him, he realized that it was time to go back and pursue his original craft.
“Initially, I wanted to do mechanical engineering back when I was 18. Because I’m an old country dude from Mississippi, we work on cars and things like that, and that’s what I thought being a mechanical engineer was, but it’s so much more… And the motivation came from me realizing I had to figure the rest of my life out. I can’t play football no more and it’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, I need a new deal.”
Even though he only managed to start in a total of 13 games, Ballard averaged nearly four yards per carry throughout his career. In 2012, he handled 211 carries for the Colts, producing 814 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.
He also proved himself capable as a pass catcher, netting 152 receiving yards and 17 receptions on 27 targets for the Colts that same season. Unfortunately, a laundry list of health issues would ultimately prove to be his undoing.
After missing a significant amount of time due to complications with a hamstring injury, the Colts released Ballard in September of 2015, bringing his football career to a definitive end. While the end of his NFL journey is an unfortunate one, his overarching tale of not putting all of his eggs into one basket will hopefully serve as a positive example for future athletes to follow.
In a day and age where NIL deals and salary caps are higher than ever, Ballard’s story is one that will hopefully be told in team facilities across the nation for years to come.
