Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson sustained a season-ending injury last September, but that didn’t hamstring his long-term aspirations. The 9-year NFL linebacker pivoted to launch Good Run Logistics trucking while on IR.
“Everybody says, ‘Oh, athletes go broke when they’re done with football.’ I didn’t want to be one of those guys who ends up going broke trying to live a lifestyle that I can’t keep up anymore,” Thompson, the CEO of Good Run Logistics, reportedly said. “I want to be a billionaire.”
The 6-foot, 230-pound professional athlete was picked by the Panthers in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. In an age of free agency, Thompson has been a rare mainstay, spending nine seasons in Charlotte. Rather than spend his time and energy trying to monetize his name with quick-cash ventures, Thompson recognized that trucking is the country’s lifeblood.
Working out in the gym with former teammates Kyle Love and Woodrow Hamilton, he was reportedly inspired by their success in the truck transportation industry. Love and Hamilton eventually introduced Thompson to two men with trucking sector experience — Shaquille Dixon and Samuel Murphy. The three men would form Good Run Logistics, an operation reportedly hauling loads across the lower 48 states.
“It’s funny. When we got our first truck down in Texas, and we had a driver driving it back up to North Carolina from Dallas. Shaq, literally, went and bought a bed to put in the truck,” Dixon reportedly said. “Shaq is a big linebacker on the field, but he has a really soft heart. He doesn’t like to see people struggle. I think with the (trucking) industry, he was really able to show his heart and say hey, let’s fill this void.”
The business partners have brokered a relationship with TransTech, one of North Carolina’s primary truck driving schools. Like so many companies trying to onboard CDL professionals, they are establishing a direct pipeline from the classroom to good-paying jobs.
Thompson has demonstrated his resolve on the field by playing in the league for nine years. The average NFL career typically lasts only 3-4 years. Despite a season-ending injury that required significant rehab, his social media posts speak volumes about the trucking company CEO’s resolve.
“Minor setback, Major comeback! Don’t count me out! Real panthers fans, I love y’all and I love this city, I truly felt the love in that stadium! To my teammates, I love y’all boys and y’all know I’ll be here for y’all every step! #Keeppounding,” Thompson reportedly posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Sources:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38439847/panthers-shaq-thompson-expected-miss-remainder-season
https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/bio/_/id/2978313/shaq-thompson
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