Biography

Book Merril Hoge through The Keynote Curators.

Merril Hoge played in the NFL for eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, and he was also a football analyst for ESPN for 21 years.

Merril Hoge is an inspirational speaker who speaks nationwide, impacting people and companies to grow through self-reflection and taking action to Find Their Way.

He is also on the board of the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research and a member of the NFL Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee.

In 2018, Hoge helped launch Your Call Football and is the author of Find a Way: Three Words that Changed My Life and Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football.

Merril Hoge continues to find new ways to make a positive impact with his mind, heart, and energy. Whether that be through his educational work, advocacy, or motivational engagements, he is a force for positive change and inspiration.

He lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

Contact us for Merril Hoge’s fees and availability.

Read More

Videos

Request Availability

Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Find a Way

A man who has spent a lifetime taking on and overcoming challenges on and off the football field, Merril Hoge helps and shows audiences how to ‘Find A Way” as he did, to achieve any goal in life or business. Using examples from his own experiences, Hoge inspires teams to continue moving the line forward in pursuit of their goals and dreams. Despite dealing with improper care of head trauma that ended his NFL career prematurely, fighting cancer (Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and overcoming open heart surgery, Merril has found a way through these adversities in his life. He shares with audiences how to achieve success with a relentless everyday mindset that helps you plow through the tough days and overcome challenges. He also emphasizes the importance of building and surrounding yourself with a great team in the huddle to help widen your focus to be uncommon! He challenges leaders to coach and teach in the yardsticks of their years and not yours. It will give the leader patience, a new sense of perception and help build a bridge of success with every individual!

Testimonials

Very few speakers can both captivate and relate to business audiences like merril does with his story of inspiration and courage.
– Transformation Marketing
He was extremely engaging with the audience. He delivered a message that was directly related to the theme of the meeting and was extremely professional, positive, and an excellent presenter. Overall, I would definitely recommend him to my peers in other areas of the business.
– Verizon Wireless
He was awesome. Genuine nice guy, and everyone loved his message. I got tremendous feedback on him, with many saying he was one of our best speakers ever. I would recommend him to any and everyone.
– Crawford and Company
I wanted to say thank you for today I have had so many colleagues text or e-mail saying thank you and how much they needed that whether personal or professional battles! I know Tami speaking to you at the end with her battle will be a memory she will never forget! Really Awesome and Thanks again!
– PayPal
Merril delivered as expected. His talk was a highlight of the event and made our event memorable.
– Jim, Equifax
It was fantastic! Merril’s message was incredible and many guests told me it was the best message they’ve heard from attending many of our Annual Meetings. He was personable with our guests and took time to engage in conversation with anyone interested in talking with him. Thank you so much!
– Yvette Lynch, YMCA Harrisburg

Booksby Merril Hoge

Find a Way: Three Words that Changed My Life

Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football

Blog Posts

Embrace the Future: Unlock Your Career Potential with AI

Uncover expert insights from economic futurist Andrew Busch on using AI to transform your career and drive innovation in an ever-changing world.

Read More

Embrace Your Authenticity and Lead Better Teams with Mike Robbins

Great teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re built on trust, authenticity, and human connections. Learn more in our podcast episode with Mike Robbins.

Read More

Unlock Your Creativity With Progress And Bold Ideas

Embrace creativity, progress, and bold risk-taking to unlock innovation and empower personal growth in this week's newsletter.

Read More

How Businesses Can Use More Creative Thinking with Natalie Nixon

In this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast, keynote speaker Natalie Nixon discusses her transformative approach to creative thinking in the workplace.

Read More

Why Embracing Imperfection Is the True Path to Success

Learn why progress, not perfection, is the key to success through empowering insights on resilience, positivity, and personal growth.

Read More

Become a Powerful Leader By Inspiring Others Through Your Actions

Executive coach and keynote speaker Amy Eliza Wong shares how she empowers leaders to transform everyday interactions into trust-building, impactful moments.

Read More

Related Speakers

Reviews & Ratings

Here's how toHit the mark with the perfect speaker!

1. Schedule a call

We’ll connect so we understand your needs to curate a selection of great speakers.

2. Book your speaker

We’ll manage all the details so you will be confident with your choice.

3. Wow your audience

Inform & educate your participants to ideas that transform their work & personal life.

Schedule a Call

Blog Posts

 

Embrace the Future: Unlock Your Career Potential with AI

What if your career could take off simply by exploring the latest AI tools? In...

Read More

Embrace Your Authenticity and Lead Better Teams with Mike Robbins

Great teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re built on trust, authenticity, and strong human connections....

Read More

Unlock Your Creativity With Progress And Bold Ideas

"Creativity is intelligence having fun." – Albert Einstein Somewhere along the way, many of us...

Read More

How Businesses Can Use More Creative Thinking with Natalie Nixon

Creative thinking isn’t just an extra skill—it’s the ultimate competitive edge. In today’s hyper-competitive business...

Read More

Why Embracing Imperfection Is the True Path to Success

I used to think success meant having it all figured out. That if I just...

Read More

Become a Powerful Leader By Inspiring Others Through Your Actions

What makes a leader truly exceptional beyond simply completing daily tasks? In a world where...

Read More