Biography
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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.
Videos
Powerful Ways to Overcome Life's Toughest Challenges with Merril Hoge
Merril Hoge - Find A Way Speaking
We are what we repeatedly do.
Leadership
Merril Hoge on being rewarded by growth
Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more
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
Blog Posts
Seven Archetypes of Success Every High Achiever Must Know
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Happiness at work is a performance strategy, not a perk. Learn how Jessica Weiss helps teams build real, sustainable happiness.
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Emotional Intelligence Skills That Hold Up Under Pressure
Emotional intelligence is more than a buzzword. Here's what real EQ looks like under pressure, and the keynote speaking voices building it on stages in 2026.
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