Former Bengals player earns master's degree, inspires others

I WANT COFFEE RIGHT NOW. [LAUGHTER] SHEREE: YOU AND ME BOT H.WE SAW THIS LAST NIGHT ON SOCI MEDIA AND I LOVE THIS GUY. A FORMER BENGAL IS ENCOURAGING YOU NOT TO LET YOUR PAST DEFINED YOU IN REACHING FOR YOUR DREAMS. ASHLEY: HE PLAYED TWO YEARS WITH THE BENGALS FROM 2012 32014. IN 2014 HIS DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. BEFORE GOING INTO REMISSION ONE YEAR LATER. EHEVENTUALLY RETIRED FROM THE NFL IN 2017 AND THEN WENT BACK TO SCHOOL. THIS WEEK HE GRADUATED FROM AN IVY LEAGUE MASTERS PROGR.AM HE POSTED THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ENCOURAGING OTHERS THAT IF HE CAN GO FROM A 2.0 GPA TO A 3.97 AT UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, ANYONE CAN. HE SAID, "IF YOU ARE SITTING ARNDOU FRUSTRATED THINKING MY LIFE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY, JUST KNOW I FELT THE SAME WAY WHEN I HAD TO GIVE UP MY NFL CAREER. BUT I HAD TO LET GO OVER THE STPA SO I COULD CREATE SPACE FOR MY FUTURE. YOU STILL HAVE GREAT THINGS AHEAD." THAT GAVE ME CHILLS. IT IS SO TRUE. IT IS SO EASY TO GET STUCK IN THE PAST AND WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT DIDN'’ HAPPEN, AND WHY THINGS CANNOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. BUT YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING. I HEAR PEOPLE SAY ALL THE TIME, SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE, THE ONLYAY W TO FAIL IS TO GIVE UP AND HE DID NOT GIVE UP. SHEREE:HE WN I SAW THAT LAST NIGHT -- I LOVED THAT HE SHARED HE WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL IN HIS UNDERGRAD OR HIGH SCHL.OO HE WENT ON TO -- IT WAS UNDERGRADUATE -- HE WENT ON TO PURSUE THIS OTHER DEGREE AND WAS SO SUCCESSFU L.JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THAT MESSA BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE, ENVE IN YOUR OWN CIRCLE OF FRIENDS OR FAMILY WHO MAY BE EVEN WERE DEALT A BAD HAND. THEY LET THAT DEFINE THEM INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CHANGE IT AND CONTINUE TO LIVE A GREAT LIFE. ALLISON: THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING HE HAS BEE TNHROUGH. NOT JUST WITH HIS SCHOOL CAREER BUT BEING IN THE NFL, ATTH IS NOT EASY. ON TOP OF THAT HIS DAUGHTER GETTGIN DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR CANCER AND HIM BEING I AM ASSUMING A CARETAKER. I MEAN, IT GOES TO SHOW UYO CAN HAVE MANY SEASONS OF LIFE. THEY MAY NOT BE ETH BEST BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE REST WILL BE BAD. SHEREE: GREAT MESSAGE. ASHLEY: THIS ISO S UPLIFTING. [LAUGHTE

A former Cincinnati Bengals player is encouraging others to not let their pasts define them when reaching for their dreams.Defensive end Devon Still played with the Bengals for two years from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, his daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer before going into remission one year later.Still eventually retired from NFL altogether in 2017 and went back to school.This week, Still graduated from an Ivy League master's program. He posted a photo on social media encouraging others that if he can go from a 2.0 GPA in undergrad to a 3.96 at the University of Pennsylvania, anyone can.He ended his social media post by saying, "If you're sitting around frustrated thinking 'my life wasn't supposed to be this way,' just know I felt the same way when I had to give up my NFL career. But I had to let go of the past so I could create space for my future. You still have great things ahead."

CINCINNATI —

A former Cincinnati Bengals player is encouraging others to not let their pasts define them when reaching for their dreams.

Defensive end Devon Still played with the Bengals for two years from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, his daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer before going into remission one year later.

Still eventually retired from NFL altogether in 2017 and went back to school.

This week, Still graduated from an Ivy League master's program. He posted a photo on social media encouraging others that if he can go from a 2.0 GPA in undergrad to a 3.96 at the University of Pennsylvania, anyone can.

He ended his social media post by saying, "If you're sitting around frustrated thinking 'my life wasn't supposed to be this way,' just know I felt the same way when I had to give up my NFL career. But I had to let go of the past so I could create space for my future. You still have great things ahead."

Former Bengals player earns master's degree, inspires others

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