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Former Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno joins Susie Wargin for a powerful conversation about his journey from childhood homelessness and uncertainty to a successful career in college football and a first round draft pick in the NFL. He opens up about the challenges that shaped him, how he overcame adversity, and what life looks like after football. It's a conversation about resilience, perspective and so much more than the game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sylvester Williams’ journey to the NFL is anything but ordinary. After a less than easy upbringing and playing just one season of football, he worked in a radiator factory before enrolling at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. He paid his own way and quickly made waves on the football field, recording 52 tackles and earning all-conference and honorable mention All-America honors. He transferred to North Carolina, became an All-ACC player and was selected 28th overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2013 NFL Draft. After a successful career that included a Super Bowl 50 championship, stops with several other NFL teams and a return to Denver, Sylvester retired in 2020 and built successful careers in toxicology testing and real estate. Today, he’s a father of four, real estate professional and sought-after speaker.Listen to Kapri's conversation with the host of Cut Traded Fired Retired, Susie Wargin. To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He grew up in a small town in Colorado, stayed in state for college, was drafted 20th overall in 2007 and tripled the length of a typical NBA career by staying in the league for 12 years.   Jason Smith thought he was going to be the only “short” person in his family when he got to 5’10” in middle school and started at that same height his freshman year of high school. By the end of that school year, he was 6’6” and just kept growing. By the time he was done, he was 7 feet tall and had schools from throughout the country knocking on his door. He decided to stay in state and attend Colorado State University so his family could be close and drive to all his games (home and away).  In 2007, Jason left CSU early and entered the draft. The 76’ers took him at #20 and Jason saw action in 76 games as a rookie. From there a journeyman career began with stops at many different teams including the Hornets, Knicks, Magic, Wizards, Bucks and Pelicans. Along with all the trades came a few injuries and many hours in the training room.   Jason retired in 2019 and focused on being a father and husband as well as doing some media work with the Wizards. He’s also collecting accolades in retirement: in 2026, CSU inducted Jason into their Ring of Honor and his jersey hangs in the rafters at Moby Arena in Fort Collins.   Listen to Jason’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast. To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kapri Bibbs’ journey from a challenging childhood to the NFL is a story of faith, family, mistakes and second chances. Raised by a single mom in a large family, Kapri relied on his faith to guide him through difficult times, including a mistake his senior year of high school that cost him a Division I scholarship and sent him to community college. He eventually transferred to Colorado State University, where he set a single-season school rushing record despite not starting every game. After going undrafted, Kapri signed with the Denver Broncos and spent six seasons in the NFL with Denver, San Francisco, Washington and Green Bay. After his daughter was born in 2019, Kapri stepped away from football to focus on fatherhood, pursue music and continue his education. Now earning his master’s degree at CSU, Kapri shares his story of overcoming mistakes, finding his purpose and building a life beyond football on Cut Traded Fired Retired with host Susie Wargin. To learn more about Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Sutter's name is usually connected with a reality TV show, but before the words "Trista and Ryan" became a household phrase, Ryan was a Vail firefighter who grew up in Fort Collins, played football at the University of Colorado as a walk on and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.   His NFL career didn't last very long, in fact on the field it was just a few seconds of a regular season game and then jumping around to a few teams. Ryan also played in NFL Europe before calling it quits and becoming a firefighter in Vail.   Then the rest of his story began as a friend volunteered his name to be a contestant on a new show called the Bachelorette. He had no interest in being on a reality TV show but went to Los Angeles anyway. Turns out he was the last one standing and marrying Trista in a lavish made-for-TV wedding. Today Ryan is a Denver firefighter, he and Trista are navigating raising two teenagers and are still getting pulled back into reality TV appearances here and there.    Listen to Ryan’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast. To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 years in any professional sport is an eternity, especially in the very physical National Hockey League. John-Michael Liles grew up in Indiana and by the time he was in high school, it was apparent that hockey was his sport. He played on some elite teams during his teenage years and after high school had a successful college career at Michigan State.   During his time with the Spartans, he was drafted by the Avalanche and was a Hobey Baker Finalist his senior season. Shortly after his college career wrapped up in 2003, John-Michael was playing with the Avs affiliate, the Hershey Bears. A few months later, he was in an Avs uniform and scored his first NHL goal in October of 2003.  He'd spend several years playing solid defense for the Avalanche, becoming a fan favorite and racking up points and goals along the way. Good times rarely last in pro sports however and in 2011, John-Michael was traded to Toronto. A few years later, he was traded again, this time to the Hurricanes… just minutes before he was set to play for the Maple Leafs in the Outdoor Winter Classic. He’d be traded one more time (Boston) before retiring in 2017.  These days, John-Michael is back to being a fan favorite on the Avalanche broadcast team on Altitude Sports. He’s also a husband and girl dad to two daughters.  Listen to John-Michael’s story and conversation with @susiewargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast. Links to listen on your favorite podcast platforms in the @ctfrpodcast bio!To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Montee Ball’s story was supposed to be something like this: “Star running back and Heisman Trophy finalist out of Wisconsin goes on to break rushing records in the NFL with his favorite team growing up.” Instead, it was “Star running back and Heisman Trophy finalist out of Wisconsin goes on to be drafted in the 2nd round by his favorite team growing up and fizzles out of the league after two seasons.” While the latter was unfortunately true, that wasn’t the full story. Montee’s true story was what was going on behind the scenes, out of camera and microphone shot. Montee was an alcoholic, until February of 2016 when the everything came to a head: a domestic violence arrest, jail and learning he was going to be a dad. Of course, it didn’t help matters that he watched a team he just played for the year before win Super Bowl 50 from his jail cell. Sobriety had to happen and it did. Since his lowest of lows that February, Montee has been building back up, working to be a good dad and helping others avoid the same mistakes he made. His story is about recovery. For anyone who has been affected with addiction, Montee’s story is a must listen.   Listen to Montee’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast.To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bobby Pesavento entertained the idea of football once when he was in middle school. When he couldn’t up seed the coach’s quarterback son, he moved on to basketball. Then one day in high school, his football buddies asked him to throw some passes their way when their quarterback didn’t show up for spring practice. A football coach saw his arm talent and recruited him to start playing football.   It didn’t take long for the kid from Indiana to get noticed by Division 1 schools. He made a few visits, including to Northwestern where Gary Barnett was the head coach. Coach Barnett was honest with him, and told him he wouldn’t play much. So, Bobby opted to attend Miami, Ohio where he played for two seasons.   After realizing he wasn’t meant to be a Redhawk, Bobby came home and his high school coach encouraged him to go to a junior college. Fort Scott Junior College proved to be a springboard into another round of Division 1 offers including one to the University of Colorado…  to play for Coach Barnett. Bobby’s claim to fame as a Buff included a huge upset against Nebraska in 2001 (the “62-36” game) and unexpectedly beating Texas in the Big 12 Championship game.   After college, Bobby spent time in the Arena League for a few years, then entered the real work where he’s been an insurance broker for over 20 years. He is also a girl dad and is a sideline reporter for the CU Buffs Radio Network. Listen to Bobby’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast.To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After batting .557 and setting a school record with 13 home runs his senior year of high school in California, Garrett Atkins was drafted by the New York Mets. He was also courted by several colleges including Oklahoma State, USC, Cal State, Pepperdine and UCLA. Garrett chose to wait for Major League Baseball and head to UCLA. He became the Bruin’s first 3-time All American in baseball and spent time in the Cape Cod Baseball League where he was the MVP in 1999. Now Garrett was ready for a big-league team.   The Rockies took him in the 5th round of the 2000 draft. He started out in the farm system, and he worked his way up to The Show. His MLB debut came in 2003 and in 2005 he won the starting job at 3rd base after spring training. He’d finish 4th in Rookie of the Year voting that season despite being sidelines for a bit with a hamstring injury.   Garrett stayed with the Rockies for several more years, including the 2007 World Series. In 2009, he signed a one-year deal with Colorado, and his numbers began to decline. In 2010 he was a free agent and played for a short time with Baltimore and went to the Pirates camp in 2011. Baseball wasn’t the same and he retired.   These days Garrett enjoys being behind the scenes as a husband, dad, coach and golfer with a 3 handicap. He also did his first podcast in 2025 (this one).  To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Had he grown up where he was born, chances are Dan Hinote would not have experienced a decade-plus pro hockey career. Afterall, Florida isn’t really a hotbed for hockey players. Case in point: Dan became the first Florida born player to score a goal in an NHL game.   When Dan was very young, he moved from Florida to Minnesota where ponds are plentiful and eventually everyone laces up some ice skates. He was fast on ice and good at hockey but didn’t have a specialty. So, he became proficient in many aspects of the game and did whatever it took to make a team.   In 1996, the Avalanche drafted him after being assured he would leave West Point, where he was attending college, playing hockey for fun and aspiring to be an FBI agent. Life went a different direction for sure with several years in the NHL, a Stanley Cup Championship with the Avs, many injuries and a few different teams.   After he retired, Dan went straight into coaching for a few years, then found himself out of hockey to focus on his family and trying to find work outside of the rink. After some time with AT&T and as a stock broker, Dan got back into coaching, spending time in the NHL and AHL where he loves helping players find their potential. Listen to Dan’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast.To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keith Bishop chooses his words wisely: when he speaks, people listen. That came in handy during his decade career with the Broncos as an offensive lineman, especially when the Broncos were on the 2-yard line in Cleveland needing a 98 drive to tie the Browns in the AFC Championship game in 1987. Keith noticed the Browns defense snickering, so he got ticked and told his huddle “We got those mother f-ers right where we want them.” His teammates started laughing, the Browns were confused and Denver got the last laugh in The Drive.   After his 10-year career in Denver, the 7-time captain got into law enforcement. He became a DEA Special Agent with stops in Dallas, Washington DC, Houston and Afghanistan. He chased, and helped catch the baddest of the bad guys for 20 years.     He was set to retire from the DEA and settle in Thailand with his wife. But a hernia he developed in Afghanistan brought him back to the states so he could consult with doctors he trusted. He called John Elway, who was the GM at the time, and asked if he could talk to the Broncos doctors. John said sure, but he also wanted to talk to Keith about something. That something was the VP of Security for the Broncos. A job Keith accepted and is still doing in 2025.   Listen to Keith’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast.To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Had someone told a young Tyrone Braxton that one day he would be a two-time Super Bowl Champion and earn a PhD in his late 50’s, he would never have believed them. Had someone told him he’d get involved in alcohol, drugs, be arrested and almost lose his family… well, he may have believed that because that’s what happened to everyone he grew up with in Madison, Wisconsin. The fact that ALL of that happened to Tyrone and he’s now working to help young people avoid his pitfalls makes for an incredible story.   When Tyrone graduated from high school, two of his brothers were in jail and he was off to North Dakota State to play football. He helped the Bison win three National Championships during his four years and while he never thought he’d make it to the NFL, the Broncos took him with the 2nd to last pick in the 1987 NFL Draft.   During his two stints with the Broncos, Tyrone was part of two losing Super Bowls (XXII and XXIV) and two winning Super Bowls (XXXII and XXXIII). Both stints were like different eras between coaches (Dan Reeves vs Mike Shanahan) and position (Cornerback vs Safety).   When he retired, Tyrone was lost. He went to some bad places and in 2006 after he was arrested, he stood in front of the media and admitted he had a drug problem and needed to straighten up. It was his wake-up call and did he wake up. He finished his degree at North Dakota State, got his master’s in social work at Metro State University and just finished his PhD at CU Denver. Now Dr. Braxton works with kids throughout Denver with everything from addiction, behavior, substance abuse, and every other pitfall today’s youth can find. He’s been there and understands.   Listen to Tyrone’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast. To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was born and raised in Colorado, yet when Scott Elarton was told he was being traded to the Rockies from the team that drafted him while he was in high school, his first emotion was shock. The pitcher thought he would be an Astro for life. But as Scott would learn over the next almost decade: “for life” is extremely rare in Major League Baseball.   Growing up in Lamar, Scott excelled in many sports including football, basketball and baseball. He decided to forgo college after the Astros drafted him 25th overall when he was just 18 years old. He worked his way up the ladder and in four years, made his major league debut at the age of 22. That same year, Scott was a starter, reliever and gave up a game winning home run in Game 3 of the NLDS. He also dealt with injuries early and often. In fact, over the next few years, he became familiar with the disabled list and was actually on the DL when he was told he was being traded to the Rockies.   Coors Field was tough, as it is for most pitchers. He struggled with the thin air and more injuries but was named a starter to open the 2004 season. He was released the next month in May. From there, Scott had stints with multiple teams including Cleveland (twice), Kansas City, the White Sox, Phillies and the Twins along with many affiliates and independent teams.   Eventually in 2014, Scott retired and made the Denver area a permanent home with his wife and two children. These days Scott travels about every other week working for the Pirates organization, mainly helping young players with their mental game. It’s a job he pretty much created and one that would have been very helpful to him when he was fighting to stay healthy and in the game.Listen to Scott’s story and conversation with Susie Wargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts. To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enjoy 14 stories from the NFL Draft Days of Von Miller, Louis Wright, Daniel Graham, Champ Bailey, Simon Fletcher, Steve Atwater, Terrell Davis, Rick Upchurch, Howard Griffith, Peyton Manning, Gary Kubiak, Steve Foley, Tyrone Braxon and Bubby Brister. Many of these players also have full episodes on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast (or will someday). If you haven’t listened to them, search them up and check out their conversations! To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Defenseman can be onery. They are defensemen after all. Kyle Quincey was no exception and had his moments, however many were justified. Like the time he pinned a hockey stick between the eyes of Redwings head coach Mike Babcock and “requested” respect during his second stint in Detroit after coming off 3 solid years with the Avalanche. Babcock obliged and put Kyle on the power play the next night.  Kyle started skating in his home country of Canada when he was just a toddler. Junior hockey took the place of college, and the Redwings drafted him in 2003. Babcock was his coach then, which is why it was difficult for him not to treat Kyle like a rookie during the second go around.  Kyle’s career took him from one coast to the other. He endured numerous injuries and over 20 concussions.  He also earned respect and lifelong friends everywhere he went whether it was the Redwings, Kings, Avs, Devils, Blue Jackets or the Wild. Hockey is family and he needed that family after he retired in 2019.   In 2020, Kyle’s one year old son Axl was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Kyle was just starting to figure out who he was post-hockey and had to put that mental anguish aside to be a dad, husband and support his family. It was tough between Covid and moving short term to Philly for Axl’s surgery, but Axl came out cancer free. Then it was time to focus on Kyle.  Kyle found a path to fulfillment by creating the Do Good Ranch and helping others who have experienced mental and physical trauma. The Do Good Ranch offers a stunning setting for healing, wellness and education into self-improvement and personal growth. The ranch opened in April of 2025 and is available for reservations and private retreats.To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.