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From the gridiron to the green zone, Shaun Smith isn’t just rewriting his own playbook — he’s helping athletes everywhere rewrite theirs. A former NFL defensive end turned cannabis advocate, Smith represents a new era of athletes who are unfiltered, unapologetic, and unafraid to break the stigma. From the trenches of the NFL to the frontlines of cannabis reform, his mission is clear: empower athletes to heal naturally, live authentically, and never let the game — or society — dictate their limits.

For Smith, cannabis isn’t a crutch. It’s a compass. A way to recalibrate pain, pressure, and purpose — and a tool to channel the same discipline that once powered him through Sundays under the lights.

Before he was a cannabis advocate, Shaun Smith was a force on the football field. Undrafted but undeterred, the Brooklyn-born defensive powerhouse built a decade-long career across teams including the Cowboys, Bengals, Browns, and Chiefs — earning respect the hard way, snap by snap. “I beat the odds because I didn’t get drafted,” he reflects, “and I had a longer career than any Defensive Lineman drafted in my class of 2003.” From finding the end zone to handing his mom the keys to her own home, Smith’s journey embodies grit, resilience, and unwavering self-belief.

He entered the league as an underdog and left it as a symbol of perseverance — a player who understood that true success is measured by the legacy you leave behind. “At the end of the day, we all have an expiration date; it’s just what you do with your time while you’re here.”

Shaun Smith’s path to the NFL was paved with grit, discipline, and self-awareness. From Brooklyn to Kansas to South Carolina, he carried a dream that was never negotiable. “I realized I was going pro on Christmas day when I was 10,” he recalls. “I remember being by the tree, opening my gifts with my mom, and I told her I’m going to be a professional football player.” Guided by faith, fire, and a stepfather who pushed him toward football over basketball, Smith embraced the grind early — knowing that “The number of people on the field at one time is 22 in football and 10 in basketball; the odds are stacked against you.” adding “Football was the only sport where I could be violent and not go to jail. It allowed me to get my frustrations out on the field.”

That intensity would later translate into a career that tested every ounce of his body and mind. “It let me know I can do anything I put my mind to,” he says. “Most of all, it taught me not to care about other people’s opinions and focus on who’s in my corner.” Amid the physical punishment of the NFL, Smith discovered an unlikely ally — cannabis. “Weed helps with body pains and keeps me focused on the goal at hand,” he adds. While others leaned on pills or painkillers, Smith leaned into plant medicine, long before the league — or the public — was ready to hear it.

Recovery, for Smith, was ritual. “The recovery method was to get a massage two times a week, smoke weed, get IV therapy, soak in Epsom salt, and do hot yoga,” he says. But his cannabis use was never about escape; it was about endurance. “To be honest, in Juco, that’s how I survived Kansas,” Smith explains. “It kept me out of trouble instead of getting a DUI like other players.” For him, cannabis was both medicine and mindfulness — a way to stay grounded amid the chaos of pro sports. Today, that relationship runs deeper than ever. “It helps me with the pain because I don’t like taking pills,” he says, “When I was young, my mom tried to kill herself by taking a bunch of pills, and I’ve never been able to go down that road. Cannabis helps me focus, calm down, ease my anxiety, and help with my depression.”

That honesty is exactly what makes Shaun Smith such a critical voice in today’s Sports Cannabis movement. In an industry still shadowed by stigma, he’s a living example of authenticity in action. “I’m unapologetically myself,” Smith declares. “They’re either going to like you or not. I hate when people talk badly about cannabis publicly but are closet smokers.” His advocacy is rooted in consistency — walking the talk, leading by example, and encouraging others to do the same. When asked what his own strain would be, he doesn’t hesitate: “It would be for pain, and I would call it Deep Freeze. You would smoke it and get stuck on the couch.”

As cannabis continues its transformation from counterculture to commerce, Shaun Smith is positioning himself not just as a voice but as a builder of brands, ideas, and legacies. “I want all companies to tap in with me because people listen to what I have to say,” he asserts. His message to the next generation of athletes is simple, yet profound: “You have to have self-control first. Don’t let the cannabis control you. Know your limits and use in moderation.”

Asked what legacy he hopes to leave, Smith doesn’t speak in platitudes — he speaks from the heart. “I just hope people keep saying what they say now: he was a real one and always showed love,” he says. “My legacy will live on through my daughters as I watch them create and live their best lives.”

As our conversation moved from perseverance and purpose to passion and policy, we couldn’t let Shaun Smith head back to the huddle without running our signature two-minute drill. It’s where instincts take over, and the playbook gets tossed aside —this is Shaun Smith, raw, real, and rapid fire.

Sports Cannabis:

If you could smoke with any athlete in history — living or gone — who are you lighting up with and what’s that first conversation like?

Shaun Smith:

“I wanna smoke with Kevin Durant because after watching him on the pivot, I love how he said he didn’t have a plan B and he’s a Kobe Bryant head.”

Sports Cannabis:

Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid — what’s in your personal playbook and why?

Shaun Smith:

“My personal playbook is all of three. It really depends on my mood. On Sundays, watching the game, I mix them all to give me that roller-coaster high…”

Sports Cannabis:

What’s your ideal post-smoke routine — a workout, food, music, or just zoning out?

Shaun Smith:

“Shit, before I gotta have a blunt to get me going and through the workout. After an intense session, I need that relaxation to help chill the vibes.”

Sports Cannabis:

You’ve said you’d love to collab with Snoop — but if you had to create a strain with any celebrity outside of sports or music, who’s your pick and what’s the strain called?

Shaun Smith:

“Barack Obama or Bob Marley.”