The question was simple: “Was there a time when you ever considered quitting?”

“No, heck no,” said NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher. “I like being challenged. Putting yourself in those situations where you can be challenged, it’s going to benefit you in the long run. It’s going to teach you some things about yourself that you didn’t know.”

The answer was fitting for “How To Harness Momentum & Triumph Over Adversity” – the ASI Show Chicago keynote Q&A with the Chicago Bears legend. It was a revealing portrait of the toughness, authenticity and fun that Urlacher brought every day to his 13-year NFL career. During a wide-ranging conversation with ASI President & CEO Tim Andrews, Urlacher discussed the positive influences in his life, his love of merch, his approach to being a brand ambassador and the philosophies on teamwork, discipline and communication that directly contributed to his decorated football career.

NFL Hall-of-Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher discussed the importance of having strong mentors and why fun and success go hand-in-hand in this interview after his keynote conversation at ASI Show Chicago.

Urlacher recalled growing up in New Mexico as a four-sport athlete who gave up the sport he loved the most (basketball) for the one in which he had the brightest future. His parents instilled in him the importance of a strong work ethic, and his coaches mentored him, even going the extra mile of driving him and his brother to practice every day. That ethos of discipline took hold at a young age, and Urlacher did what it took to improve and succeed – even with tasks he found unpleasant or highlighted his deficiencies.

“I didn’t like watching film,” he stated, “but I knew it would make me better.”

Certainly Urlacher grew as a player when he reached the NFL, and instantly succeeded (making the Pro Bowl in his first season). But it was at that level that he first understood the power of attaching his name to a brand – and it was a role he took seriously. He wouldn’t endorse just any old product, but only “if I liked the product and it was a good fit for me,” he said. He remembered fondly the commercials he did for Vitamin Water because the brand took time to get to know his personality and what he liked to do, such as crafting a commercial around his love of fishing.

Likewise, he remembered the sense of wonderment as a college student when he started to receive merch. “I was like holy crap, we’re getting free stuff – it was a big deal,” he recalled. Urlacher’s love of brands and promotional products still carries over now; he readily wears apparel brands he receives and uses logoed golf accessories like towels and balls. He even proudly held up a golf ball that he regularly uses featuring the logo of his friend’s company. (Urlacher has embraced the sport in his post-retirement career and carries a 2 handicap.)

“If you send the right person the right stuff, it can really benefit your brand,” he said. “For me, I’m a huge golfer. So if people send me golf gear that I like, I’m going to wear it.”

Golf isn’t the only component to Urlacher’s post-NFL career. He discussed his long-standing support of the military and first responders, as well as his and his wife’s love of animals, which includes being active with charities and rescuing three dogs, two donkeys and two sheep (one of which Urlacher bottle fed from when it was three days old). A father of three, Urlacher made a conscious choice not to get into high-level coaching because it would have taken too much time away from his kids. His son now plays college football, and Urlacher admitted he enjoys “talking shop” with him – though he admitted that wasn’t always the case through no fault of his own. “The older he got,” he remarked, “the more he believed that maybe I had a little bit of knowledge.”

Urlacher also touched on the NIL (Name, Image and Likness) deals that have completely changed the face of college football. While he is a fan of college players being compensated, he’s not as bullish on the ability of players to transfer at will to another school – unsurprising given the emphasis Urlacher places on loyalty.

Urlacher started the session by tossing three autographed footballs into the crowd – one of which was caught by Josh Gingerich of Pinnacle Point Graphics (asi/581910) in Arthur, IL, who wore an Urlacher jersey to the keynote.

“He was my childhood idol. It was a big surprise he was here,” said Gingerich, adding that catching one of Urlacher’s autographed footballs was “a dream come true.”

“I enjoyed the football aspect,” he said, “but appreciated more hearing about what he’s doing now since we can incorporate it into our day-to-day business.”

Urlacher acknowledged that getting hurt is a part of the sport, but “the positives outweigh the bad 10-fold,” ticking off a list of qualities he learned along the way, including discipline, being on-time and learning how to get along with other people. “Don’t let the small failures get you down,” he urged the audience.

At the end of his talk, he admitted that “Football was my job, and it was great,” but when the subject of legacy came up, he had a simple parting message: “My children are my long-term legacy.”