Former Penn State OL set to publish first book, makes Today Show appearance

John Urschel was once revered as one of the most talented offensive linemen in college football. Now, he’s going to be regarded as one of Penn State’s finest authors.

On Tuesday, May 14, Urschel’s first book is set to publish, titled Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football. And one day before the book hits the shelves, Urschel made an appearance on the Today Show to talk about his upcoming publication.

Urschel talked about the influence of his mother, balancing his love for math and football and, of course, about the upcoming book. Here’s a clip from Monday’s show:

Former NFL player @JohnCUrschel credits his mom to helping him find his passion in math, "she would always tell me… that the only thing that would limit me is a lack of talent, bad luck, lack of hard work, but it wasn't going to be the household I was born into." pic.twitter.com/pKcBHhAfCT

— 3rd Hour of TODAY (@3rdHourTODAY) May 13, 2019

Urschel played at Penn State from 2009 through 2013. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Urschel went on to have a three-year NFL career and decided to retire from the game in late July 2017. The relevance of CTE found in former football players played a role in his decision to step away from the game and step on his math career.

In January 2017, Urschel was named one of the 30 Under 30 top scientists by Forbes.