Channing Crowder has continued his evolution after professional football in a major way. Whether he’s on his sports talk radio show or on “The Pivot Podcast,” Crowder shines in a different way than he did on the field.
His humor stands out, and he’s a genuine country kid from the Southern plains of Georgia. This was clear when he broke down his personal relationship with his wife, Aja, to Kevin Hart:
Kevin hart couldn’t believe Wtf Channing crowder does with his wife 😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/atjvftVkEv
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) July 26, 2022
Now, Crowder has begun his career in stand-up comedy. The night before the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Crowder headlined his show out of his residential state of Florida. That night, he performed two shows, which also featured fellow former NFL players-turned-comics Spice Adams and Lou Young. Crowder had the audience slapping the table all night as he made light of his off-the-field issues and run-ins with the law, in addition to the viral moment of Drake publicly hitting on his wife at a live show.
Aye Future and Metro! I see why y’all still don’t trust him. This man was shooting at my Baby from the air.
🗣️Let me in the booth!!! pic.twitter.com/Aw15q0eusL
— Channing Crowder (@OfficialCrowder) April 14, 2024
Before the Detroit shows, Crowder spoke to rolling out and discussed what his life has looked like after the game.
Congratulations on this headliner; what is it like for you to take this next step in your career?
It’s weird because a lot of people told me to open for people first, but I got a cheat code because I’m cool with Lil Duval, [and] my dude Desi Banks … I talked to them, and they were like, if you can go, go … Tracy Morgan talked to me. When I told him I was about to start doing stand-up, he was like, “You can learn how to be a rocket scientist in a book. You can learn how to be an astronaut in the book. You can learn how to be a brain surgeon in a book. You can’t learn how to make people laugh. That’s natural…” This is the only thing that gives me that rush of 500-1,000 people sitting there waiting for that punch line. It’s like making a big play.
Why have you been so adamant about advocating for young athletes to attend traditional Power 5 programs instead of HBCUs?
OK. I don’t not want it to happen. We’re just too far behind. It’s just too far … I’m [a] Florida guy. I know to be a Gator, there are 10s of 1000s of people who donate over $100,000 a year just to have a little sticker on their collar of their suit. It’s so much money pumped into those universities.
My wife took me to Howard for the first time. I’m used to Florida. I’m used to stone crabs and sirloin steaks every night. I’m used to unlimited meal tickets so I can go in there all day, 24/7 and get me a steak whenever. I’m used to a 96,000-person stadium. A $4-6 million weight room. I went to Howard and I’m like, “This is where y’all play? Like, this is the football field that you play on?” My high school field was bigger than that …
With NIL now, Caleb Williams is making $5 million leaving USC. Could Jackson State do that?
I think if Shedeur stayed at Jackson State, he could’ve made that much over there.
Uncle Prime, that’s my ace. I love Coach Prime. That’s my man. I talk [to] and text him all the time.
Why did he leave [JSU]? The resources aren’t there…
If it’s my son, who plays baseball, football and basketball, or my daughter, who’s a crazy tennis player and amazing basketball player, I can’t push them to go somewhere if these people are offering them a million dollars a year.
I think your kids, off the strength of your name, could get $250K a year at an HBCU.
And they could get a million over there. It’s simple math.
