I sit down with my friend Todd Peterson to unpack some of the most meaningful conversations we have had over the years about faith, leadership, marriage, and the hidden risks that come with success. We talk candidly about why so many men fall at the peak of their influence and how isolation, pride, and lack of accountability quietly take hold. Todd shares hard-earned perspective from his own life, including lessons from his NFL career, his walk with Jesus, and decades of mentoring men through seasons of growth and unraveling. This conversation is deeply personal, reflective, and grounded in the practical realities of what it means to live with humility, conviction, and purpose.

We discuss:

Why isolation and unchecked success often lead great men to fall
The role of humility, confession, and accountability in long-term leadership
How marriage and trusted relationships shape a man’s character and decisions
The difference between being saved and actively walking in the Spirit
Why meaningful impact is always built through collaboration, not independence

This episode is for anyone wrestling with ambition, faith, leadership, or the desire to build a life that holds up over time.

Todd Peterson is the interim CEO and Chairman Emeritus of Seed Company, a world leader in accelerated Scripture translation. Seed Company has partnered with more than 900 other agencies to cumulatively impact more than 1,100 language groups over the last 20 years.

Peterson was drafted in 1993 by the NY Giants, leading to a 13-year career in the NFL where he also played for Seattle, Kansas City, San Francisco and Atlanta. He set a number of team records and two NFL records – one of which is since broken (most 40-plus-yard field goals in a season). He was named NFL True Value Man of the Year for the Seahawks in 1996 and twice received the NFL Players Association Byron “Whizzer” White award for excellence in character and leadership on his teams. He was twice nominated for the NFL’s Bart Starr Award. Peterson retired in 2006 as one of only 34 players to score over 1,000 points. He is the only player in NFL history to make game-winning field goals for five or more different teams.

(00:03:45) - Why great men “fall”

(00:08:32) - Success-induced isolation

(00:14:23) - Sin

(00:21:31) - Salvation

(00:23:42) - A day in Todd’s life

(00:30:41) - Living in a biblically illiterate world

(00:36:03) - The importance of marriage

(00:50:08) - Having a close group of men in your life

(00:55:42) - Having a relationship with Jesus is hard

(01:09:21) - Undeserved favor

Links:

Seed Company - https://seedcompany.com/

#403 - Todd Peterson - A Message For Men

POWERS

How success breeds isolation

The AI-powered Podcast Player