Brandon Meriweather does not watch NFL games, at least not in a normal sense.
He loves the sport, always has. After years on the inside, though, Meriweather's eyes see things differently than the fan whose exposure to the league is limited to a few hours each week in the late summer and fall.
Meriweather played nine seasons in the NFL before retiring after the 2015 season, and his knowledge skews the images that flicker across the television screen _ such as the ones that approached, like a wave on a beach, on the first Sunday of the regular season.
"I watch all of my friends that's playing, and I critique," Meriweather said. "I call them after the game and go, 'Yo, you can't do that in the middle of the field, man.' 'Your break on this was flat, man. You've got to do this.'
"When I watch the game now, I see mistakes."
Meriweather, 34, is involved in another competitive field these days: the business world.
The Ocoee, Fla., resident owns a restaurant called The Tavern at Rock Springs Ridge in Apopka, Fla., runs a food-takeout delivery service and manages rental properties.
Meriweather also is involved with World Sports Alumni, a Central Florida-based organization connecting athletes in myriad sports.
How did Meriweather make the transition out of the NFL? By not forgetting what football taught him.
Among the lessons:
