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Super Bowl champion Steve Beuerlein revealed what part of the transition from college football to the NFL doesn’t get talked about enough.
Beuerlein, 61, said that players anticipate the physical side of the game when they enter the NFL, but not all of what comes mentally.
“I think a lot of players anticipate the physical side of it. Understanding that things just happen a lot faster. The guys are a lot stronger. The mistakes are a lot fewer. The margin for error is much less,” Beuerlein told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
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Steve Beuerlein speaks at the JESPYS awards at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, California, on May 29, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
“Every mistake is magnified. I think players understand that. But I don’t think they have any way to possibly understand the complexity of the game at this level and the time that goes into preparing yourself week after week.”
Beuerlein said that for players to withstand the grind, they need to make strong decisions off the field to build strong habits.
“It’s a long season, and I know the season’s much longer now for college football players than it ever was. But the intensity and the magnitude of each game and the pressure that’s on you to perform and produce at a high level each and every week is much greater at the NFL level,” Beuerlein said.
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Steve Beuerlein throws the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in a 1997 season game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sept. 7, 1997. (RVR Photos/USA TODAY Sports)
“And obviously, as you get a little bit older, the toll it takes on your body is much different too. So you’ve got to get yourself into good habits in terms of decisions, your life decisions off the football field, how you take care of yourself, your diet, your nutrition, your exercise routine.”
Rookies would be wise to heed Beuerlein’s advice as he played 14 seasons in the NFL.
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Steve Beuerlein waves at a Netflix event for “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” at Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on Aug. 11, 2025. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
He played for the then-Los Angeles Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. He was a backup quarterback when the Cowboys won the Super Bowl in 1992.
He made the Pro Bowl with the Panthers in 1999. In 147 games (102 starts), he completed 56.9% of passes for 24,046 yards, with 147 touchdowns and 112 interceptions.
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