Derek Wolfe: Former NFL defensive lineman and Super Bowl champion (Denver Broncos), now an obsessive bow hunter, podcaster and Denver sports-radio host.
What this episode covers
Derek Wolfe joins Joe Rogan for a wide-ranging conversation that opens on the savagery of NFL interior line play, including the spinal-cord injury and seizure that nearly killed him. He reveals he microdosed mushrooms with Adderall before games to enter a controlled-rage flow state, ties that aggression to his Scandinavian ancestry, and recounts an EMDR session in which he relived a past life as a betrayed Viking. A large middle section covers his post-retirement bow-hunting addiction, anchored by a grueling hunt for a roughly 220-pound mountain lion that had been stalking a Colorado homeowner. The two also riff on ancient civilizations, wildlife conservation and tag systems, cold plunges and saunas, and combat sports. Wolfe closes by candidly sharing his traumatic upbringing, suicidal childhood, and how marriage and fatherhood turned his life around.
Recommended on this episode
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
“have you read the book species yes yeah that book changed my life very very interesting right”— Derek Wolfe
Vikings
History Channel
“yeah the show was great because there was no real good guys like the people that they were storming their castle”— Derek Wolfe
The Northman
Robert Eggers
“it's a great movie I love that movie I mean but that time in history what an amazing time”— Derek Wolfe
Ancient Apocalypse
Graham Hancock
“I watched it it's amazing it's great it's amazing and that this is what he's pointing out”— Derek Wolfe
Traeger grill
Traeger
“I use that triager for everything they're great it's so convenient too it's so easy to do”— Derek Wolfe
Sentech Smokers offset smoker
Sentech Smokers
“you close the lid on that thing and It's amazing and you could adjust it's easy to maintain and everything”— Joe Rogan
Morozko Forge cold plunge
Morozko Forge
“I saw you post it and I was like I'm going to check this company out oh morozko they're sweet man”— Derek Wolfe
Kifaru Stryker XL pack
Kifaru
“I have one of those kafaru packs at striker XL and it has like a meat tray back there and it's perfect”— Derek Wolfe
Sevr broadheads
Sevr
“I like using these sever broadheads that those are great those I love them”— Derek Wolfe
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
Blue Cube cold plunge
Blue Cube
“We got a different one out here that's even more brutal we got a blue cube they got a new blue cube”— Joe Rogan
Don Julio 1942
Don Julio
“I'm carrying a bottle of Don jolio 1942 drinking straight out of the bottle and walking in there”— Derek Wolfe
AirPods
Apple
“if you get old school airpods the only ones that work other airpods die like the new ones the pros”— Joe Rogan
Echo Bike
“I like doing the cold plunge and then immediately doing bike rides so I'll do like the Echo Bike”— Joe Rogan
Big reveals from this episode
- Wolfe bruised his spinal cord and was paralyzed for three hours, played two weeks later, then had a near-fatal seizure and a 36-hour coma.
- He admits microdosing mushrooms combined with Adderall before NFL games to trigger a focused, controlled rage and 'flow state.'
- During EMDR therapy he experienced a vivid past life as a Viking who was betrayed by his brother and beheaded for marrying his woman.
- He bow-hunted what his guide called the biggest mountain lion he'd seen (~220 lbs), crawling up an 11,000-ft mountain through chest-deep snow.
- Raised by an alcoholic, drug-addicted mother who doesn't know who his father is, plus an abusive stepfather who beat him 'for fun.'
- At 10-11 years old he put shotguns in his mouth wanting to end his life before deciding to keep surviving day by day.
- He met his wife when she was a Vegas cocktail waitress during a post-Super Bowl bender, and credits her with saving his life.
Worth remembering
- The average NFL career is about two and a half years; players only vest their pension at year three.
- Wolfe lived with Travis and Jason Kelce in Cincinnati; that house ultimately produced four Super Bowls and two Grey Cups.
- The Viking age ran from 793 to 1066 CE.
- A mountain lion relocated to Nederland, Colorado killed 15 dogs in 30 days before it had to be put down.
- At the Western Hunt Expo a single Arizona mule deer governor's tag sold for $725,000, with the money going to conservation.
- The Pittman-Robertson Act funds U.S. wildlife conservation largely through taxes on bullets, rifles, bows and outdoor gear.
- Geologist Robert Schoch's water-erosion analysis of the Sphinx suggests the pyramids could be 12,000+ years old.
- Colorado requires an online exam to get a mountain lion license, and the meat must be processed for human consumption.
- A typical NFL play lasts only about six seconds.
- Texas has more captive tigers in private collections than exist in all the wild worldwide.