Tyriq Withers Reveals Why He Walked Away From Football After Winning the Orange Bowl | Just Jared - Celebrity News and Gossip

Tyriq Withers is opening up about his journey from college football to acting.

The 28-year-old Tell Me Lies star, known for his roles in Him and Reminders of Him, spoke out in a new interview about his decision to pursue acting roles following his 2016 win at the Orange Bowl.

Tyriq previously attended Florida State University and was part of the Seminoles football team, playing as a wide receiver.

“There was a holistic journey of ego death,” he revealed to Variety.

“I had an Orange Bowl ring — we won the Orange Bowl [in 2016], so I could have kept playing, and potentially been in the league for four or five years,” he went on to say.

Tyriq Withers Reflects on Proving Himself Through Sports

“Why I played sports was to prove something to my mom. Self-worth was poured into if I played well,” Tyriq said.

“It makes your parent happy, and you strive to keep them happy. I have a stepdad who left, a dad …and you just think sports is going to make them want to be around you more. It’s this sad reality, being a kid.”

He lost his older brother Kionte after a car crash in 2021, who largely helped raise him alongside his mother.

“He witnessed more than me, trauma-wise. There was more pressure being the firstborn,” Tyriq reflected on seeking a bond with a consistent male role model.

Tyriq Withers Says Acting Helped Him Find Himself

“That was an identity crisis. The first time being away from home — Who am I? My identity was within sports,” he said of his joining the FSU team, noting that in sports: “You don’t get time to think about emotions. You make a decision — execute, execute, be perfect, practice, practice, practice — and then, when you take that out of your life, you’re like, What am I witnessing?”

“I didn’t leave to chase theater. I left it to find myself,” he said, adding that he went on to get his MBA as a backup plan.

“Oh, I can go make six figures at this firm — that’s the safe option,” he reflected.

He’s also just booked his next movie role, and it’s a tennis-themed rom-com!

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