David Vobora
David Vobora is a former NFL linebacker and founder of the Adaptive Training Foundation. After a career-ending injury and the dark chapter that followed, he reinvented his life around movement, service, and resilience—and now extends that mission through his foundation and “Life After” podcast, sharing stories that inspire grit, growth, and possibility.
Adaptive
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Life After Coach
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Mr. Irrelevant
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Adaptive • Life After Coach • Mr. Irrelevant •
More about David
David Vobora is a retired NFL linebacker who earned the title Mr. Irrelevant as the final pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. After a successful five-year career cut short by a shoulder injury, David set out to find deeper purpose.
That journey led to a life-changing encounter with quadruple amputee and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills. Moved by his resilience, David founded the Adaptive Training Foundation (ATF) in 2014—a nonprofit gym providing cost-free access to high-performance training and community for people with physical disabilities and traumatic injuries.
Driven by the belief that trauma doesn’t define a person, David began training elite athletes, military veterans, and adaptive individuals, helping them break through not only physical barriers, but also mental and emotional ones. Over the past decade, more than 400 adaptive athletes have completed ATF’s intensive 9-week program, transforming lives from the inside out.
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David’s innovative work has earned national acclaim. He’s been featured in the award-winning documentary Upstanders and appeared on The Ellen Show, ESPN, NBC, NFL Network, CNN, and Forbes. As a keynote speaker, he’s inspired audiences around the globe and collaborated with top organizations such as Starbucks, J.P. Morgan, Blackrock, Lockheed Martin, and TED.
Through his podcast, Life After with David Vobora, he shares stories of resilience and reinvention. With a deep belief in human potential, David empowers others to rise, rebuild, and realize who they were always meant to be.
Speaking Topics
Reinvention
Resilience
Managing Change
Health & Wellness
Sports
Overcoming Obstacles
Culture
Watch David in action
Presentations
Unconquerable
David Vobora, retired NFL linebacker and final pick of the 2008 draft, rebuilt his life after a career-ending injury and pain-medication addiction. Inspired by a quadruple-amputee army veteran, he founded the Adaptive Training Foundation, a free nonprofit gym. Using NFL-style training, his team helps athletes with disabilities achieve what doctors said was impossible—building community, strength, confidence, and joy together.
“I believe in people until they can believe in themselves. I guide them through the unknown, helping them discover their true strength and unlock what’s unbreakable within.”
– David Vobora