Not many people have won the Super Bowl twice. An even smaller number of them went on to be the founder of a cannabis brand, but Jim McMahon isn’t like most people. Recently, Fat Nugs got the chance to sit down with this legendary football icon to chat about his new cannabis brand, his plans to make waves in the industry, and how this Big Time NFL star’s outlook on life was shaped by a little bit of bud. 

Kelly Ebbert: Jim, it’s so nice to meet you. I wanted to talk a little bit about your journey into cannabis and how it ties in with your days in the NFL. Is that alright with you?

Jim McMahon: Sure. 

KE: So, tell me about your partnership with Revenant. How did that come to be? 

JM: I was actually looking to get into the business for years, but as you probably know, there are a lot of shady characters in this industry. Kyle Turley (another NFL superstar) who started Revenant, and was already in the business, called me and told me his vision. He wanted to get this message out there, and we were both on the same page. We were trying to get the NFL to try to stop testing these guys for cannabis, and let them use what they want to heal.

KE: I've heard a lot of horror stories, so I'm glad you've been doing that. Could you tell me a bit about how cannabis has helped you with the injuries sustained from your playing career?

JM: It got me off the pain pills, that’s for damn sure. I was still taking pain pills five or six years after I retired, and I knew I had to do something to get off that. I’ve gone strictly to cannabis, and it has been so much better. My body feels better. Opioids put me in a fog and masked my pain. Cannabis actually helps and heals your body. So, it’s been a pretty easy transition. I’ve had six surgeries in the last 22 months on my foot. After a couple of days of pills for the immediate pain, I switched right back to nothing but cannabis. 

KE: That makes sense. My husband actually recently had surgery, and he was taking pain meds, but then he switched over to cannabis and it's been really helpful for him.

JM: Well good! That’s what it’s supposed to do. It’s a medicinal herb, not a drug.

KE: For the past couple of weeks, you’ve been hosting a cannabis tour in and around Illinois. What are you hoping people take away from that?

JM: I’m just hoping that they understand what the plant is supposed to do for you. Everybody has an endocannabinoid system in their body. We’re supposed to be using this plant. We don’t have any opioid deficiencies in our bodies. We don't have cocaine deficiencies, we have endocannabinoid deficiencies, and that’s why we get sick. That’s why we need cannabis. 

KE: What has your favorite part been about being in the cannabis industry so far?

JM: My title in the company is CTO, for Chief Tasting Officer. I told them I don’t want to go to meetings, but I will taste all the products. 

KE: So, you get to sample each product and decide if they go through?

JM: Oh yeah. 

KE: Love that. Where do you see the industry headed in 5 years?

JM: I think it’s probably going to get bigger and better. People don’t realize that you can do really well if you do everything right in the cannabis industry. If you get your product tested and don’t use chemicals, you’re still going to make money. It’s people that get greedy and try to cut corners, these are the guys that are falling by the wayside. Hopefully, we can keep our company the way it’s been going, and continue to grow and hopefully get in all 37 legal states by the end of next year. 

KE: I’ll be rooting for you guys.

JM: Appreciate that. 

KE: I know you've made some pretty tremendous strides and helped people understand that the NFL could do better with cannabis. What could the average person better understand about what NFL players go through physically and emotionally?

JM: It’s a tough business. It’s a great life, especially now with what they’re getting paid. You get to basically play a kid’s game as your job. It’s definitely not a kid’s game — I mean these guys are big, strong, physical, and very proud people.

KE: I know a lot of the time people don't really have a complete understanding of what athletes go through, especially in the pros…

JM: All they see is Sunday afternoon or Monday night. So, that’s basically all they know about the game. You don’t see what these guys go through. They’ve gotta be at work sometimes at 6 AM and don’t get home until 6 or 8 at night. You have one day off, which is usually on a Tuesday. You have to go to rehab. You have to lift weights. You have to study film. You have a lot going on besides football. People don’t understand that sometimes. Some people think you just work one day a week. 

KE: You're clearly doing immense physical activity. I can't even imagine practicing before the games. You're at risk of developing injuries, and I've been thinking about how that connects with cannabis. You basically have a full 7-day work week. Even whenever you have a day off, I'm sure you're still thinking about what you're going to do the next day, what you're going to do at practice and so on.

JM: Yeah. It can get stressful at times, and that’s where cannabis helps a lot. It helps take your mind off of  it. It helps you sleep, and it can sort of help you escape from it a bit. 

KE: Thank you so much for your time and sharing your personal views on cannabis, Jim. We wish you nothing but success in the future. 

*This interview has been edited for length & clarity