A devastating injury may have ended his career on the gridiron, but it was just the beginning of a new chapter for this athlete turned inspirational speaker and children's book author.
Former Clemson Five-Star Has Found an Unexpected Calling After Football originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It was a winding road marked by childhood challenges, discipline struggles, on-field triumphs, heartbreaking injuries and, ultimately, a discovery that his true calling wasn’t just about football — it was about people.
Born and raised in Bamberg, South Carolina, Ricky Sapp was the middle child between an older sister and younger twin siblings. His parents worked long hours — his mother would wake up for work at 3 a.m., while his father often returned home late from work. Love was present, but attention was scarce, and Sapp often sought it in the wrong ways, leading to frequent trouble at school.
Ricky Sapp's Bamberg Beginnings and the Path to Clemson
When he was about 9, Sapp’s interest in sports began to grow—sparked by his cousin Michael and his uncle, both athletes. One afternoon, while passing Bamberg Primary School, he spotted a Pop Warner football practice.
“I’m like, ‘What’s going on? Mom, can I play?’” Sapp recalled. After his mother parked the car, he ran to the gate and asked the coach, who asked only $10 to join. Before long, basketball became another passion, but trouble continued to follow him. Despite showing athletic promise, teachers often praised his leadership potential—while warning he was leading his peers astray.
The football coaches noticed Sapp’s size, speed and quickness. He began as an offensive guard, then switched to running back after his uncle’s encouragement—and never looked back.
By eighth grade, his disciplinary issues had caught up with him: 77 referrals and an expulsion. A principal intervened and enrolled him in summer school, enabling him to start high school. Mentors—teachers, and coaches, had helped keep him on track. Ineligible for football as a freshman, he starred in varsity basketball before returning to football his sophomore year.
Recruiting letters started arriving during his junior season. Middle Tennessee State was first, followed by others, including South Carolina. Florida State pursued him, but its distance from home posed a family challenge.
Clemson—originally not on his radar—kept drawing him back. After visiting and talking to coach Tommy Bowden, who showed how Sapp fit a key defensive role, he committed before his senior season. By 2006, he was ranked as South Carolina’s No. 1 player and a five-star recruit.
NFL Trials, Injury Setback, and Rebirth as a Speaker and Author
At Clemson, Sapp played under Bowden and later under Dabo Swinney, forging a relationship with Swinney that lasted beyond his playing days. He nearly left early for the NFL, but a torn ACL his junior year forced him to return for his senior season. In 2010, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sapp played five NFL seasons—with the Eagles, New York Jets and Houston Texans—battling injuries throughout. His final game came against the Dallas Cowboys, his childhood favorite. While applying pressure on quarterback Tony Romo most of the day, he suffered a hamstring injury on a kickoff that ended his season.
Despite the pain, he made the tackle, ran to the sideline and locked eyes with a coach who had always believed in him—and, unbeknownst to him then, that was the end of his NFL career.
He attempted comebacks; interest from teams—including the Cowboys—emerged after that game, but concerns over his recovery stalled momentum. A short stint with Washington ended before he suited up due to a new administration.
Without football, Sapp struggled with anxiety and depression. He withdrew from friends and rarely left home. Then came an unexpected request to speak at North Myrtle Beach High School—something he once dreaded.
“I felt something in my spirit,” he said. “Like my body was doing somersaults. It was God showing me my purpose.”
Soon, invitations to speak at middle schools and elsewhere followed almost weekly. Though initially lacking confidence, the calls continued, and with each, he grew more convinced this was his path.
He became a substitute teacher and later a football coach at St. James High School in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. When his son wanted to play for Myrtle Beach High School, Sapp joined the coaching staff there. He developed a passion for strength and conditioning while working with athletes.
During one conversation, a player asked why Sapp was so hard on him. Sapp replied simply, “I love you, man.” That message evolved into three guiding principles for young people: be leaders, be fearless and dream big.
Sapp expanded into personal training and speaking engagements. After Clemson’s 2021 bowl win, he texted Swinney, asking for a chance to work in the Tigers weight room. Swinney and longtime strength coach Joey Batson brought him on as a strength and conditioning coach.
I ask Coach Swinney to make a testimony video about my new book 📕 “Ricky’s 2 bullies” he did one on both of my books 📚🙏🏿 #TheDancingMotivationalSpeaker#DreamBig#Rickys2bullies#author#clemson#Daboswinney#NFL
— Ricky Sapp (@Sapp91) August 6, 2025
Grab a copy of my books 📚 here https://t.co/chyiWf45lGpic.twitter.com/4vK3TAIw1F
At Clemson, Sapp became known for dancing at 5 a.m. to energize players for workouts. Swinney taught him the importance of confrontation and accountability in leadership.
However, NCAA rules restricted him from speaking to people older than 11 while on staff. Feeling “boxed in,” he met with Swinney in 2023 to share his dream of full-time motivational speaking. Swinney helped him think through financial implications and even arranged for Sapp to speak to the Clemson football team before making the leap—something Sapp had long wanted to do.
Another recurring question: had he written a book? At first, no—but after encouragement from author and speaker Jon Gordon, who addresses Clemson annually, Sapp published his first children’s book, Dream Big, based on his life. In August 2025, he released his second, Ricky’s Two Bullies.
🚨NOW AVAILABLE for purchase !
— Ricky Sapp (@Sapp91) August 7, 2025
📕Children’s Book Author -Ricky Sapp
NEW Release “Ricky’s Two Bullies”
“Ricky’s Two Bullies” and “Dream Big” are now available for purchase on https://t.co/5ZYQpHfHjn, with autographed copies only available via https://t.co/chyiWf3xw8pic.twitter.com/mBUHWepdvl
Today, Sapp calls himself “The Dancing Motivational Speaker.” He energizes schools with music and dance battles before delivering his message and hosts the weekly Talk to Me Tuesday podcast.
“My audience is the youth, but I also speak to adults, college teams and pro teams,” he said. “My plan is to become the No. 1 motivational speaker in the world.”
Schools, colleges and organizations can book Sapp through his website, therickysappfoundation.com, or via social media, including TikTok at @kingricky91.
“I thought football was who I was,” Sapp said. “But my purpose was bigger—it was about giving love, energy and attention to others.”
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
