Tag: Ben Utecht

Former Colts TE Ben Utecht describes his experience playing with Peyton Manning

Former Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht describes his experience playing with Peyton Manning w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his collaboration with his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, on developing the Shower Sockᵀᴹ and his experience playing with pro football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

“We assembled a team of student engineers (University of Minnesota) to start the prototyping process,” Utecht said of the development of the Shower Sockᵀᴹ. “We also built out some teaching opportunities, where I had a chance to come in and provide some teaching and coaching around organizational culture. This is my passion outside this business, as I work with companies and help them build championship cultures using the Tony Dungy model.

“They wanted to bring that into their ecosystem. So, I had a chance to pour into the students and faculty as well. In return, they partnered with me to help me build this prototype to launch in the marketplace. So I hope that partnership will remain as we begin a hard launch and build a larger product line over time.”

Utecht played four seasons for the Colts after going undrafted in 2004 out of Minnesota. He credits the culture during his tenure with the franchise, especially with Manning as quarterback, pushing him to be a better player.

“Peyton Manning’s skill level actually removed or balanced the pressure,” Utecht explained. “When you have somebody like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Drew Brees, you have an example of a true professional who stewards every moment. The day is different than the rest, elevating every player’s performance on the field, naturally and subconsciously. It just everybody’s confidence goes up. Everybody’s attention to detail goes up. Everybody’s energy, you know, and what they’re giving on every play increases, and you don’t even really realize it’s happening.”

Utecht started in the Colts Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears. He finished with one catch for eight yards.

“So when you have a quarterback, that is a master of the football chess game. You trust that he will put you in the best position to win every time,” said Utecht. “So when the ball is coming to you, it’s because of what he’s seen, and you’re the person that’s open. If he places the ball on your back hip, it’s because he’s telling you that the corner is coming from the outside, so you need to adjust and come back inside, or else you’ll get hit. I mean, that’s how specific Peyton was on his ability to put the ball in the right place to give you the best chance to win. And that actually removes pressure because, because of the ability, the amount of trust you have in that player has increased dramatically.”

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Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce 

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks #Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his collaboration with his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, on developing the Shower Sock and his thoughts on Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce revolutionizing the tight end position. 

“I grew up in Minnesota and chose to stay home and play for the Gophers,” Utecht explained. “I had a great career there, built many relationships, and was not just in the athletic department. When I came up with this idea, my first instinct was to return to the Bakken Medical Device Center at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of the top four in the country, and I knew they would be able to direct and guide me through this process. They were just absolutely amazing.”

Utecht partnered with global med-tech executives Mario Nozzarella and Heinrich Von Solms to develop the product further. They secured US and international patents and trademarks and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process for what has now become the Shower Sockᵀᴹ.

The former First-team All-Big Ten tight end has appreciated the position’s growth since retiring in 2009. He acknowledged the greatness of two Chiefs legends at the position and how it’s evolved over the years. 

“When you think about the progression over the last 15 years, when I came out, Tony Gonzalez was the pinnacle,” Utecht said. “He was, at his all-time greatest, not an overly fast tight end but an amazing position receiver, somebody who was knowledgeable about the game and could incorporate that to put himself in positions on the field where he knew the gaps in the defense.

“Then, we progressed to Jeremy Shockey, and then we progressed to Rob Gronkowski. And now you’ve got this combination of players who have speed, know how to put themselves in the right positions, and have the courage to put their bodies into the block on the line of scrimmage. I think (Travis) Kelce is an excellent example of all the above.”

Utecht also credits the coaches’ game plans, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, with affecting today’s tight ends. 

“Something that goes a little undervalued or doesn’t get discussed is the coaching side; You must have an offensive staff and philosophy built toward the tight end,” Utecht explained. “You have to have a scheme that allows somebody with Travis Kelce’s talent to know how to take advantage of it, and they do that very well. The 49ers did that very well, and the Patriots, with Rob Gronkowski, did that very well. The Colts, with Dallas Clark and myself, did that very well.

“So when you have the suitable scheme and the right coaching strategy on top of the physical ability to do every aspect of the tight end position, which is second to the quarterback, has the greatest responsibility because you have to be in the backfield, you have to be in the slot, you have to be out wide, you’ve got to be on the line of scrimmage, you’ve got to pass protect, you’ve got to run block. So there’s nothing that the tight end doesn’t do, and so, yeah, hats off to what the Chiefs have done with his career, and he’s a great talent, and it’s no surprise that he’s going to go down in history as one of the greatest tight ends to play the game.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht reveals lessons learned from Tony Dungy

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht reveals lessons learned from Tony Dungy w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his work as a mentor at the University of Minnesota, his development of the Shower Sockᵀᴹ, and the lessons he learned from former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy.

“When you enter, especially now in college, with what NIL has done and how it’s changed the financial support system for college athletes, now more than ever, your business,” said Utecht. “Your body is your business. The physical wellness of your body is monumental to your sustainability as an athlete in college and a profession, and it’s our job to do whatever we can to care for those athletes and to put them in the best position to be healthy.”

In 2019, Utecht created a Shower Sock prototype alongside University of Minnesota engineering students, leading Medical School clinicians, and the Bakken Medical Device Center industry experts.

“We know, according to multiple platforms, that 20 to 25% of the world’s population at any given time is suffering from bacterial or fungal infection. The National Institute of Health says that 15% of the world’s population suffers from athletes’ foot,” Utecht explained. “The American Academy of Pediatrics says 10 to 15% of college athletes miss performance time due to bacterial or fungal infections. These infections cannot only impact performance because of pain but also can remove you from the game itself, which has a huge impact on the team, the university, or the professional sports organization you’re playing for. So the ultimate goal for sports is to do whatever we can to care for the physical wellness of our players.”

The Colts starter played under Dungy for several years, including the Super XLI season. During this time, he learned about leadership culture and continues to use the teachings in his life after football.

“Tony Dungy was the first to win a Super Bowl, built on servant leadership. He believed that if you build better men, you get better football players,” said Utecht. “The first team meeting we had, he entered the room, quoted his head coach from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and said, ‘Man, if you’re sitting in this room and your entire identity is wrapped up in a sport, you’ve completely missed the purpose of your life.’ Whoa, that’s a different way to start a team meeting in the NFL.”

The Colts finished with a 12–4 regular-season record and earned their first Super Bowl appearance since 1970. Utecht had his best season as a pro, finishing with 37 catches for 377 yards.

“Tony taught me that culture does not have to be subjective; it can be objective. It can be the strategy that guides every decision an organization makes, and it’s all built on the practice of a shared belief system that drives organizational values,” said Utecht. “Do your behaviors reflect what you value based on what you believe? That was a radical experience for me, and I decided to build a career around that. My degree was in public speaking, and the question was, what’s my story? And I said, Gosh, this is my story. I have to tell the world what I experienced on that Super Bowl championship team, so it’s been really exciting.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Retired NFL TE Ben Utecht discusses ‘Shower Sock,’ Chiefs offense under Patrick Mahomes

Retired NFL TE Ben Utecht discusses ‘Shower Sock,’ #Chiefs offense under Patrick Mahomes w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his inspiration for developing the Shower Sockᵀᴹ after dealing with a painful condition and his thoughts on Patrick Mahomes’ unique success in the Kansas City Chiefs offense. 

“When I was playing in Cincinnati with the Bengals, I contracted a pretty severe foot fungus injury that took three to four months to diagnose and cure, and it was the first time that had ever happened to that level,” said Utecht. “I mean, an athlete’s foot is pretty rampant across the world, but I got a different type of infection, which was very painful.

“It caused scarring in between my toes because of the skin cracking. And it was painful. I could practice and play through it, but it was definitely on my mind, which you never want as an athlete. You want to be able to focus completely on what your job is.”

After experiencing a terrible foot infection, Utecht was inspired to create the Shower Sockᵀᴹ so that others would not have to endure the same experience.

“So when I retired and entered civilian fitness life, I was at a leading national fitness brand, in their locker room, sitting in their steam room, and just couldn’t believe it,” Utecht explained. “What the floors look like. I remember sitting there thinking Man, I’ve never been a flip-flop wearer. I’ve never enjoyed wearing sandals in the shower. Because you’re just taking those sandals and throwing them back in your gym bag, and you don’t clean them. You never disinfect them.

“I thought, man, has anybody ever made a disposable antibacterial and fungal shower sock I can put on to wash my foot with preventative applications that shield me from bacteria and fungus? Then I can throw it away, and it’s highly affordable, so I can protect my foot cheaply every time I step onto a tile floor. To my surprise, it has never been created.”

Utecht has shifted his focus from football to leading the charge to save millions of athletes’ feet. He expressed his appreciation for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s work with his feet on the field as part of his fantastic skillset. 

“You’ve got somebody like Patrick (Mahomes), who is very dangerous outside the pocket. That enhances your ability as an offense to put the defense in compromising situations, and it also changes your attitude as an offensive skill player, right?” said Utecht. “Because when you have a pocket passer, you know you’re significantly dependent upon the routes in their current physical expectation, but when you have an outside, when you have someone that can get outside and is incredibly mobile.

“Now you have to be ready on every single play to adjust that route, to adapt to his mobility, to make plays and to get open. So there’s a whole other level to the route that gets incorporated into a Patrick Mahomes offense. That’s systematized, and those receivers on the Chiefs do it very well Because of the hours upon hours of practice that make that offensive scheme perfect.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook