The Babcock Ranch Podcast Welcomes Bart Oates

From the Trenches to the Boardroom: Bart Oates “Undrafted. Undersized. Undeniable. The Bart Oates Story” Syd Kitson sits down with longtime friend Bart Oates, a three-time Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler, and one of the most accomplished centers in NFL history, for a wide-ranging, personal conversation that spans from small-town Georgia football to the boardroom. Bart shares the story of growing up one of five siblings in Albany, Georgia, choosing BYU over Georgia Tech to pursue engineering, and pausing his football career to serve a two-year religious mission, a decision that, by chance, opened the door to his starting role. He details his unconventional path to the NFL: going undrafted, winning back-to-back USFL championships with the Philadelphia Stars under coach Jim Mora, and signing with the New York Giants after their starting center suffered a career-ending injury. Bart and Syd trade stories about teammates Jim McMahon and Steve Young, playing through injuries, tough coaches like Bill Parcells, and the grueling realities of pro football in the 1980s. The conversation shifts to life after football, Bart's parallel career as an attorney and entrepreneur, his work supporting fellow players through career transitions, and reflections on purpose, identity, and family, including being a grandfather to eleven grandchildren. The episode closes with lighthearted banter about pickup basketball bragging rights and a warm invitation for Bart to visit Babcock Ranch.