#1517 Tight End Noah Gray

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Noah Gray, a professional football ball player in Kansas City, joins Scott to unpack how he balances the grind of football with day-to-day type 1 diabetes management. Hear how the tight end channels strict routines, technology, and faith to stay game-ready while motivating the next generation of athletes with T1D.

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Scott Benner 0:00
Hello friends and welcome back to another episode of The Juicebox Podcast.

Usually you see today's guest on television catching passes from Patrick mahomes, but today he's on the Juicebox Podcast talking about his life with type one diabetes. Please don't forget that nothing you hear on the Juicebox Podcast should be considered advice medical or otherwise, always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan or becoming bold with insulin. When you place your first order for ag one next gen with my link. You'll also get a free bottle of Ag, d3, k2, a welcome kit and five of the upgraded travel packs. Use my link. Drink. AG, one.com/juicebox, are you an adult living with type one or the caregiver of someone who is and a US resident? If you are, I'd love it if you would go to T 1d exchange.org/juicebox and take the survey. When you complete that survey, your answers are used to move type one diabetes research of all kinds. So if you'd like to help with type one research, but don't have time to go to a doctor or an investigation and you want to do something right there from your sofa. This is the way t 1d exchange.org/juice, box. It should not take you more than about 10 minutes. If your loved one is newly diagnosed with type one diabetes and you're seeking a clear, practical perspective, check out the bold beginning series on the Juicebox Podcast. It's hosted by myself and Jenny Smith, an experienced diabetes educator with over 35 years of personal insight into type one. Our series cuts through the medical jargon and delivers straightforward answers to your most pressing questions. You'll gain insight from real patients and caregivers and find practical advice to help you confidently navigate life with type one. You can start your journey informed and empowered with the Juicebox Podcast, the bold beginning series and all of the collections in the Juicebox Podcast are available in your audio app and at Juicebox podcast.com in the menu. If you'd like to learn more about the Juicebox Podcast, hit follow or subscribe in the audio app you're listening in right now. Ladies and gentlemen, number 83 for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Noah Gray. I'm going to start with a big picture idea. I've been thinking about this all day. Do you know that the odds of you having type one diabetes, playing at least one game in the NFL and winning a Super Bowl are like one in a billion?

Noah Gray 2:39
I didn't know the exact number on that. But that's, that's a blessing, right there. I'm very

Scott Benner 2:43
fortunate. Isn't that something like So what made me think of it was, my son played college baseball for four years, and people would say, you know, oh, but you didn't keep playing. I one time I just did the math and the amount of kids that are born in a year who go to play Little League, who then end up playing in high school, who then play that number dwindles down to the fact that, like, I think, like, 9000 kids play college baseball every year. Yeah, and in my mind, like, you've won already then, but yeah, knowing there's still, like a peak there, like, there's a little farther to go, like, I'm wondering, like, how aware you are of how rarefied the situation is. Like, is it a thing you can even think about, or does it? Would it throw you off to think about it?

Noah Gray 3:26
No, I've never really thought about it. I think when it mostly sets in is like, if I go do a signing that's public, or when I'm at a football game and I see, like a type one sign, like, I'm here for number 83 like, I think it kind of makes me realize that, like, the type one community is extremely small, and I do have a very big platform. And like, the stage that I'm on, like, there's only, like, five, maybe a little over five, of us in the NFL that are playing with type one diabetes. I'm friends with Chad MUMA with the Jaguars. I've talked to Blake Ferguson over with the dolphins. And when I see those kids, and they show up and like, all they care about is giving me gummies in exchange, you know, they'll give me gummies. I'll sign like gloves, I'll sign the sign, yeah, or they just show up to the autograph signing, literally, because they just wanted to meet me, because I had type one. You know, people that didn't even really, you know, a lot of them do care about football, obviously, but some of them are just like athletes, or just young kids who are recently diagnosed, or really just trying to find, you know, what they're interested in. And they found out I had type one and I'm going to be at a certain spot, I think it really puts it in perspective to me, just kind of how big that impact that I could have on their lives are. And I think that's kind of really when like that kind of sets in, because really, I just try to keep it pushing like I'm in the NFL. I'm not going to let type one. And define who I am. Like, this is my job. This has been my dream since I was a kid. So I usually don't think about that. But like, if I'm on the sideline and look behind me and there's a kid with the went to Pittsburgh Steelers game, and he's got a type one sign. He's probably the only one in that stadium with a type one sign. You know, I think it really humbles me. It makes me really appreciate kind of moments like that. And you know, how big of an impact, you know, we can make being on that field to motivate other kids to be the best possible version of themselves and whatever it is that they want to do. So I think kind of those moments are really kind of when I realized that it's a lot bigger than myself, and there's a lot of other type one diabetes, like I said, a really small community, but they're, they're just trying to be the best version of themselves and really make it, you know, the goals that they have set forth in their life come true. I have

Scott Benner 5:50
a lot of questions here from people, and you'll see when we get to them, that they wrap a lot around that, like people are, I think they look to you and they think, wow, he did this like that. Gives them a ton of hope. I don't imagine it's pressure for you. It must feel nice to be able to be that person. For somebody else,

Noah Gray 6:05
yeah, I wouldn't say it's a lot of pressure, pressure I just give to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when I look at all these other kids like I truly believe God has given them a plan in their life, whatever it is, you know, if it's the NFL, I hope it works out for them. If it's to be the best musician in the world, I pray that works out for them if it's to go on podcast one day and talk about their experience with type one and it's impacting other type one diabetes who are younger than them as they get older, you know, I pray that's what God called them to do. And for me, I don't look at as pressure. It's just kind of one of those things where I feel like, God blessed me with type one to make an impact in their lives, so that when they get older, they realize that, you know, they've lived with it this long, they've gone through this, you know, kind of these obstacles in their life. They've had success doing, you know, certain things, and they can make that same impact for the next generation. I think that's really the goal that I've had. And like I said, I truly believe it was a blessing that I got it. I think when I was in the hospital for it was like, four or five days that I was in it, it's like, man, like I can't eat as many carbs. I gotta watch what I'm eating. There's, you know, I gotta give myself injections all the time, and there's just a lot of doubt. And that was at the beginning of my freshman year of college. That's

Scott Benner 7:26
what I was going to say. You're literally just getting to Duke when that happens.

Noah Gray 7:30
Yeah. So I played my whole football season my freshman year, and when I got to Duke, we did all these, like tests and stuff like that for blood sugar and all these other it's like, you know, a big physical. They want to make sure we're healthy before we start the season. And apparently it was at like, 150 and when I was diagnosed in think it was January, they basically told me that we had this down from your tests over the summer, but we just thought you were one like, anxious and nervous that you just got to college, yeah? And then two you had just eaten lunch at when we did the test, you know? And my mom's like, yeah, that's also, like, it's also kind of a pre diabetes number. I can't believe they didn't do more, like, weren't more concerned about a 150 blood sugar for a kid who's in college, yeah? But it's all good. I played the whole season, and there's definitely times where it was really tough, and I like to pride myself on being a more in shape guy. I worked really hard, and I think as the year went on, I was struggling with just like staying in shape, like I get tired really easily in practice, I was getting tired as the day went on, and then the big symptoms didn't really kick in until when I came back for my second semester after our winter Christmas break where, you know, I lost the eyesight, I was losing weight. I had like, acne all over my body, which I've never had, like that much acne before. I mean, I know I'm 18 years old, but all these symptoms started kind of kicking in over like, a two to three week span, and then I was diagnosed in January after my freshman football season. And then looking back on I'm like, Man, there were so many signs. Can you

Scott Benner 9:09
put yourself back in that place? Do you remember what you felt like was happening? Because you're what? You're pretty far from home. Am I right? You're from mass? Yes, yeah. So you're pretty far from home and by yourself, and I would imagine, prior to that, pretty excited, like, I'm going to Duke to play football. Things are going well when your health starts to tumble at 18. Do you have the wherewithal to wonder about it, or do you just keep pushing?

Noah Gray 9:30
I just kept it pushing. I hadn't had anything really serious, like, health wise that had happened in my life, especially not like gradually, you know, like, I last grade my spleen the freshman year of high school, and that was probably the real big one that I had. But, like, nothing that was kind of like a gradual, like, lead up to something so, like, symptoms like that. It was very like form to me, you know, like when I was lifting, I would have a full body cramp, and then I couldn't lift as much weight. And I literally probably took, like. A week off and, like, count our weightlifting coaches, like, what's going on? Like, yeah, basically out of shape, and they made me go lift with one of the kickers at the time for one session, because I couldn't put more than, like, 135 pounds on my back to squat. I just couldn't do it right for me. I'm like, I just got to work hard. Like, it had nothing to do with like, Oh, my health is declining. You know? I mean, when I got really concerned, though, is my vision, because I've always had fine vision. It's never been a concern for me. I've never worn classes or contacts, and then all of a sudden, like I woke up and I couldn't see anything, and then I'm in class, and we got this massive projector screen, and you know that our professor is using and I'm literally taking photos with my phone, zooming in so I can take notes on my computer, right? You know, I catch footballs for a living. So it's like, why is my vision going and I think that was the last straw that I had to go back in there, because I would go in with a new symptom, they would just kind of give me, like, kind of basically a band aid to put over it, and they weren't really doing but it was, like, every few days I would go in with like a new symptom. Was like, Hey, I can't keep waiting on hey, I'm full body fat. Hey, I'm just drinking all the time. And then I was like, Dude, I'm losing my eyesight. So one of our trainers is like, hey, like, let's just go get you an eye exam. So it was always just kind of like, trying to find a solution for the next symptom I had. Yeah, so like, for me, it was just like, I just got to keep pushing on, keep pushing on. And then my our head athletic trainer who has type two diabetes, so obviously, when his blood it's it's different, but when their blood sugar is high, like symptoms are pretty similar. So he's been through that. He's like, Hey, he's just kind of overhearing me talk to the other athletic trainer. And he's like, Hey, like, let me check your blood sugar. Took out his blood sugar reader, prick my finger, and then I think on the reader, like, the highest you could go was like, 650 and literally, the thing just said, just high, yeah, yeah. So it was like, it was just crazy. Like, that's when, and I still when that happened. I'm like, I have no idea, like, what's going on. Still, even when I was in the hospital, it's like, I had no idea until they literally told me that it was probably type one, yeah.

Scott Benner 11:55
So then, do your parents come down to be with you at the hospital? Like, how do you manage that when you're in the hospital? Yeah,

Noah Gray 12:01
my mom came down. She found out about it. They both work, so it took him, like, a day or two to get down there. But like, I was in good hands. Like my head athletic trainer was phenomenal. He stayed with me a lot of the time. His name's house or over at Duke. Beth Miller, who's a nutritionist at Duke, she was a huge impact on the beginning stages of my diagnosis. So, you know, I was in great hands. And you know, I was probably in a place where I didn't really want to see a whole lot of people, including my family, unfortunately, yeah, but it was really nice because they moved down to North Carolina when I moved to Duke, and they probably lived, you know, an hour and 45 two hours away from me. Oh, no kidding, yeah. So they came over to the hospital, and it was nice to see my mom around then, kind of when I had everything figured out. Because in the beginning, you know, it's just like it's chaos, like we are on an insulin drip trying to get your blood sugar down slowly, you're trying to figure out eating, and you're finally feeling normal again after that whole situation. I think my blood sugar when I went in the hospital was 950 and the doctors kind of said, like, you know, because when you get that high, like, there's a chance that you could get DK, I didn't have that, fortunately. And then some people can just end up going into a coma, depending on the circumstance. And unfortunately, that didn't happen. But when my mom got there, everything kind of settled down. And, you know, I was in a little better head space.

Scott Benner 13:19
Can I ask you, were you a prospect in college, like a draft prospect going in I'm trying to figure out what you felt like you might be losing at that moment when you get diagnosed.

Noah Gray 13:29
Yeah. So that kind of goes back to, like, when I said I had a really good support staff, like hap and Beth, pretty much, like, as soon as it happened, and they told me, the first thing they said is like, hey, we just got to manage it well. And if you can manage it well, you're still going to be able to play. And I think that give me a huge like, relief. Like, they were just like, hey, it's going to be nutrition, it's going to be exercise, it's going to be putting in the right doses of insulin, and is like, you'll still be able to play. Like, trust me, you know, we know people like this. I think Mark Andrews was very outspoken about it. So, like, he had brought up mark when I was in college, and so, like, there's a lot of confidence that I was able to receive, right? You know, some other people might not necessarily get that confidence. Where I work with a lot of younger type one diabetes, mostly adolescents, because a lot of time they're in the hospital and they don't have a hat or a Beth Miller, that's basically right off the bat, like, Hey, this is going to work for you. You just have, like, a doctor telling you you got type one. The family has no idea what that means. They've never had type one, or maybe they have, they may have seen it really negatively affecting a family member. And, like, there's just a whole lot going on. And I think I was very, very blessed to have half and Beth basically, like, right out the gate, he's like, Hey, you have this, but you're still going to be able to play, you know. And from then, you know, when they told me that, you know, I think the worry and the stress started to go down a lot faster. And then I think if I was really drawing on it, no one told me that right off the bat.

Scott Benner 14:56
Yeah, I know you don't know who I am, but this whole podcast has been around for a. Decade, and it's incredibly popular, because I talk to people about how to use insulin and just give them the reality of their situation so that they have the right tools and the right understanding so they can make good decisions for themselves. And that sounds like what you got on day one. That is incredibly lucky, because most people do not get that at all. Yeah,

Noah Gray 15:18
I was extremely blessed, and I recognize that, you know, so shout out to half and death. They helped me out so much in the beginning process. And, yeah, learning what they told me, that's one of the first things I try to tell all the, you know, adolescent kids that I work with, that they will be able to achieve the goals and the dreams that they have. But it starts with great management. And, you know, working with your healthcare provider, working with people who help you with your pump, insulin therapy, whatever your insulin therapy is. Working with your athletic coaches, your exercise your athletic trainers. It's all super, super important and super helpful to you know for the beginning of your journey.

Scott Benner 15:56
Yeah. How did you start off? Did they start you with a pen? They get you a pump right away. Do you have a CGM? Do you recall my diabetes pro tip? Series is about cutting through the clutter of diabetes management to give you the straightforward, practical insights that truly make a difference, this series is all about mastering the fundamentals, whether it's the basics of insulin dosing adjustments or everyday management strategies that will empower you to take control. I'm joined by Jenny Smith, who is a diabetes educator with over 35 years of personal experience, and we break down complex concepts into simple, actionable tips. The Diabetes Pro Tip series runs between Episode 1001 1025 in your podcast player, where you can listen to it at Juicebox podcast.com by going up into the menu

Noah Gray 16:42
pens. I was on pens for the longest time. I was so afraid of the pumps basically being attached to me tubing or just being too big, yeah. So I started with the pens, and it worked for me. And I also was doing finger pricks for probably a little longer than I needed to be. If I recommend anything to anybody, it's like the CGM out the bat. You know what? I mean, I didn't realize how much of a game changer that is. And also, like, there's so many ways to wear your CGM that isn't going to inhibit you from, you know, doing your day to day activities. I can understand being a little weary of, like the insulin pump therapy, just because there's a lot that goes into it, and the technology is just crazy with it, which is awesome. It's a great thing. You

Scott Benner 17:27
can see how, like, a pump might scare somebody, but the CGM is, like, a no brainer, right? No brainer, yeah. And

Noah Gray 17:32
I don't know why it took me so long to get on it, just because they're so small and, like, they're just really, yeah, it's just, and it's a great thing to have overnight, like, I would go overnight. Like, if I look at my pump now and I eat before I go to bed, it's like, I will see how it can rise into the two hundreds, and I'll kind of stay there for a little bit, and then it'll drop. It's like, before when I didn't have that data, it's like, I'd go to bed, it'd be 100 I'd wake up it'd be 90, and I'm like, Oh, my blood sugar is 100% in range. Yeah, all day long. You and

Scott Benner 18:01
I had the same experience, man, well, I used to put my daughter. So my daughter was diagnosed when she was two, and she was like 18 pounds, yeah. And I'd put her to bed at like 180 and she'd wake up at 90. And I thought, I'm so good at this, yeah. And then one day, we got a CGM, and it turns out she'd go to bed at 180 she'd go down to like 55 sit there for hours, and then I think her liver would kick in and pull her back up again. We never, I never would have known that. You know, yeah, I have a question here from a kid. He wants to know if it hurts to get hit on your CGM.

Noah Gray 18:28
It doesn't know. And that surprised me too, because, you know, I've had it ripped out in football when I was wearing it on my arm, which is a big reason why I moved it to the spot that it does but doesn't, doesn't hurt at all. And like, if it does come out, it's not like, it's gonna re stab you. It's a pretty flimsy little needle at the end. So, yeah, it's, it's money.

Scott Benner 18:47
Well, I have a couple more questions, but let me I'll jump to a fun one. There's a father in the group that wants to know when's the first time you got your bell rung and you knew it was, like, a different

Noah Gray 18:56
level, like in the NFL, or, like, just playing football my whole life. I don't know who hit you

Scott Benner 19:01
know the guy's name, like, that's, I guess what they're quite like, when it jumped up. You know who caught you?

Noah Gray 19:05
I don't know the name. I think, like, the first time I got my bell rung, though, was when I was really little. Oh, they're kidding, yeah, yeah. So, like, that's the first time I realized, like, hey, like, this isn't just, like, a leisure sport, like, I gotta head on a swivel all the time. And, you know, kids are out here and they're trying to play ball, and some kids like hitting more than others, yeah, I think that, for me, like there's some just really fast, explosive kids that they could catch you, yeah. And then in the NFL, I mean, there's been a handful of guys that have really, kind of, you know, got out a couple of linebackers, Jeff Okuda, who's a cornerback for Houston last year, he got me pretty good in a game. So there's definitely been a handful of times where, you know, I'll catch the ball and I'll think I'm, you know, hoping to run, and then next thing, you know, there's a dude just crashing down on me. So yeah, definitely always keeping your head on a swivel in the sport,

Scott Benner 19:56
it's crazy. I genuinely can't imagine. I mean, the difference between. And you're 40 pounds and four inches bigger than most guys, right? Like, is that that's about it, right?

Noah Gray 20:07
Yeah. I mean, yeah, compared to, like, safeties and dBs, probably, yeah, I got a pretty big size advantage. But, man, those guys are explosive and fast, and it's like some of those guys can hit harder than some of the linebackers just because of how explosive they

Scott Benner 20:21
are flying around. Yeah, that's yeah, that's crazy, yeah. So, okay, so you get yourself a pen, you eventually move to a pump. Do you remember what your first pump was?

Noah Gray 20:29
I think I used Omnipod, and then I switched over to tandem, and I was on the tandem T slim for a couple years before I just switch over to the tandem Moby pump.

Scott Benner 20:38
Oh, you're using the Moby now? Yes, sir, yeah. Did you update the software to the control iq plus?

Noah Gray 20:43
I did. I actually did a couple days ago. And I'm really excited to kind of learn about the new iq plus technology, not super well versed in it, but I know it has a little bit to do with, like, the Temp Basal rates, and I'm excited to kind of explore that. And you know, kind of have that be utilized in my pump therapy. But using, you know, an insulin pump changed the game for me. And like we said earlier, it's not a it's something that I definitely understand people being a little bit worried about, especially as an athlete, just because of, like, it getting grabbed and, you know, it coming off and someone damaging it. But fortunately, I feel like I've come up with a pretty good system. You know, I have it in the locker room with me. The biggest thing I'll say, in terms of, like, our therapy is being as consistent as possible, especially before games, when you're managing your diabetes and trying to stay away from those low blood sugars. And then my pump is kind of just there as, like a guide, something that kind of helped me through that, because I'm not wearing it as much. You know, once I'm in the game, I can't wear my pump, which, you know, may seem scary to some people, and I got some methods to kind of, you know, work that, but it's always close by, and I try to get my blood sugar at like 100 like 50 to like 180 range before a game, I'll eat the same foods. It's chicken, rice and vegetables. Ate that about three and a half hours before the game, and then I'll kind of eat some other snacks leading up to the game to kind of keep that energy going, and then still have my insulin pump on until right before the game. But it's it's consistency, and it stinks, and I always recommend it to kids, because it's like, look, the best way to keep you from going super low and super high is being as consistent as possible with what you're eating before your games, and it's like after the game's over, go crazy. Go have fun. Go have some cake, ice cream. Be a kid, you know what I mean. But like to really hone in and make sure you're getting your blood sugar exactly where it needs to be. Try to be as consistent as possible with what you're eating and what time you're eating. And it may not be chicken, rice and veggies, it could be whatever watermelon, anything like whatever it is that gets you to the range that makes you feel good, be as consistent as possible with that. And really throughout the week, like having an insulin pump with me, especially the Moby, it's the best. Like, I absolutely love that tandem Moby. They have these tubes that are really, really short, and I know some people are really worried about tubing on their pump, but like, for me, it's made a huge difference, because I never worried about the tube, or, like, insulin not coming out of it. I usually put, like, the cannula insertion area right near my waist band, so it's like, I clip it into my shorts, and then I put it's literally, like, I don't know, like, a four inch tube, and it's right there, right? So it's not super long. They get caught on on stuff, which is a great feature about tandem. And then if you're wearing like suits, or like you want it to be kind of more one in less of like a long string tube, they also have these, like adhesive patches that you can slip the Moby into. And the Moby is not very it's not big at all. It's like the smallest pump I've ever used, a lot smaller than the tea slime that I was on. And you can literally, like, attach the adhesive to your side, right next to the insertion site, and then the tube will just kind of lay flat on your skin, usually, and it feels like it's kind of like not there. And you can, like, tuck in your shirts, your dress shirts, whatever it is. Maybe, if you're playing sports and you want to have your pump on you while you're playing right it'll stay right there, and you don't have to clip it into your shorts. So that's like, one of my favorite things about it, when I got to go to an event and I can just literally yourself the adhesive on, yeah,

Scott Benner 24:15
so you can wear it on your body or clip it to your clothing. Yes. And they also

Noah Gray 24:19
come it's not just a four inch tubing too, like they have longer tubings. Like, it really just depends on where people are putting the cannulas on their body. And I just think it's very versatile in that regard. Like, you can do a lot of things depending on the situation. And you know where you put your cannula? You know, I think some people might put their cannula in the arms, like, for me, it's always in my stomach. Some people put in their legs or their butt cheek, like, whatever it is, and how long you need that tubing to be, I think it's perfect for it. I just feel like it's very consistent. It's a very consistent pump with just like a short tubing, and the pump itself being so small, like, you know, I can just replace the cannula, and I don't have to worry about replacing the entire. Higher pump if something goes wrong, which I absolutely love about the device.

Scott Benner 25:04
Have you gotten low during a game? And if so, how did you know?

Noah Gray 25:07
I've never had like a severe load during the game? But very, very fortunate. I'm very fortunate in the fact that I can feel when it's starting to tank. I feel it very quickly, and I'll go get gummies sometimes, most of the time when I will feel it is if we're going into overtime. So I feel like I've got the system down for a good three and a half hour game. But when it goes longer, I always go to my athletic trainer, because I kind of feel that energy level start to go down. So I know my blood sugar is going down. I'm like, Hey, can I get a couple gummies please? Yeah, so I'll just take a couple of stingers gummies, or, like, well, she's gummies are great, as well as two, yeah, kinds of ways that I get my blood sugar back up. And I'll just rip one of those before overtime starts, and I'll kind of feel that energy, like that last person energy that I got because I haven't eaten in a while. Yeah, I haven't eaten a full meal, probably in and six seven hours, probably at that point, because my pre game meal is about three and a half hours before, okay, which another thing to being consistent with your pre game meals, like mine is three and a half hours before, just because that's how our schedule is. In the NFL, we get on the busses about three hours before the game. But that's another thing you play with, like, do I eat my full meal an hour before? Do I eat it two hours before? Hour and a half, 30 minutes before. Like, the crazy thing about diabetes is it's not one size fits all for everybody. Kids are going through puberty. Adults have already maxed out. Some adults are bigger than others. Some people aren't exercising as much as others. So like diabetes, just it reacts differently depending on the situation that you're in. So for the timing that you eat your meal before the game, it may be different than like between a 12 year old and an 18 year old. So it's really just kind of trial and error and trying to find that exact time and that meal that is going to work perfectly for you. And as you get older, and as puberty starts to level out and you're becoming an adult like that, time may change for you, but that's why I really just want to stress, like, really kind of working trial and error, of like, finding what works best for you, what time works best for you, for that meal, it's going to help you get your blood sugar in the area that you need it to be, to be as successful as possible to prevent those lows from happening, I found that I was going low more often before practicing stuff when I would eat at a different time and I would eat a different meal, because it's unpredictable, like you're having different carbs, you're doing different things, and that's why I try to keep it as consistent as possible before those it's perfect

Scott Benner 27:31
for you, because three and a half hours, like most of your active insulin should be gone once your activity starts. And that's what you want, is this little active insulin as possible while you're moving. I was gonna ask you, like in the off season, I mean, maybe your workout schedule stays pretty consistent, but do you see like, a need for more insulin in the off season than you do while you're playing? Or is it just pretty consistent? Yes,

Noah Gray 27:51
absolutely. And I work pretty hard even in the off season, but I do take three weeks off where, like, I'm not working even close to it. It's just a good week, three weeks of just kind of getting my mind off of football and also just doing less activity, like I'll still go on walks, I'll play pickleball, I'll play golf, still being active, but it's way less than when I am in season or I'm in my hard Off season training. So I do see myself having to take a lot more insulin, and my blood sugars being a little bit higher because, you know, I'm not exercising as much, and that's one thing I try to stress to a lot of people, like the value of exercise. You know, we can talk about insulin therapy, and we can talk about different foods, and we can talk about all this stuff, all we want, but the value of exercise is so important, and it doesn't even need to be, like, legit, like, NFL exercise and maybe doing something two hours a day, like it could be something as little as going for a mile, two mile, three mile walks, literally just the walk, yeah, after you eat, you know, lunch or dinner, whatever it is, just doing something. Because doing stuff really helps out, I think, helps manage your blood sugar so much better, and it doesn't have to be so much. No, if that's lifting weights and progressing and getting bigger stronger, that's great, you know. I mean, if it's going to the park and playing a little tennis with your friends, that's great too. But just doing something, I think, really helps with your management of your diabetes, and it's just something that, like, you can just naturally do, that doesn't involve all the technology, you know, like, it's literally like, Hey, I just ate dinner. I'm gonna go for a two mile walk with my family. And I think it helps out so much when managing your blood sugar, you're 100%

Scott Benner 29:28
right? Adrenaline hits people differently. Some people spike from it. Some people crash from it. Do you have an impact? I'm

Noah Gray 29:34
a spiker for sure. Okay, yeah. And it's crazy, because, like I said, it's not like, diabetes isn't one size fits all, you know what I mean. And like some games, like, I'm fine, you know? But like other games, I'll go in the locker room and I'm just like, 250 300 you know? And it's just like, man, like, where did this come from? I ate exactly how I did. But that's like, another factor that comes into it. It's like, all right, I still have my same regime. I've done the same things. I. Now my blood sugar is 300 because maybe the game is a little bit more stressful. Got a little more anxiety about it. You know, it definitely it changed. It depends on the game. Is

Scott Benner 30:09
there a number for which you see your foot speed slow, or your actions slow? Do you slow down at a higher blood sugar?

Noah Gray 30:16
I've honestly never really noticed it, like I've played games where I'm at like, 250 and I'm feeling fine, yeah, but I have talked to people that it makes them feel really lethargic. And usually, like, when I'm in my off season where I'm not doing a whole lot and my blood sugar is spiked like that, I feel super, super lethargic. So I think, like, the that's another thing. Why bring up the exercise? Like, the more you exercise, I feel, like, the more energy you kind of have. And it kind of helps when the blood sugar really starts spiking. That's one thing. Like, when I was diagnosed, and I was at 950 in the hospital, they were like, We don't know how you kind of just walked in here and you looked as good as you did, but we think it's because, like, I was in a college football program. I was lifting and running routes, like every day. I was doing something every day. Yeah. They were like, we think, like, because of how much you were exercising, that's kind of why you were able to walk in here and looking as good as you did. Did

Scott Benner 31:05
you not lose weight before your diagnosis? I

Noah Gray 31:08
did. I lost it. I lost probably, like 15, almost like 1015, pounds or something like that. Yeah, that, I imagine, was disturbing. Oh, very Yeah. I had no idea what was going on. Like, it was, like a symptom after another every few days. And you know, losing weight at a tight end position, trying to block guys at the college level is not easy to do. So like, when that started go and then my strength was going, I'm like, I can't lose weight and lose my strength like we gotta. Yeah, is there someone

Scott Benner 31:35
on the sideline watching your blood sugar for you during a game? No, no,

Noah Gray 31:40
I'm a little different. I know some other guys I've seen that they're constantly checking it. Like I said, I go by daily go based off field, and my high blood sugars aren't as much of an issue. And I've never seen it get above like 300 that's fine. Like I'm really mostly worried about the lows and because I'm eating the same thing every game, and I know it's going in my body. Yeah, there really should be no reason for it to get ever above 300 if my adrenaline kicks in and stuff. And I'll check it in the at halftime, because there are sometimes I'll kind of feel a little off, you know, a little bit lethargic in the head. So that's kind of one I will go into halftime and check it. But honestly, like most of the game, I'm just rolling. I'm just focused on the game, and that's why I try to stay as consistent as possible with, you know, when I'm eating and what time I do before, so I don't have to worry about it as much.

Scott Benner 32:27
Yeah, your pre planning is what's doing it for you? Yeah, 100%

Noah Gray 32:32
and that's not like for me, that works. And I tell everybody, but some other people, like you figured to have someone you know, having your Dexcom and looking at it and making sure, you know, because some other people might not feel the lows come on as quickly. Some other people feel super lethargic, or obviously, when they're high, right? So just having someone to, like, check it, or maybe it's just finger pricks when you're on the sideline, if you don't have access to your Dexcom because the connection is too far away from your phone, yeah, and your Bluetooth, like I said, it's not one size fits all. It's really huge trial and error, but once you find out what works for you just stick with it. Man, I know it's like, it stinks. It stinks to have to eat the same foods before a game. Like, it's not fun eating chicken rice every day and it didn't know it's not fun at all. Like, no and no kid wants to do that either. Like, kids want to eat what they want to eat. You know, some kids are obviously more picky than others. Like, it's just not fun, but it's just like, in order to stay out there and be as consistent as you possibly can, what you need to do? Yeah, you just, you need to do it,

Scott Benner 33:27
yeah. I imagine it would be less fun to raise your hand and go, Coach Reed. I can't play anymore. I'm dizzy. Yeah, yeah. I don't think you're looking for that, right? So which is another thing, like, it's

Noah Gray 33:36
kind of tragic when I talk to kids, because it's like, they asked, like, what do you do when it does go low? And I'm like, look, there should be no shame in it, right? Like, there's absolutely no shame in having to sit out and and talk to them. Be like, Hey, I need sugar. I need a juice box. I need Gatorade, whatever your way get your blood sugar up. There's no shame in that. But I'm like, Look, the reality is, and it may seem a little harsh, but it's just the reality. Like, when I was entering the NFL, every single team that I asked or talked to interviewed with, they all asked about my management, because they got to invest in me, right? Like, they got to know my management's good. Everyone that they talk to is like, Hey, how's his blood sugar? How's he doing practice? Is he missing a lot of practice time? Because at the end of the day, like, if I'm a guy and like, I can't stay on the field, you know, my value goes way down, you know, like, they can't depend on me. And it sounds harsh to say, and it stinks, that's the reality of it, but that's why I've taken so much pride in trying to keep it as consistent as possible. So I'm lowering the amount of chances that I'm like, Hey, like, I need to sit out and, like, there are situations where I'm asking for gummies and I need to take like, a couple seconds, like, that's all good, yeah, and that should always be good. You should feel no shame about that, but that's why I always just really try to encourage, like, a solution to it, like, let's try to be consistent. Let's do this so that you know nobody is going to use your diagnosis. To you being a diabetic against you, like, oh, we can't play him as much. Or, Hey, we gotta, like, you know, monitor him. We should probably start this kid over him, because he's, you know, in the middle of a drive. He might not be there. And it's, it's the harsh reality, but it's what we have to live with. It's what we have to do. And, you know, that's kind of, you know, where I've kind of stood on that and you'd

Scott Benner 35:21
like this podcast, I'm pretty sure. Yeah, the way we talk about it here, you would like it. Do you ever have this feeling of, like, like you said, you know, a few guys, right? Like, text chain. Do you like, if you play each other? Do you look across the field and like, nod, like, or is it not a thing that comes up all the time because everybody's asking, like, you know, do you look over at Mark Andrews and think, like, guys got diabetes, like me, or are you just playing football

Noah Gray 35:44
in the middle of the game? We're just playing ball. But after the game, I've talked to Chad and I've talked to Blake, and those guys are phenomenal guys. I love those dudes, just the nicest salt of Earth type people, you know. So when it's over, I've Jersey swapped with Chad. Actually, it's one of my favorite jerseys. They're in their teal jerseys, and just look so good. I got it back at my house, and just great guys. And it's cool to talk with them. And I've actually kind of bounced ideas back and forth with Chad, literally going up the tunnel for a game that we play the Jaguars one year. And it's just cool to really connect with it's good to have a community, you know, I mean, like, I know for my mom, like, having, she's in this Facebook group of, like, diabetic moms, and it was just encouraging for her to, like, be able to be like, hey, my son's dealing with this. What's worked for y'all, you know? I mean, it's kind of the same thing for for us. Like, if there is something major, I know that those guys would have no problem reaching out to me, or me reaching out to them, or after a game, we're just kind of talking about life, and you know how all that stuff's going, but those guys are, you know, phenomenal, but definitely, like, when we're in in games like those, you know, Blake's, you know, worried about getting that snap money, and Chad's like, Hey, man, I gotta tackle this guy. I gotta make the right reads. You know what I mean. So definitely not thinking about it, you know, but sometimes, like, I'm on the prime return team, and I'll look at Blake, and they'll just be, God man, it's pretty cool. Like, I'm gonna try to knock this other diabetes. Yeah, it's, you know, it's all good. It's all fun. And those guys are phenomenal. I just love the fact that we're able to compete against each other. It's

Scott Benner 37:13
awesome. Let me hit a couple of these questions from people, if you don't mind, absolutely. So you went over a lot. You did such a good job. I was like, I could just let him go. He's really hitting everything.

Noah Gray 37:23
I get excited, man, it's my life. I was gonna say like, you

Scott Benner 37:27
were really like, like, you're jacked up about I listen fairness. I've interviewed a lot of people and a lot of professional athletes, and I've gotten the vibe from some of them. They're like, I don't know the guy takes care of it, and you're not like that. It's really refreshing to talk to you, actually. You know a lot about your diabetes and that. It's really cool. This questions more about, like, the mental side of it. It's from a young kid who wants to know how you handle, like, struggle days like, like the mental side

Noah Gray 37:52
of diabetes. Yeah. I mean, I'm a big man of faith, and I just, I'd really try to put all of my stressors and things my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I just think that, you know, there's, it's a lot bigger than I am, and it is. There's a lot of days where it can absolutely be tough, you know what I mean. And my Lord and Savior is a part of my support staff. My wife is a huge part of my support staff, family members, friends, and I just think, like, really leaning on those, you know, what your support staff is in life, you know? I mean, if it's Christ man prayer, you know? I mean, if it's your family man, just really being open and talking to him about it. I know, when I was first diagnosed, you know, my mom was just like, it's never happened to us. We don't have family history of it. So she was all jacked up, and she's checking, you know, I sent her my Dexcom. She's seeing my numbers. She's texting me up low, and it's just for me. It's a little overwhelming because, like, she's just always asking me questions. But we got to realize about your support staff, as they all love you. Jesus loves you. Your mom loves you. Your dad loves you, your coach loves you, your friends love you. Whoever's taking they like they love you and they want to see you succeed, and just never be afraid to go to your support staff for help and really just lean on them, because I truly like they're going to help you and they want to help you, and they want to see you reach your goals. And there's definitely days even to this, you know, day that it, you know, I could be struggling with multiple lows in the same day, and it's like, I'm just not feeling good all day long. And it's just like, leaning on those people, it helps you realize that everything's gonna be okay. You have diabetes for a reason. That's why I always, I thank God every day I was blessed with this disease. You know, it was tough at first, but it's like, now it switches from like, Man, this is tough. Boo me. Boo this. And now it's like, how is God using this in my life to impact other people? And that's why I love talking with, you know, adolescents about their management and trying to make them feel just a little bit more confident when they're walking around school, when they're walking around, you know, jazz band class, when they're going into football practice, like, you know, allowing them to feel even more confident. Because there's going to be more generations of type ones to come, and the fact that they can grow up feel confident about their management and the things that they've been doing right about it, and then they can pass that down to the next generation is just super, super, just an incredible thing that you can do for a lot of people. I gotta tell

Scott Benner 40:16
you, man, you almost made me cry. So listen, I started this podcast 11 years ago because I recognized that I had a system. It was keeping my daughter's a 1c super stable, keeping her spikes down, like, all this stuff. And then one day I said to my wife, I'm like, I have a thing. Like, I don't call it anything. It doesn't have a name. But like, I know if I do these things, this is the outcome. And so you launch the podcast just thinking, like, well, maybe it'll help somebody. And 11 years later, it's got 20 million downloads, and my Facebook group for this podcast has 64,000 active people in it who are honestly just your mom, like just people in there, just trying to help each other, you know, and I didn't imagine any of that when I started it, or how good it feels to see somebody do well because of something you were able to show them or share with them or something. It really fills you up. It really does. Yeah,

Noah Gray 41:04
absolutely. And it's really cool to hear that you've been doing it for 11 years. And like, your impact on people could vary, like me, it's on the football field, and talking with that like type ones yours is this podcast and the platform you have here so and it looks so different for a variety of people, but it shows and like it makes a huge impact. So whatever people are doing, man, just keep spreading that love for it. Keep spreading that awareness for it, because you never know who's watching who's listening, and it really makes a huge impact on so many people's lives that you never thought could have ever reached. I mean,

Scott Benner 41:40
to your point, like, I know you. And I talked at the beginning a little bit like I grew up in Philly, like, I'm an Eagles fan. I have been my whole life. Every time you walk across my TV screen, I think, oh, that man's got type one. Like, I stop and I look, and I go, I hope that guy catches a ball. You know what I mean? Like, it just there's, like, a connection for a half a second. Mark Andrews dropped that ball in the playoffs, and I don't know him, or care about the Ravens at all, and I was like, Oh, it felt like somebody I knew had a bad moment. I don't know if that makes sense or not, it does.

Noah Gray 42:06
And the type one community is such a tight knit community, because it's like, it's just so niche, like, it's really not a huge community. There's a lot of us, don't get me wrong, right? Relative to the pot, it's not No, a huge, you know, population community. So like, when you see other people with it, it's like, you know, like, I met my best friend. He was in my wedding party, like, a year and a half after I met him, and he was helping me move into my apartment my rookie year. And I literally was walking, walk out the door, and I saw a CGM on the back of his arm, and I was like, in my hand. I'm like, Man, really nice guy to help move in my apartment. Might see him because he lives around here, but that's it. I was like, Hey, man. Like, and I like to mess with people sometimes. I'm like, Oh, dude. Like, you got diabetes. And then, like, kind of like, yeah, yeah. Like, kind of make fun of them a little bit. I'm like, Ah, Nah, dude, I got it too. Like, here's my pump. And then, like, from then on, like, we just kicked it off. Like we were, we've been best friends, like, ever since, you know what I mean. So it's a really niche community and like everybody's looking out for one another, like we all want to see everybody succeed, like I've never met, like a jealous type one, or like, if someone's doing something and they're managing it really well, the other type one who may not be managing well is having more lows, who's struggling more mentally day in day out, like they're never jealous of the one managing it, like they're just, like they just like. They want to ask questions, they want to learn, they want to build that relationship with them so that they can manage it like. And I think that's just the beauty of it. It's just like everyone is trying to help each other, because we have the common goal of keeping our blood sugars in range and doing the best we possibly can to reach the goals that we have in our lives. And that's the one thing that's always stood out to me about this community, is just how much people care and they love each other. There's no jealousy, there's no envy. It's like it's all love. It's all man. How can we help each other be the best type ones and manage this dang disease the best that we possibly can? And I think that's just the beauty of Yeah, it's

Scott Benner 43:58
incredibly unique too, because you kind of don't see it around other disease states the way you do around type one. I think it has something to do with how hard it is, like, with what diabetes is. You know what I mean? Like, you can really look at another person and say, I know what your life is like, yeah. And you know how important it is for someone to I want to say, See you in that way, but to really genuinely understand you. Because I'll hear some people say sometimes, like, I don't want to, like, explain it to somebody, because they're not going to get it. You know what? I mean, I don't want to go through all that just to have them not understand, but to meet somebody who understands, what a big deal that is, like, I mean, absolutely, yeah, just, it's wonderful. It's a beautiful thing. Yeah, man, I really do. Let's see, did you play in other sports as a kid? Basketball,

Noah Gray 44:39
baseball? I stopped when I was in fifth grade because I wanted to play au basketball, which is

Scott Benner 44:44
in the spring. Okay, all right, so you liked baseball, but yeah, just

Noah Gray 44:47
like, I think basketball just had more fun. So yeah, that's kind of why I chose to play basketball or baseball. But then I played basketball in high school as well, and then it kind of morphed into, like, I'm kind of. A football player, and I probably should focus on this a little bit more. So, yeah, you were

Scott Benner 45:03
a little behind the MLB. Really switched to bigger guys. You could have been there at one point, like they all of a sudden, they were like, bigger is better. Yeah, how much of the focus that it takes to make it to where you are? I feel like I'm hearing you say that like you've transferred it over your to your type one. I'm wondering what you've learned from type one? Has anything from that come back and helped you professionally?

Noah Gray 45:26
Yeah, I mean, like managing it, you have to be very strict and detail oriented. You. It's just like you're regimen, and football is a regimen. Sports like, I wake up, I go eat breakfast, and I'm in meetings. I'm in meetings for two and a half, three hours long, and then a walk through, I truly believe it's helped me mature a lot. Like, before I was diagnosed, I would eat pizza. I was just doing whatever I wanted. This is before I had diabetes, and like, I didn't feel good. Like, just like I go out feel lethargic at practice, yeah, when I get diabetes, it's like, all right, like, I gotta eat this to keep my blood sugar in this range, in this range. So I'm actually naturally just eating healthier because I can't have, like, all these pizza carbs and all these bad carbs that I'm utilizing my body, like my meals are more well rounded. I started feeling like really good energy levels, and I'm starting to go out to practice and feel really good energy levels in practice and in class, and I'm able to sustain that energy throughout the day. So, like, it's helped me in terms of, like, my eating habits and feeling good, but also, like, I'm having to make sure I'm taking insulin, I'm checking my blood sugar, this, this, this, and I think it's helped me, you know, take that and then that preparation that I'm using for diabetes, and I put it into football, and when I was in college, it was even harder, because it's like, I had classes and I had football, I got to balance both. And I tell young kids all the time, and so you don't realize how much this disease is actually maturing. You like you are growing up, and you're basically like, having to do make grown up decisions, like, it's life or death. Diabetes is life or death. You take too much insulin, and you don't realize it. Next year, you're passed out, you know? I mean, you don't take enough insulin, your blood sugar, skyrocking, then you're in. DK, like, it is life or death, and these kids don't realize, like, how much this is actually maturing them, and how much more mature they are than a lot of their other classmates in third, fourth, fifth grade. I mean, it's absolutely incredible. And I think for me, I felt that same way, where I was very immature, eating whatever I wanted, doing whatever I wanted, I could just kind of go off what I was feeling that day to Okay, we have a regimen. We're going to stick to that regimen, and then this is also ending up translating into my day to day activities, which is football, school life.

Scott Benner 47:44
I think it's possible that you're lucky where you were, because, I mean, I've interviewed 1000s of people, and very frequently the story is I didn't really take great care of it until a thing happened, like, until I decided I wanted to have a baby, or I was getting married, or a lot of people do it for other people too. Like, it's harder to do things for yourself sometimes, but it occurs to me that you are in the middle of a thing you already had to do for yourself, like, and so you probably got fast forwarded to that, like, oh, I have to take care of this moment. Like, soon. Like, you know what I mean? Like, if you were just at home in community college messing around, thinking you might go work in a garage somewhere one day, like, you might have ignored it too, you know, yeah, a lot, a lot of good luck for you. Actually in there.

Noah Gray 48:24
No, it's, it's tremendous luck. And the fact that I was in football when it happened, like, I had to make sure my blood sugars were right, so that I wasn't missing football. And I didn't become a Christian until I got to the NFL. But, like, I truly believe God has a plan and a purpose in all our lives. And I just really hope that every type one you know, like, that's what they see. It's like God has a plan and a purpose for your life, no matter where you are in life, what you're doing. Like God loves you, and God wants to see you succeed. He wants to see you thrive, and he wants to see you make an impact on other people. And, you know, I just encourage people, man, realize you you have a platform, you can make an impact. And you know, God and your family members, everyone wants to see you succeed and be successful. And so never you know I and that's why I like, you know, don't let a single moment just like, realize, you know, be where your feet are. Realize that there's people, and God loves you, and they all want to see you succeed and thrive regardless of where you are. So just manage, manage it the best that you can from day one, and I promise you, it's going to change your life and so many other people's lives.

Scott Benner 49:34
Surround yourself with good people. Well, speaking of that, you've mentioned you got married. Is that fairly recent?

Noah Gray 49:39
I got married. It'll be three years this July. Congratulations. That's lovely. Thank you. How long you've been married for? Oh, man, since 96 congratulations. That's a blessing. That's awesome. Yeah, I'm

Scott Benner 49:51
almost up on 30 years now. What I was going to ask you is, how do you decide when you're dating or serious with somebody, how to start, I don't know, sharing your diabetes with them. And then how much do you want from your wife, or do you not want anything from her? As far as, like, day to day stuff and understanding goes,

Noah Gray 50:07
I think day one, yeah, that's the first thing. Like, not the first thing you tell everybody, like, there's a lot of things like I said, type one doesn't define us. You know what I mean. That's why I'm not thinking about it when I'm playing football, but with people who you are seriously considering and like, and really everyone, like, have that conversation, you know, I mean, like, I'm sure that the first time you meet, like, you're going to be eating some kind of food, and like, your insulin pack with your manual injections is going to come out, or your pump, or they're going to see your CGM, you know, sometimes I see people that go into the bathrooms, and it breaks my heart. You know, they feel like they have to do that, and that's just another, you know, reason to encourage people to just be a little bit more bold. Yeah, with it, but it's nothing that you should feel ashamed of. And you know, if people are afraid of it, or people that's just on them, it's their loss. You know what I mean, like, you can't help what other people think or view you know what? I mean, like, you just be where your feet are and, like, this is a part of who you are, you know? I mean, when you're going on dates and you're at that restaurant, like it's, it's going to come up, because this is your life, you know? I mean, like, I said, it's literally life or death for you when you're managing this disease. So never feel bad about having that conversation, because at the end of the day, if people want to exit your life because of it, then they probably don't deserve and that's just the reality. And like, I truly believe there's so many like, my wife is incredible, you know, since day one, she's always been, you know, super understanding. You know, we've had a lot of conversations, I think because, you know, they there's that worry that one of my children and we have a beautiful little girl. My name is Naomi, and I love her to absolute death. I mean, she is incredible and but, like, there's always been that worry. It's like, hey, could this genetically get passed down to one of my kids? You know what? I mean? That's just a conversation, a fruitful conversation, you know, that we've had, and Mary and I pray about it so much that, you know, it never happens, and stuff like that. But fortunately, I have it. If it were to get passed down to one of my kids, you know what I mean? Like, you'd know what to do. I know what to do. And there's a lot of families that don't have, like, it's like my family, we didn't have any family history of it. Neither my parents had it brand new. You know what I mean. And

Scott Benner 52:14
other autoimmune in your family, like celiac or hypothyroidism or anything like that.

Noah Gray 52:19
No, not that I know of. I know my my aunt, she has an issue with her glucose, like, she goes extreme hypoglycemic. She has that a lot, and that's the only thing that I really kind of heard my family keeps a lot of things hush hush for some reason, and they're not as open about it.

Scott Benner 52:35
I ask everybody that comes on, and most people are like, I don't know, we don't talk about anything. But like, I've interviewed a ton of people, and you'll find that autoimmune issues can run through families, but it's not always type one, type one. Sometimes it's Ra, or sometimes it's, you know, celiac or something like that. So, yeah,

Noah Gray 52:50
I've never heard of anything in my family, you know, with it, but yeah, it's, it's just really, like, at the doctors, like, oh, like, I think you got a virus and attack your pancreas, and it shut it down.

Scott Benner 53:02
You remember being sick before you were diagnosed?

Noah Gray 53:04
I don't it's been so long ago, but, like, yeah, it could have, you know, I definitely was, like, there's been times where I've had, I've been down and out pretty bad. And I know that they say, like, certain viruses can, like, attack your pancreas and then it'll just, over time, it'll kind of just shut

Scott Benner 53:19
it down. Right? My daughter had Coxsackie before her diagnosis. Really, the best I understand is the virus. Like, you know, your auto your immune system gets confused. At some point. You already have likely auto antibodies, and then eventually your beta cells get it. Instead of the Coxsackie, would you test your daughter, like, do trial net, or anything like that, to see if she has auto antibodies when she's old enough, or you're gonna just step back and let what happens happen? Honestly,

Noah Gray 53:43
I've never thought about it, and I know that there are certain studies to, like, see stuff like that. I wouldn't be opposed to it, though. Like, I think, like, the beauty of modern medicine is, I think it's really evolved to really help us manage it. Yeah, I mean, and before, you know, years ago, it's like, diabetes was a life sentence, and then it became like, Okay, now you can live a little bit longer. And then, like, now it's like, hey, like, if you really manage this extremely well, which I think can sometimes be a misconception about diabetes, is that, like, your life expectancy will, for sure, be shortened, yeah. But like, if you manage it really well, like, you can live a long, healthy, full life, if you're managing it super well. And that's the beauty of modern medicine, and that's the beauty of something like that, to where you could get an idea and understanding before, and maybe if they test positive for whatever it is that they're looking for in those tests, like you can learn up. And it may happen, it may not happen, but you have a foundation and an understanding. And maybe you can kind of look up to see like, hey, if this goes down like this, you know, and you can probably prevent like, hey, like, once the blood sugar gets here, she's probably pre diabetic. I mean, I don't know how it works, like, I'm just kind of speaking, like hypothetically in my head about work. They

Scott Benner 54:55
look for auto antibodies, if there's five of them, and if you have a certain number of them over, I think. If you have two or more, it's likely that you'll get type one, yeah, but it sounds like it wouldn't scare you to know if it was coming.

Noah Gray 55:06
Yeah, no. And it's like, I would feel good, because, like, I'm not gonna let my daughter get to 950 where I was at. It'd be like, Okay, I like, if it does happen and there, she's likely to get it, it's like, okay, like, for her physical, we're making sure we're doing the tests so that we catch it early, right? I mean, so that she doesn't go on. Is a DKA, I think you mentioned, yeah, like, when your blood sugar gets that high, like, we're gonna reduce the risk of, like, the complications that occur from when your blood sugar is super high. Like,

Scott Benner 55:33
that's interesting to see, because some people think of it one way, some people think of it another way. Like, I've had, I don't know you're younger, but like, Sam folds, been on a couple of times. I

Noah Gray 55:41
love Sam. I love Sam. I've done some stuff with his, with his wiffle ball thing, right? Yeah, he's a baseball player. So it was all virtual, because when I first started getting involved, like, that was when COVID happened. So okay, I was doing, like, the virtual, like, I'd get on and talk to all the campers, but Sam's the man. I love that dude. He told

Scott Benner 55:57
me two things I'll never forget. So back before all this technology, he said, if I was in the outfield with seeds, my blood sugar was good, and if I was chewing gum, I was low. I was like, oh, that's that's crazy. And that's how he managed it, like, you know. And the other thing he told me, when I asked him if he was scared to have kids, he said, No, why would I be like, it was so not a thing he could even understand. He's like, I have diabetes and I'm fine, like, my kids would be okay if that happened to me, if that happened to them. And I just, I love that. Like, I just thought it was such a, just a clear minded answer, you know,

Noah Gray 56:28
Oh, absolutely. And I talk about, like, because my wife doesn't have diabetes, when I'm talking about those conversations, like, really, I'm not, like, like, I said I have it. If my kid were to get it, like, I love that I have it. I can help them out with that process as they get older, right? You know what? I mean, they're like, obviously, for my wife, it's, it's a little stressful. It can be, yeah, but, you know, like, we're planning on, you know, having more kids. And, you know, I mean, like, it's not going to stop us, or, like, limit the amount of kids that we would try to, try to have, yeah, because it's like, Sam said, like, they're going to be fine. They're going to be okay. Like, they can live a full, happy life achieving the goals that they have set forth, you know, I mean, it's just, it's just going to take some management of it and doing well with it. Like

Scott Benner 57:10
you said 100 years ago, this would have killed you, and 100 years later, you're on TV throwing men around with one of your hands. So, like, yeah, it's just, I mean, seriously, if I can pivot to a football question for a second. I'm taken back to like, Jason Kelsey did this thing. I don't remember what it was, but he was sitting around with a bunch of guys who were retired. They were playing cards. I don't know if it was on, like a special he did, or something like that, but it really struck me to watch guys who are not old men, like you know what? I mean? They're 40 years old, and they're so they're so far removed from the thing they've been doing their entire life, and it they seemed sad and like, I wonder how you like, in the middle of doing something so exciting, which is, like, the thing you've accomplished is, like, I said, like, it's literally, I looked, I actually did the math. It's like one in a billion for you specifically, like, it's only like one in 10,000 to play one game in the NFL, but to have diabetes win the Super Bowl like you're a one in a billion person. So I don't imagine that you're thinking about it while you're doing I'm sure you're enjoying it and working on it. My son only played college baseball, and at his last college baseball game, I cried, his mom cried. He sat in the middle of the middle of the field for 20 minutes and didn't move when it was over. Like it's such a crazy thing to accomplish knowing it's got such a short lifespan on and I'm wondering if you've ever thought about that. And I mean, maybe you haven't, but

Noah Gray 58:31
no, I have, and I think that there's definitely yeah, like I felt like it's every year I play, I'm on the closest side of retirement. I am to the beginning of when I played, yeah, and it's definitely going to be, it's going to be extremely tough for me, you know, but I've come to the realization that, you know, that's just how life goes, You know what I mean? And like, God's got, you know, so many different I think he's got a huge plan for what it's going to be like for me after and I just rest all of, like, the stress and anxiety that I have about, like, the huge like, I've been playing soccer football since I was six years old. This has been my entire life. I've only had like, one other job outside of playing football. I mean, that's just the reality, yeah, and there is, like, going to be this grieving process for when I am done. I know it's going to happen, right? But I also know that through, you know, faith in Christ, that after it's done, there's going to be another section of my life, you know, I mean, I'm still going to have to be Naomi's father. I'm still going to have to be Mary's husband. I'm going to do something else. Maybe it's coaching, maybe it's personal coaching, like, not at the college or NFL level, but just working with high school tight ends and receivers. Maybe it's being an investment banker. I had no idea, but I just know that God's going to continue moving in ways that I can't understand right now, right, that I probably won't understand at the time, but just kind of trusting in that and knowing that, like, you know we're going to we're going to be okay. And there's going to be another part of my life that, you know is going to be impactful. Yeah,

Scott Benner 1:00:04
that's awesome. I mean, Duke's not a gimme degree. What did you go for?

Noah Gray 1:00:07
I was a political science degree. Okay, yeah, you do

Scott Benner 1:00:12
think about, like, because, I mean, at this point, everybody just wants to, like, at one point it was like, oh, I'll just retire and be on ESPN. That's not a thing anymore. So, like, you know, like, now people are like, I'll make a podcast by the time you retire, that won't be retire, that won't be a thing anymore, you know, I'm struck by, like, some of the guys I've seen do it well, and some people who, very sadly, it overtakes them. And it's, I mean, it really is sad. Like, I'm not going to name anybody, but, like, I've seen people I'm like, Oh, my God, you were on top of the world at one point, you

Noah Gray 1:00:38
know, yeah. And I think, you know, for me, and I bring up my faith a lot, but it's like, it's just, I've truly believed, like it humbles me, like it's not about me, it's not about what I can do. It's not about, like, the high that I get from being in a stadium of 77,000 people. I do it because I believe, like God wanted me to be here to, you know, spread the gospel in Christ. But you know, also like helping people with type one, also helping younger athletes learn about football, like I do a football camp up in Massachusetts every year to help raise money for our local high school football program. And I go back up there, and it's just so much fun, like teaching them football fundamentals. But also, like, competing, like, I'll literally go and I'll play quarterback, and I'll literally drop routes that we run in the NFL and, like, talk to them about it. I'll put a defense out there. And it's like, there's just so much more than just, like, what I do for a living. And I don't think I realized that before I came to faith in Christ, like, I think I was just like, Oh, it's just football. It's just football. This is all I do. It's what I can get out of it. And now it's like, it's about other people, it's about community, it's about, you know, you know, what kind of an impact can we make that's Christ centered. And, you know, I know there's going to be a grieving process for me, like, I can say all this, and it sounds good on paper, and still, yeah, it'll, it'll still hit me, and that's just naturally, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. Right? You know what I mean. But like at the end of the day, I gotta realize, like, I'm a father, I am a husband. I help kids learn about football diabetes. You know, I'm gonna be helping my daughter figure out her her schoolwork. And there's just so much bigger than what I do. And it's not about me, and it's all about Christ and how he's moving in my life and and I think that will help me, when I reach that point in my career, to overcome kind of the sadness of this is the what I've done my whole life. I

Scott Benner 1:02:30
don't know how else you're supposed to, like, moderate that. Like, because it's got 70, like you said, 70,000 people screaming all at the same time has got to be a jolt,

Noah Gray 1:02:36
you know. Like, it's awesome, yeah, especially in the playoffs, yeah. Like, they're even louder than you thought that they could get. I'm

Scott Benner 1:02:42
gonna give you a lot of credit. Like, you play for a really enthusiastic fan base too. Like a sincerely enthusiastic, you know, some of those games you flip on and there's, you know, four people in the stands, and they're asleep, but like, you know, you guys are, everybody's stressed. For the part, they're screaming and yelling. They're following the game the whole way. You know, it's, it really is something.

Noah Gray 1:03:01
Shout out to Kansas City, man. I love you guys. I love Kansas City the best fans, and there's great fans all over the NFL. NFL fans are the absolute best. But seeing our Kansas City fans the way they travel to different games, it's, it's, it's an atmosphere, and I love them to

Scott Benner 1:03:16
death. Have you been on the other side of a Philly fan? Have you ever heard anything that made you laugh or cringe? Yeah, I played Philadelphia

Noah Gray 1:03:23
my rookie year, and it's a hostile environment. They got a great fan base over there. Shout out to Philly fans as well. It was bumping in that stadium. It was like a one o'clock game, I believe, when I played there. But they got so much passion and pride for their team and crazy, and that's why I say like all NFL fans. I mean, they love football, and it's all over the world. I played in Germany, and it was like a soccer fan environment that loved football. And like they were doing, like soccer stuff, and like the John Denver song country roads, like they literally got up saying that with their hearts out. And I'm like, This is the coolest thing ever. Like, just to see the different traditions that NFL fans, not just here in America, but like all over the world, had, was like an absolute blast. And like that wasn't a very big soccer stadium in Germany, but they got that place rocking, and it was one of the coolest experiences I've had playing league. I have two silly questions

Scott Benner 1:04:16
for you, and I'll let you go. I'm glad you said about the camp, because I had questions here from people. They wanted to know if you had a football camp. Had a football camp anywhere that you could be, is there a place they can find out about it, or is it a local, local thing, just for the school

Noah Gray 1:04:28
or so I do it to raise money for like, local high school programs in the area. Try to get like different coaches, like be involved so we can raise money for them. But obviously it's in Leominster, Massachusetts, so primarily the proceeds go to Le mister high school football. But anyone, and you know, we have kids from New Hampshire come Yeah, maybe Connecticut, maybe New York. It's a pretty local camp, so usually it's, you know, people within driving distance have it. But I've done that like three out of the past four years. We haven't come. With the details about it this year. One year it got rained out, unfortunately, and sometimes my schedule doesn't really align to get the camp going right, but in the next month, we're able to get it done this summer, though, you can just go onto my Instagram page, follow me, okay, and I'll post about it, and there will be information on on it as well as, you know, they wanted to make the trip up. But it's a fun it's a fun camp. We usually do like, two and a half hours for middle school group, two and a half hours for high school group, and we'll do like skills and drills for like, the first part of it, and then like, the last hour. We do like, seven on seven, or like one on ones, just like for a competitive side, like, I know sometimes it kind of gets real boring just doing drills for two and a half hours and, like, footwork and stuff like that. And then I also want to be involved, like, I want to be making passes to kids. You know, I played quarterback in high school before I transitioned to tight end. And it's that's, like, the most fun part about, like, I love coaching the kids and stuff like that, but like, actually playing with them. And like drawing up plays and throwing the ball all over the field, and like seeing the excitement of, like a safety that, like some kid that intercepts me, you know what I mean, and I make a bad pass, or, like they read me, you know? Well, it's just, it's so much fun, and you know, so next month, you'll have a little bit more information about it if we're able to get it going this year. Were you

Scott Benner 1:06:19
always this broader. Were you wide receiver at one point? Did you ever

Noah Gray 1:06:23
play? I was always a bigger Yeah, I was always a bigger kid. I'm 250 pounds now. When I was in high school, I was like 215 220 area, so I'm a lot bigger now than I was back then. But I played quarterback up until my senior year, and then I moved to tight end after that, so that's when I started to gain some weight and fill out. I

Scott Benner 1:06:43
remember growing up like watching Reggie White play and thinking, like, if everyone's here, he's somehow 10 steps ahead of him, right? Like, it almost felt like he was Michael Jordan, but now you guys are all like, so freaking, like, athletic, like, doing like, their centers pulling out, they're 15 yards downfield, throwing linebackers over, like, and then they run back and do it again. The football I used to watch those guys bent down, stood up, push, push, push, and they took a breath, you know, like, now the league is just full of, like, just murders. Like, you know what I mean? Like, everybody is just so athletic. Like, you ever think if I would have been born 40 years ago, I'd have been the Michael Jordan of football? Yeah,

Noah Gray 1:07:21
yeah. And there's a lot, like, a lot of comparing, yes, you know, between like guys now and like guys then like people probably compare Reggie White to like Chris Jones now at the end that we have, you know what I mean. But think the beauty of is, like, whatever generation you played in, like, there is a certain talent that you need to have and stuff like that. I'm fortunate enough to be playing in this generation, and I got a lot of respect for the guys that paved the way for me to be where I am today, who started the NFL, who really progressed the game as it went on. The NFL back, way back when does not look anything like it does now. And it's all because of the people who started and then the advancements that came on through it. So much respect to all those guys you know. And I play against the guy, Chris Jones, every day in practice, and it's like the biggest dude you know around and that guy moves like a defensive end. He's a deep tackle. You know what? I mean? He's like, almost unguardable. So it's cool to see, kind of the different nuances and advancements that guys have made with technique, strength, conditioning, speed, all that that kind of go into football, and it's really cool to see. And you know, we'll throw an old tape of, you know, older players when the videotape was, like, all grainy and it was hard to see. But yeah, we'll throw on like, hey, this play worked back. Then, let's try it. Yeah, today. And yeah, it works out. And that's kind of the beauty of the

Scott Benner 1:08:35
sport. So my last football question is, obviously, the season didn't and the way you guys wanted it to, right, how do you bounce back from that? Because it's a it occurs to me, it's a very strange the only reason I think I feel this way is because my my son played such a competitive sport for such a long time, like I don't look and like I didn't feel joyous, that you guys look sad, like I think of my kid in that situation, like to me, you're my son, like you've been working at this thing the whole way, and it didn't work out for you. But what do you say to each other to bounce back from it? Or is it just the business and you just, like, we'll just come back and do it again. Like, how does it feel to you internally? I guess, yeah,

Noah Gray 1:09:09
it's definitely tough, because there's a lot of turnover between teams. So, you know, we'll sign new free agents, we're gonna draft a whole new rookie class. Like, there's just a lot that goes on to it, but I think it's kind of just like, watch the film. We'll learn from the past. Like this obviously didn't work in the Super Bowl if you're back here next year, you know, we're just going to, you know, learn from that. We're not going to do that again. We're going to do something completely different. We're going to hit the ground running here and OTAs training camp all season long, we're just going to get better, you know, that's all, yeah, I mean, and shout out to Philadelphia. I mean, they came in with a great game plan. Those guys came in, juice, step, ready to go, and does a great football team. They beat us and, you know? And that was a great win for those guys. And this is something that you. You know, we gotta learn from move on and, you know, hit the ground running and practicing with the group of guys that we have coming in this year, the guys who felt that Super Bowl, but also the guys that are new to the organization, build a whole nother group of camaraderie, build that cohesiveness that we're going to need to move into this football season, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be doing it. I can't wait. I wish you that challenge. It's going to be a lot of fun. You know, I took three weeks off to kind of decent, decompress, yeah, get my mind off it. Do something different. And then once I started training up, we've been ramping up ever since, and we're just going to hopefully hit the ground running. And I try, I have full trust and faith and confidence, and the entire organization from the top down, it's world class. We got a truly amazing owner and Clark hunt his family, from our general manager, Brett feach Coach Reed, all everyone in the coaching staff and all the way down to the people that work in the kitchen and our equipment room and athletic training staff. It's just world class. And I can't say enough great things about that organization and the people that are there, the fan base that supports us every single week, this is truly a blessing. I love everybody over there, and it's just going to be so much fun really hitting the ground running this summer and really competing every single day with each other and then eventually with our opponents throughout the season.

Scott Benner 1:11:18
So the question that I've been asked to ask you the most you It's got nothing to do with football and nothing to do with diabetes. Can you guess what it is? I can't I kind of, can I guess you can do you know Taylor Swift,

Noah Gray 1:11:32
man? I never realized kind of how many questions we'd get asked about that. But yeah, I mean, I have, she's a truly, she's, she's a wonderful, wonderful woman. I mean, she's very nice, very kind, very down to earth. I love that my boy, Kels and her have a great thing going. And, yeah, truly, she's a phenomenal person, and really glad she's she's

Scott Benner 1:11:53
a part of the team. I had no reason to ask you, other than it was asked to me so many times. I have to tell you that I think one of the things that humanized professional sports players in the in recent years. It's the video of after you guys beat the Eagles, and it's Jason in his hotel room where she says, You didn't win. Uncle Travi won. And you get, you see him, like, swallow it and just go, like, Yeah, you won. It was great. And I was like, Oh my God, they're just people playing a game. You know what I mean? Like, I swear that that moment I was like, I don't know how anyone's watching this route and against anybody anymore. Like, just enjoy the spectacle of it. And like, go home. You know what I mean? Like, listen, I wasn't crazy before, but, like, it really did. It gave me a different perspective of it. Like, just seeing that little girl, like, be happy for her uncle. You know what I mean, it was really something. So it is, anyway, all right. Well, no, I can't. Thank you enough. Could you hold on one second after I hit stop? Yes. Okay, cool. Thanks so much, man, I really appreciate

Unknown Speaker 1:12:48
this. Yeah, absolutely.

Scott Benner 1:12:55
Hey, kids, listen up. You've made it to the end of the podcast. You must have enjoyed it. You know? What else you might enjoy? The private Facebook group for the Juicebox Podcast. I know you're thinking, Oh, Facebook, Scott, please, but no, beautiful group, wonderful people, a fantastic community Juicebox Podcast. Type one diabetes on Facebook. Of course, if you have type two, are you touched by diabetes in any way? You're absolutely welcome. It's a private group, so you'll have to answer a couple of questions before you come in, but make sure you're not a bot or an evildoer, then you're on your way. You'll be part of the family. Hey, thanks for listening all the way to the end. I really appreciate your loyalty and listenership. Thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of The Juicebox Podcast if this is your first time listening to the Juicebox Podcast and you'd like to hear more, download Apple podcasts or Spotify, really, any audio app at all, look for the Juicebox Podcast and follow or subscribe. We put out new content every day that you'll enjoy. Want to learn more about your diabetes management, go to Juicebox podcast.com, up in the menu and look for bold Beginnings The Diabetes Pro Tip series and much more. This podcast is full of collections and series of information that will help you to live better with insulin. The episode you just heard was professionally edited by wrong way recording, wrongway recording.com, you.

Noah Gray is an Ambassador of Tandem Diabetes Care. In this presentation we may pass along suggestions, tips, or information about experiences or approaches to the management of diabetes. However, please note that individual symptoms, situations, circumstances and results may vary. Please consult your physician or qualified health care provider regarding your condition and appropriate medical treatment. The information provided is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice.

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