2018 was a tough year for Heath Evans. After seven years as an analyst, he was fired from NFL Network, and just like that, everything changed. No spotlight, no steady paycheck, no plan.
For a guy accustomed to structure and game plans, it felt like getting blindsided.
But instead of staying down, Evans leaned on something he’d picked up years ago from Bill Belichick. Something that would help him regroup, refocus, and ultimately, rebuild his career from scratch.
Harassment Allegations Ended His Career In Broadcasting
Heath Evans’ career at NFL Network came to a sudden halt in late 2017 when he, along with fellow analysts Marshall Faulk and Ike Taylor, was suspended following sexual harassment accusations by a former employee.
By August 2018, Evans was officially released. While he denied the allegations, the fallout was immediate. His reputation took a hit, and his future in broadcasting looked uncertain.
The suspension alone was damaging, but losing his job after seven steady years made it even harder. The situation forced Evans to confront a harsh new reality and figure out what came next.
Unemployed and Overlooked After NFL Exit
In a recent Instagram video, Heath Evans opened up about how tough life became after his release from the NFL Network. Coaching? Nothing. International TV work? Gone. “I couldn’t even land a high school radio gig,” he said.
He faced a wall of silence and fear. Evans admitted the rejection rattled him deeply. “I didn’t know where I fit,” he shared. “I didn’t know how to use gifts God gave me. And if I’m honest, I felt lost.”
Without the structure and spotlight of his former career, even staying mentally grounded became a battle. The phone didn’t ring, and the doors didn’t open.
After years of being on-screen and in demand, he was now on the outside, struggling to see a path forward, unsure how, or if, he’d bounce back.
Heath Drew Strength From His Conversation With Bill Belichick
After hitting rock bottom post-NFL Network, Heath Evans drew strength from a moment that had once rattled him: his 2006 conversation with Bill Belichick.
Heath came to the Patriots as a tailback in 2005, since many of their starters were injured. But after the season, Evans had no spot in the team since the starters were healthy again for the tailback position.
Back then, Belichick told him, “You don’t have a spot on this team… If you wanna stay, you better create a fullback position.” That truth hurt, but it lit a fire.
Evans trained for six weeks, earned a spot, and stayed on the Patriots roster until 2008. Years later, he applied that same mindset to launch BuiltReady in 2019, a fitness and discipleship platform built to equip Christians with the tools to honor God through health, strength, and discipline.
“Fools daydream. Wise men lock in,” Evans says. BuiltReady now serves over 2,300 clients, providing structured coaching rooted in biblical wisdom.
For Evans, this wasn’t just a comeback. It was about building something real, focused, and eternally impactful, and it all stemmed from his brutal conversation with Bill Belichick.
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