The American Dream is Still Alive: Congressman Burgess Owens on Going Big
From Super Bowl champion to U.S. Congressman, Burgess Owens has lived a life defined by grit, faith, and a relentless pursuit of purpose. On this episode of the Going Big! podcast, Kevin Gentry sits down with Owens to explore a life journey that began in the segregated South and has led all the way to the halls of Congress—and the powerful lessons he’s picked up along the way.
A Second Chance to Dream
Owens’ story is steeped in what he calls “the American dream”—not as a cliché, but as a hard-earned reality. Raised in the Deep South during segregation, he saw firsthand the power of community built on faith, family, free enterprise, and education. After a successful NFL career—including a Super Bowl win with the Raiders—Owens found himself humbled by failure, at one point working as a chimney sweep and night security guard to support his family.
But it was that valley moment, he says, that helped him rediscover his purpose. “You cannot control the scoreboard, but you can control the hustle,” Owens says, quoting a core mantra of his Congressional staff.
From NFL to Capitol Hill
After leaving football, Owens launched a business and later founded Second Chance for Youth, a program helping at-risk youth, especially those coming out of the criminal justice system. But he soon realized that systemic change required more than local action—it needed policy reform. “If we don’t change things in DC, nothing will change,” he says.
That realization sparked his run for Congress. Today, Owens is working to expand school choice, promote family values, and defend what he sees as the foundational principles of America.
Faith, Failure, and Fatherhood
Owens credits much of his strength and vision to his father—a World War II veteran, entrepreneur, and college professor. He recalls discovering a box of rejection letters his father had received from graduate schools during segregation, and how that quiet perseverance shaped his worldview. “If you dream big, you’ll be amazed at the person you become,” he says.
He also speaks candidly about failure: “Fail faster so you get humble quicker.” His advice to younger versions of himself—and to all of us—is to serve sooner, read more, and surround yourself with mentors.
America as the Land of Second Chances
Whether he’s talking about sports, faith, or politics, Owens returns again and again to a central belief: America is a place where anyone can get a second chance. His time with the Raiders—under legendary coach and owner Al Davis—exemplified this. “Too old, too wild, too broken for other teams, but just right for the Raiders,” Owens says. That culture of redemption, he argues, is what makes both a great football team—and a great country.
If He Could Put It on a Billboard…
Burgess Owens: “Control what you can control—your hustle, your character, your courage.”
Want to be reminded why the American dream still matters?
Listen to the full episode of the Going Big podcast with Congressman Burgess Owens, and be inspired to rediscover your own purpose—and help others do the same.
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