Former Patriots CB Competes on Celebrity Game Show

Tyrone Poole was on two Super Bowl-winning squads with the New England Patriots, spent his entire 13-year career on an island as an NFL cornerback and yet, didn't want to face the pressure of Fast Money.

"They actually had asked me to do it," Poole told Patriots on SI about the NFLPA's recent appearance on Family Feud. "I got scared and backed out. ... They said, 'Hey, you want to do it?' I said no. They put me on the spot. I don't want to say the wrong thing, so I kind of backed out. ... You don't want to say anything that's going to be soundbite for the rest of your life, right?"

Instead, former linebackers Bart Scott and Sam Barrington played Fast Money, earning 206 points to win $25,000 for Forever Dreamers --- the cause that the NFLPA Defense Team was playing for.

Poole was one of 10 former football players who competed in the Aug. 7 showing of Celebrity Family Feud, along with Scott, Barrington, Booger McFarland, Jevon Kearse, Marshall Faulk, Devin Hester, Jerome Bettis, LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown. Hosted by Steve Harvey, it's a chance for fans to see their favorite players compete for good causes.

“Call it a favor by God,” Poole said. “Relationships are key in this life.”

For Poole, it was a dream come true to head down to the Family Feud set down in Atlanta. He grew up watching all kinds of game shows -- part of what he called a "real good childhood" -- and was amazed at the behind-the-scenes process that went into putting together the iconic show.

"Just like in football, there's a rehearsal, a walk through just to make sure that everybody knows what they're doing. You know how to stand, you know how to talk because a lot of people, believe it or not, they don't know how to talk," Poole said.

It's been 17 years since Poole hung up his cleats from the NFL, but it reminded him just like his time playing football. The two-time Super Bowl champion put together a long career, starting his journey with the Carolina Panthers before later stopping in six other cities. His pro career came directly after an illustrious college football career with Fort Valley State -- that same collegiate tenure that's gotten Poole on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.