Terron Armstead was one of the most consistently top offensive tackles in football over the last decade or so. He dealt with plenty of injuries but still managed to start 131 games from 2013 to 2024 — the 13th-most among tackles during that span. He decided to hang up his cleats this past April after a career that included five Pro Bowls and a Second-Team All-Pro nod in 2018. However, he’s wasted no time transitioning into the investor phase of his post-football life.
The former Saint and Dolphin had already been investing while he was still in the league. He focused largely on real estate, though, including the construction of a 40,000 square foot community center in his hometown of Cahokia, Illinois.
Armstead has also put his money into a youth tutoring company and his own philanthropic foundation. And now, he’s moving into the burgeoning cannabis industry.
Armstead recently invested in cannabis company Jeeter, which claims itself as the “#1 Cannabis Brand in the US”. The funny thing is that the star OT didn’t smoke for the first 30 years of his life, only realizing the benefits for rest and recovery after seeing friends and teammates use it.
“For 30 years, I didn’t drink or smoke. Didn’t touch anything. And I started to dabble in cannabis later in my career. Just from hearing the benefits of being able to rest and recovery, and release stress from a game and all those good things,” he said.
“I would come home from an away game, we would land back from Buffalo at 2 a,m and I’m up till 7 am. Can’t sleep. Just how the adrenaline and the rush of the game is. So cannabis really helped in that space.”
Armstead admitted that the reason he didn’t smoke for so long was that he hated the smell of marijuana smoke. However, a friend brought a Jeeter joint to a birthday party that smelled and tasted good, and it changed the Illinois native’s perspective on the whole thing.
It was so good, in fact, that Armstead got the info on Jeeter from his friend to get in touch with them. As it turned out, the company’s owners were Dolphins fans, and had already messaged him after he signed in Miami.
“So I ended up meeting the guys. Friends, like truly friends, they were great humans. Two sets of twins, and I have twin daughters. So that connection, we had the twin telepathy going on. So my guy Lucas, he’s one of the CEO’s, we talked quite a bit. Maybe my own personalized box of cannabis, so I had my own three flavors. It was insane. We’re just organically growing.”
Armstead also revealed that Jeeter hadn’t gone through any funding rounds. But when the Dolphins tackle told them another cannabis company had approached him, they shut it down and made sure he would work with them instead. That led Armstead to raise a family-and-friends round for the company. Now, he’s locked in with Jeeter for good.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers felt very good when they were able to select offensive tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Fautanu quickly impressed during his rookie offseason, showing the kind of talent and maturity that led Head Coach Mike Tomlin to name him a starter before the regular season began. Unfortunately, his rookie year was derailed by a season-ending injury, and he never got the chance to showcase his ability on the field. Now in his second season with the team, there is a lot of excitement building around Fautanu’s return. At the same time, there is also pressure. With 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers expected to lead the offense, protecting the pocket becomes even more important. The Steelers are counting on Fautanu to stay healthy and play at a high level, especially as he takes on a critical role in protecting Rodgers from opposing pass rushers. On Wednesday, Tomlin was asked about Fautanu’s progress in training camp, and his response made it clear that he likes what he’s seen. Tomlin said he has been impressed with Fautanu’s growth and toughness, especially in his one-on-one matchups with star linebacker TJ Watt. Competing against Watt in practice is one of the toughest tests a young offensive lineman can face, and Fautanu has handled it well according to Tomlin. "I thought he [Troy Fautanu] represented himself well today [against TJ Watt]," Tomlin said. "As you mentioned, he really gets an opportunity to improve and improve fast because of who he gets to work against every day." The Steelers currently have one of the highest-paid defenses in the NFL, and they recently committed $41 million per year to Watt. The team has invested heavily in building a dominant pass rush, and while that has paid off on the defensive side of the ball, it has also created a valuable environment for the team’s young offensive linemen to grow. Going up against elite defenders like Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cam Heyward in practice has given the young group consistent, high-level reps. That kind of experience has helped them improve, and it’s exactly the kind of internal competition that the Steelers believe will lead to long-term success. Concerns are already starting to emerge about Broderick Jones and what he may or may not be able to contribute in the 2025 season. That uncertainty adds even more pressure to the second-year tackle, Fautanu, who will be counted on to solidify the right side of the line. Steelers' Have Full Faith In Troy Fautanu Even if Jones ends up playing well on the left, the right side will still need to be outstanding for the offense to operate efficiently. If Jones struggles again this season, Fautanu’s responsibilities will only increase, and the expectation will be for him to play nearly flawless football. Tomlin has remained confident in Fautanu’s development and has praised the way he has handled himself in practice, especially in matchups against Pittsburgh’s elite pass rushers. The Steelers do not typically move young, inexperienced players into the starting lineup as quickly as they did with Fautanu. That decision says a lot about how highly regarded he is by the Steelers’ leadership. Tomlin, General Manager Omar Khan, and Team President Art Rooney II clearly believe Fautanu has the tools and mentality to become a long-term fixture on the offensive line. While he still has to prove it during the regular season, everything he has shown so far points to a player who is capable of meeting the challenge.
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Three-time All-Pro Micah Parsons requested a trade from the Dallas Cowboys on Friday afternoon due to a lack of action from the Cowboys’ front office regarding signing Parsons to a long-term extension. Parsons, who placed in the top three for defensive player of the year voting for three consecutive seasons before his injury-riddled 2024, has made it clear that this request isn’t a typical situation where it’s mainly to pressure the team into getting a deal done. His statement, seen below, clearly indicates that he no longer wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys, making the idea of him actually being moved feel like more of a reality. If the Cowboys decide to trade him, the Los Angeles Chargers are an ideal trade partner due to their roster timeline, team needs in 2025, and financial flexibility to sign Parsons after the trade. The Chargers had a resurgent 2024 season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who brought an improved culture and a talented defensive coordinator to Los Angeles. That coordinator, Jesse Minter, helped turn around a Chargers defense that allowed the ninth-most points in the league in 2023, to the fewest allowed in 2024. Minter achieved this with a solid but not exceptional pass rush last season, with Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree, and the aging Khalil Mack leading the team in sacks at 8.5, 6, and 6, respectively. If Parsons were dropped into this rotation, their pass rush could be fully weaponized, helping to ease some pressure on their young cornerback group and elevating the defense to truly elite status. The Chargers chose to avoid spending big in free agency this offseason, instead trusting that their recent draft picks will develop over the coming years. This decision leaves the Bolts with the third-most cap space in the league after the 2025 season, giving them the flexibility to make a blockbuster move such as this. Additionally, the Chargers have several key positions secured on either rookie contracts or long-term deals. Their promising tackle duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are both signed for at least the next three seasons, with Alt on a rookie deal and Slater having recently agreed to a long-term extension. Justin Herbert, their star quarterback, is under contract through 2029, and their young receiving duo of Ladd McConkey and Tre’ Harris are on rookie deals for multiple years as well. All of this is to say that the Chargers are a young team that will likely remain inexpensive for a few years, which means they can and should consider making a bold move such as trading for Parsons, who could boost an already formidable defense into a world-wrecker. While many still believe Parsons will eventually sign with the Cowboys, don’t be surprised to hear the Chargers have been making calls to Dallas over the coming days and weeks.
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