John Welbourn: 10-Year NFL Vet on Eagles vs. Chiefs, CrossFit Controversy & Training Navy SEALs

In this episode of the Judd Lienhard Podcast, I sit down with John Welbourn, 9-year NFL starter, Power Athlete founder, and one of the most respected minds in strength & conditioning. John was drafted in 1999 and played over 100 regular-season games, making 10 playoff appearances with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs before concluding his career with the New England Patriots in 2008. He went on to redefine athletic training, collaborating with elite military units like Navy Special Warfare’s DEVGRU and the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps, training NFL, NHL, and MLB athletes, as well as Olympic competitors, and conducting more than 300 performance seminars worldwide. In our conversation, we dive into John’s NFL career, including his time with the Eagles and Chiefs, deep playoff runs, and the lessons he learned from playing at the highest level. We explore how he built Power Athlete, one of the most influential training programs in the world, and his personal relationship with CrossFit founder Greg Glassman—why it fell apart and how it shaped the future of the fitness industry. John also shares his experience training Navy SEAL Andy Stumpf, who returned to service after surviving a close-range AK-47 gunshot. We break down the real difference between athleticism and work capacity, why CrossFit often misses the mark, and his take on the evolution of performance training—focusing on what athletes actually need to succeed. Finally, we discuss mindset and longevity, covering how to stay strong, train smart, and perform at a high level for years to come. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just someone who loves high-performance training, this episode is packed with insights, raw stories, and no-BS advice from someone who’s been at the top of the game. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction: Honoring Your Parents with Richard Sorin 00:03:45 – From UC Berkeley to the NFL: Eagles, Chiefs, and the Super Bowl 00:06:47 – Breaking Down Elite NFL Players: Barkley, Henry, Kelce, Gronk & More 00:12:15 – Comparing Josh Allen, Tom Brady & Michael Jordan: The GOAT Mentality 00:17:25 – From Martial Arts to the NFL: The Athletic Journey 00:28:01 – Jiu-Jitsu & Ego: Becoming a Student Again 00:31:20 – Strength Training at the Highest Level: 500lb Bench, 610lb Squat, 380lb Snatch 00:44:38 – Inside the NFL Combine & Evaluating Talent 00:49:40 – Special Ops vs. Pro Athletes: Decision-Making, Confidence & Suffering 00:58:43 – The Difference Between Training for the Combine vs. the NFL 01:00:01 – The CrossFit Debate: Work Capacity vs. True Athleticism 01:13:11 – Talk to Me Johnny writings 01:19:06 – CrossFit Football & the Evolution of Sports Training 01:42:39 – Defining Athleticism: Primal Movements & Adaptability 02:10:09 – Power Athlete Training: Primal Patterns & Planes of Motion 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 📖 First Blood – https://www.amazon.com/dp/1538711370?... 📖 A World Lit Only by Fire – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S3L14Y?... 📖 The Immortality Key – https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250803985?... 📖 Ultimate MMA Conditioning – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0884JYFS4?... 📖 Westside Barbell Book of Methods – https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982150407?... Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue creating free content. 🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE! 📌 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📌 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C7jqHy... 📌 YouTube:    / @juddlienhard   FOLLOW JOHN WELBOURN: 🔗 Power Athlete: https://powerathletehq.com/ 🔗 Instagram:   / johnwelbourn   FOLLOW JUDD LIENHARD 🔗 Train with Me: https://www.juddlienhard.com/ 🔗 Instagram:   / juddlienhard   The Judd Lienhard Podcast brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with elite athletes, military leaders, and top coaches, diving deep into performance, mindset, and resilience. Every episode, from NFL vets and Special Forces operators to strength coaches and industry disruptors, is packed with real-world lessons on training, leadership, and pushing limits. Check out past episodes with guests: Bert Sorin, Justin Mihaly, Nate Boyer, and Matt Johnson, and let us know who you’d like to hear next! Subscribe, Rate, Review, and Share to help us bring you more epic conversations. ⭐️🎧🔥 💬 Drop a comment below—what was your biggest takeaway from this episode?