Sports In America with David Greene

Benjamin Watson spent 16 seasons in the NFL as one of the league’s most reliable tight ends. He was known for being a model teammate, always willing to do the dirty work of blocking in the trenches just as much as catching touchdown passes.  Not as well known is the perfectionism and self-doubt he struggled with throughout his time in the league. When the Patriots won the Super Bowl his rookie yea...

For many athletes, it’s their worst nightmare: getting an injury that could end their season — or even their career.  In this episode of Sports in America, we sit down with two star athletes who’ve competed through painful moments. Robert Griffin III, or RGIII, had one of the most promising rookie campaigns in NFL history — but got injured soon after he made his debut. And in an attempt to lead th...

Kareem Rosser was just eight years old when his brothers stumbled across the Chamounix Stables in a Philadelphia park. That wrong turn would change his life forever. In 2011, he captained the first all-Black team to win the National Interscholastic Polo Championship. Today, we learn all about the sport of competitive polo, which is less genteel than it looks. It’s almost like a mix of ice hockey a...

Last week, we heard from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers center Ryan Jensen about how going pro was never supposed to happen to him; that dream was his brother Seth’s. This week, we sit down with Seth to talk about his own rugged athletic career, cut short by injury. We hear the highs of being a 5-star recruit, the lows of when the game was taken away from him, and how this all tested the bond between...

Ryan Jensen made a name for himself as a center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with quarterback Tom Brady. But even as he looks down at his Super Bowl ring, Ryan knows: None of this success was supposed to happen to him. It was supposed to be his brother’s. When Ryan was a kid, his older brother Seth was the one who seemed destined for greatness in the NFL. It caught everyone by surprise when Ryan g...

Nattie Neidhart is part of the legendary Hart family that produced professional wrestling greats, like Bret and Owen Hart. But none of the women in her family wrestled professionally. That is, until Nattie came along. This week, we talk to Nattie about her new memoir, “The Last Hart Beating.” She shares stories from her decades-long career in the WWE, how her family dealt with the tragic loss of h...

It’s the most successful and the most maddening play in professional football right now: the tush push. If you’re a football fan, you have probably seen the play in action — the one where the Philadelphia Eagles seem to push their quarterback Jalen Hurts over the line to gain a first down, or to score. But you might not know its surprising backstory. In this episode, we bring you the man who helpe...

With recent news of an FBi investigation into the NBA and mob ties around sports betting, this week on Sports in America, we take a look at how sports gambling went from the smoky parlors of Vegas to a multi-billion dollar industry that we can access from our smartphones. We talk to author Beth Raymer, who gives us a firsthand personal look at the highs and lows of sports gambling. We also talk to...

Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway had a stellar career in the NBA, from his time with Run TMC on the Warriors to the epic Heat/Knicks rivalry in the late 90’s. But maybe the biggest accomplishment in Tim’s career was the time he admitted he was wrong. This week, we talk about his new memoir “Killer Crossover,”  where Tim tells us about honing his craft in his hometown of Chicago, how his life on the cour...

Pablo Torre is a podcaster, host, and one-of-a-kind media personality. He got his start as a fact checker for Sports Illustrated, then guest hosted shows on ESPN, and now has his own podcast called Pablo Torre Finds Out. His witty sense of humor and in-depth reporting, have made him one of the leading voices in the industry. In this episode, we see the world through Pablo’s unique lens and learn w...

Back in 2021, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin was at his peak. He had just led his team to victory in the NFC Championship, and they went on to win the Super Bowl that year. But right at the top of his game, he suffered numerous serious injuries that could have ended his career. In this episode, we sit down with Chris, who is finally back on the field after a year out of the game,...

With nearly a dozen marathon titles and a handful of Olympic medals under her belt, Susannah Scaroni is one of the most decorated wheelchair racers in the world. But her story has been anything but easy.  At just 5 years old, Susannah and her family were involved in an accident that paralyzed her from the waist down. This incident, and the many others she’d come to face, only motivated her more to...

In 2022, University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first trans woman to win a D1 NCAA title. Under pressure from the Trump administration, Penn stripped Lia of that title earlier this year, and banned future trans athletes from competing. For many people, Lia has come to symbolize the heated debate over whether trans athletes should be able to compete in women’s sports.  Regardless...

Known for his brute strength and punishing style, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward made a name for himself as one of the best NFL running backs during the 90s. After his passing in 2006, his son Cameron continued his dad’s legacy by getting drafted to the Steelers and quickly becoming one of the premier defensive linemen in the game. A few years later, Craig’s youngest son, Connor, would join his brother...

From WHYY and PRX, this is Sports In America with David Greene, a new show that explores the stories that make sports the cornerstone of American life. Premieres September 30th 2025 on podcast feeds and public radio.