Chris Pressley
An undrafted fullback whose raw power, including a 770-pound squat, became his ticket to a hard-nosed NFL career.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American football player·Birthday: August 8·Millennials
Biography
Chris Pressley's path to the NFL was a testament to sheer force of will and physical strength. After a solid but unspectacular five-year career at the University of Wisconsin, he watched the 2009 draft conclude without hearing his name. Undeterred, he turned his most formidable asset—a weight room prowess that bordered on mythical—into a professional opportunity. His legendary lower-body strength, documented in viral training videos, caught the attention of scouts looking for a classic, bulldozing fullback. Pressley carved out a niche in the league as a lead blocker, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he cleared paths for running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. His career, though not long, embodied a fading archetype in modern football: the dedicated, battering-ram fullback whose primary joy was found in the unglamorous work of creating space for others.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chris was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned a starting fullback role for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012 after entering the league as an undrafted free agent.
- Recorded a maximum back squat of 770 pounds, a mark of exceptional strength even among professional athletes.
- Played in 47 NFL games across five seasons with the Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Did You Know?
He was videotaped squatting 605 pounds for nine consecutive repetitions without assistive equipment.
He played college football at Wisconsin under head coaches Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema.
His NFL career was ended by a blood clot issue discovered in 2014.
“They said I was too slow, so I became the strongest.”
