Merril Hoge is a former professional football player, analyst, and head coach. Merril Hoge was selected in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent nearly a decade in the National Football League.
He has also played for the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Until 2020, the former footballer also works as the head coach of Your Call Football (YCF).
Table of Contents
Early Life, Family, And Education
Merril Hoge was born on January 26, 1965, in Pocatello, Idaho, the United States.
His parents are George M. Hoge and Sharon Hoge.
The former athlete grew up in a relatively normal home with loving and caring parents.
The footballer’s mother and father were very supportive of his career.
They always encouraged him to dream big and never give up.
As a result, Merril was fond of football from a young age and started his practice early on in life.
Hoge attended Highland High School and played high school football for them. He was an exceptional player for the school’s team.
After graduation, he chose to stay in his hometown and attend Idaho State University.
During his collegiate career, the running back’s mother passed away. He was only 19 years old then.
Although he was devastated, he knew his mother would want him to continue with his life and football.
So he played four seasons for the Idaho State Bengals before moving on to the NFL.
Age, Height, And Weight
Merril Hoge is 57 years old as of 2022. As a former athlete, Hoge takes great care of his health and diet.
Similarly, he works out often and is very ripped in his mid-50s.
Despite his diagnosis and heart surgery, he is quite fit and has a toned physique.
Besides that, he is 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall and weighs 212 lb (96 kg).
Likewise, his whole look is lacking without his light brown hair color and blue color eye.
Facts of Merril Hoge
| Full Name | Merril DuAine Hoge |
| Birth Date | January 26, 1965 |
| Birth Place | Pocatello, Idaho, the United States |
| Nick Name | Hogie |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Idaho State University |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Father’s Name | George M. Hoge |
| Mother’s Name | Sharon Hoge |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| Age | 57 years old |
| Height | 6’2″ (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Hair Color | Light Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Former NFL Player, Analyst & Head Coach |
| Former Teams | Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears |
| Position | Running Back |
| Active Years | 1987 – 1994 |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Wife | Toni Hoge |
| Kids | Two; Kori and Beau Hoge |
| Net Worth | $6 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merchandise | Rookie Card, 1992 Topps Gold Card |
| Jersey Number | 33 |
| Last Updated | May 2022 |
Salary, Earnings, and Net Worth
Merril Hoge’s estimated net worth is $6 million. Merril, meanwhile, is said to be paid $2.5 million each year.
Apart from that, he was the head coach of Your Call Football, which paid him well.
Brainwashed: The Bad Science Behind CTE and the Plot to Destroy Football and Find a Way: Three Words That Changed My Life are two of his best-selling books.
Aside from that, the cancer survivor is invited to speak at various gatherings to tell his inspiring experience. In addition, after suing the Bears’ doctor, he received a $1.55 million court settlement.
He also makes a decent living from endorsements and sponsorships. Finally, he led a comfortable and extravagant lifestyle.
Broadcasting And Football Career
College Life
Hoge was a member of the Idaho State Bengals football team. Three-time all-conference pick for the outstanding running back.
Furthermore, in 1985, he set an NCAA record with 2,113 all-purpose yards and a 192.1 average per game. Hoge also racked up 5,453 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns throughout his college career.
Before entering the NFL draft, Hoge earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a minor in health and fitness.
NFL Profession
The running back was selected in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the 261st overall choice.
Hoge was a member of the team from 1987 until 1993, before joining the Chicago Bears. The footballer was forced to retire after sustaining life-threatening concussions.
Career in Television
In 1996, he joined ESPN as a football analyst after retiring from the NFL. He was laid off in 2017 after a long career with the network.
Following that, he joined veteran NFL coach Mike Sherman as the head coach of Your Call Football.
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Concussion
Merril received a concussion while playing for the Bears in a preseason game in 1994. On a phone call five days later, the team’s doctor approved him to play.
He didn’t re-examine the football player, who was still experiencing symptoms from his concussion.
A month later, he sustained a second concussion in a game against the Buffalo Bills, this time very serious and dangerous.
Hoge passed unconscious and had to be resuscitated when he stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest for a short time. He was also admitted to the intensive care unit for 48 hours.
He didn’t know his wife when he awoke, and he had no memory of their 14-month-old daughter.
He also experienced memory loss, confusion, brain fog, and headaches as a result of his concussion.
He filed a lawsuit against the Bears’ doctor for allowing him to return to the field without undergoing a proper re-examination.
Cancer And Surgery
Aside from that, the ESPN analyst was involved in a car accident in 2002, in which he injured his shoulder. Merril had to have surgery to repair a damaged ligament as a result.
He told his doctor about recurring back discomfort that was affecting him a lot while seeing his doctor for a six-month evaluation of his damaged ligament.
As a result, the physicians ordered various tests to figure out what was wrong. Merril was diagnosed with stage II non-Hodgkin lymphoma during the procedure.
Following that, he underwent chemotherapy, with physicians predicting a 75-80% likelihood of long-term remission.
He now assists many other cancer patients and raises funds for cancer-related causes.
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Girlfriend, Wife, and Children
Merril Hoge is married, but he keeps his wife’s identity a closely guarded secret.
Despite the fact that he has only shared a few photographs of her on Instagram, he has never referred to her by name or even tagged her.
As a result, little is known about their first meeting and marriage. Regardless, the two appear to be in love and content.
They have no children together. Merril, on the other hand, has two children from a former marriage to Toni Hoge.
Beau and Kori are their given names. They are both happily married and content in their lives. Kori also has four children of her own.
Beau was a collegiate football player for the BYU Cougars before retiring. Kori, on the other hand, is an accomplished photographer.
Presence on Social Media
He has 11.4k Instagram followers and 157.4k Twitter followers.
