Before he knew it, he was undergoing heart surgery.

His results were shocking, showing an enlarged aorta. 'He goes, 'take him to the emergency room now.'' 'They're hooking me up, he runs out, comes back with one doctor,' describes McIntyre. With no family history of heart disease or high blood pressure and still maxing out on cardio and strength training in his 60s, McIntyre got an echocardiogram almost as a formality to be able to encourage others. They also taught participants about heart disease and how to live a heart-healthy life. RELATED: NFL will offer free CPR training during Super Bowl weekĪn association of former players took notice too and recruited 500 ex-players, coaches, and family for the HUDDLE Study, tracking their heart function.

'A lot of guys aren't doing well some might not even make it,' said McIntyre. When he started attending NFL alumni events, he realized not all his old teammates and friends kept up with their health. In retirement from the league, he's continued to coach high school athletes and is a personal trainer, so much of his life has been focused on body conditioning. McIntyre was drafted from ASU in the 1970s and played for the Broncos, 49ers, and St. He ended up taking a test that saved his own life. When Jeff McIntyre took part in a heart study for NFL alumni, he was trying to model the way for others to build good heart health habits even when you're in shape. AHWATUKEE, AZ - One of the most memorable headlines from the NFL this year is Damar Hamlin collapsing on the field during a Bills-Bengals game, and a former player in the Valley is hoping the conversation about heart health will last well beyond this season.

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