“Do Your Best”
Meet Asante Cleveland
Asante Cleveland is a retired NFL tight end, podcast host, and author.
He enjoyed an unlikely NFL career after an uneven college showing at the University of Miami, entering the league in 2014 as an undrafted free agent to the San Francisco 49ers with only 14 catches, three in his senior year.
In his NFL rookie year, Cleveland appeared in six games, and in his second year, he was traded to the New England Patriots. Cleveland played in four games for the Patriots, working alongside Hall of Fame players and coaches. He was cut on Christmas Day 2015 by coach Bill Belichick and was immediately picked up by the San Diego Chargers. Then, going into his second year with the Chargers, he suffered a knee injury and was placed on the injured reserve list. After nine months of rehab and recovery, Cleveland expected to re-sign with the Patriots, but he was not cleared by their doctor and ultimately retired.
His time at Miami was marked by a standout year as a freshman, followed by almost no playing time in his sophomore and junior seasons. The experience forced him to dig deep, and as a senior, he was determined to be the best blocking tight end he could be. That year, he earned a starting position and was awarded the team's Most Improved Player award.
Today, Cleveland works in digital advertising and is the co-host of the White Tiger podcast, where he talks to athletes and entrepreneurs about overcoming obstacles and dealing with transitions. In 2020, Cleveland began reflecting on his childhood and his growing up with abuse, and he started writing. He did this in hopes that his story would encourage kids going through similar situations that they could overcome anything. His book, Working Through the Dark, will be coming soon.
Cleveland grew up in Sacramento and now lives in Southern California. He is a fan of Pokemon and Marvel. He aspires to write additional books, do more public speaking, and get into voice acting.
Speaking Engagements
Asante’s speaking topics revolve around resilience, dealing with adversity, and the importance of taking care of our mental health.
He has appeared on talk shows, podcasts, and spoken to high school football teams.
Working Through The Dark
Asante Cleveland gave it everything he had in his four seasons of professional football. But his story doesn't start there. There was a point in Asante's life when he had to make a deliberate decision not to allow his childhood abuse to define him any longer. In many ways, his story is not unique; in fact, it is all too common. Because of his desire to instill hope in others, he's chosen to share his story and life lessons. He wants others to know that they are not alone as they work their way through the dark.
