CHICAGO (WLS) — Spring football workouts start next week at St. Patrick High School. They’re the first under new head coach Tommy Zbikowski.

The former Notre Dame star, NFL safety and unbeaten boxer is feeling lucky to have found his place with the Shamrocks.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Growing up in Park Ridge, coaching was never really on Zbikowski’s radar.

“I really had no thoughts outside of my boxing career and my football career. I always thought I would be world champ, make billions of dollars and never have to work again,” he joked.

But his journey to this job has been no joke.

SEE ALSO: 3 young heart patients and their families get free trip to Cubs spring training in Arizona

An all-American safety at Notre Dame, Zbikowski’s violent play made him a fan favorite during a college career that made him a third-round pick by Baltimore in 2008. He even made a stop on the Bears practice squad before injury, addiction and an internal struggle to find his place cut his NFL career short.

“I always lived two different lives,” Zbikowski said.

That other life was in the ring.

Boxing became his focus after football. He won all eight professional bouts: five of them by knockout.

“To have that kind of focus was almost an addiction to me,” he said. “You fight to win; it’s not like you’re fighting to lose. That helps you grow as a person, and you conquer it.”

At 39 years old, Zbikowski has conquered a lot. And now, in his role as a coach, a husband and father, he’s found that calm he’s been chasing.

“You don’t have time to search for happiness. So, I think just having that type of responsibility because I’m not thinking about myself anymore,” he said. “I have a lot to offer the next generation. The way I know how to do that is to coach football and mold young men, mold young boys into strong young men.”