Former Inmate Damon West Visits Chiefs, Tells Players Prison-to-Redemption Story

Damon West, a former college quarterback who spent years in a supermax prison after leading a burglary ring, visited Kansas City Chiefs training camp in July at the invitation of coach Andy Reid and spoke to players including Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

West, 49, who was sentenced in 2009 to 65 years for his role in a Dallas burglary operation and was released on parole in November 2015, told the Chiefs a 45-minute account of his life and recovery, drawing on a metaphor he developed in prison comparing people to a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean. He has since earned a master’s degree in criminal justice, written several books and become a sought-after speaker and prison-reform educator while remaining on parole until 2073.

West told the team the coffee-bean metaphor — which he said came from another inmate in Dallas County Jail — is about choosing whether to be changed by one’s environment or to change the environment for the better. He said the lesson helped him survive segregated conditions in Texas’s supermax facilities and later guided his work developing curricula aimed at helping incarcerated people reenter society.

Chiefs staff allowed West to sit in on an offensive meeting and he spent more than 12 hours with the team, including watching practice, sharing a meal and joining players to view a film cameo by Travis Kelce the day before the movie premiered. Kelce told West afterward that he got a lot out of the talk, and other players described the session as absorbed and meaningful.

Reid invited West to address the team following the Chiefs’ recent Super Bowl defeat, telling West, “My guys need to hear your message,” according to accounts of the visit. Reid later offered to introduce West to other NFL coaches and has allowed him continued access to the team. West described Reid as an "incredible human being" who believes in giving people a chance to change.

West’s story includes a string of roles and setbacks: a college quarterback at the University of North Texas whose playing career ended after a shoulder injury and a torn Achilles; a stint working on Capitol Hill and in banking; and a career as a stockbroker before a methamphetamine addiction and criminal activity led to homelessness and the formation of a burglary ring accused of stealing about $1 million in property. He was arrested in July 2008 after a multi-year run and apprehension by a SWAT team.

While incarcerated, West said he endured violence in isolation housing and won respect among other inmates through basketball. He described prison as a turning point when he shifted from survival to servant leadership, tutoring others and eventually creating programs to help inmates change their lives. He has said his faith and a change in mindset were integral to his rehabilitation.

Since his release, West has worked with corporate and government clients, including the U.S. Army and retailers, and has spoken to numerous college and professional sports programs. Coaches and teams he has worked with include Clemson, Alabama, Ole Miss, the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was among the first high-profile coaches to invite West to speak to his program, a contact that West’s supporters say helped him gain broader acceptance in sports circles.

West’s books include The Change Agent and his most recent title, Six Dimes and a Nickel: Life Lessons to Empower Change, which was published last month and has been described as a bestseller. He said the curriculum he developed for prisons includes regular graduation ceremonies; Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who read one of West’s books, has been a commencement speaker at such events.

Players who have encountered West’s talk have said they related to the themes of resilience and accountability. West said many athletes connect with the gritty details of his prison experience and the role of competitive sports, particularly pick-up basketball games in prison, in shaping survival and leadership. He emphasized that his message focuses on serving others and on the personal choice to improve one’s circumstances.

West declined to make claims about football strategy or personnel but said he understands the parallels between life behind bars and life in high-level sports: both demand persistence, discipline and the willingness to face challenges. He credited Reid’s leadership approach, which he said emphasizes caring for individuals, with creating a team culture that welcomed his message.

West remains on parole and continues to travel widely as a speaker, saying he spends about 300 days a year on the road. He has previously returned to correctional facilities to teach the program he developed and has spoken to the SWAT team that arrested him. Plans have been discussed in other settings to adapt his life story into film, and West said some athletes have expressed interest in helping tell that story.

The Chiefs visit was part of wider outreach by teams and organizations looking for speakers on resilience and personal change, a trend that has seen former inmates and rehabilitation advocates brought into locker rooms and corporate training sessions. West’s visit to Kansas City underscored the continued interest among NFL teams in messaging that addresses character and personal development as part of player preparation.

West said he left Kansas City moved by the reception and by the sight of players uniting off the field. He described the experience of sitting in a team meeting and watching a movie with professional athletes as a striking contrast to his time in prison and a reminder of how much his life has changed since his arrest and incarceration.

Through his work with teams, corporations and correctional programs, West has positioned himself as an advocate for rehabilitation and reentry. He said his goal remains to help others find the internal agency to make different choices, a theme he stressed repeatedly during his visit with the Chiefs.