Overcoming the Odds: Former NFL Player turned Hollywood actor starring in The Black Hamptons on BET+ and celebrity spokesman for Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Karon Joseph Riley.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Karon Joseph Riley. The co-star of BET+ "The Black Hamptons" will soon be releasing his first book, “Keep Pedaling The Things I Learned on My Bike.” Karon Joseph Riley was born a star; at least, that is what his mother often told him while growing up in Detroit, Michigan.

Karon wanted to be an actor as early as the first grade when he played Puss in Boots in a stage play. Soon after his theatre debut, his athletic talents also emerged.

Being the crowd pleaser, he entertained everybody with his athletic prowess. He graduated from the University of Minnesota and remains the All-Time Sack leader and All-American football player.

His performance on the gridiron stage led him to become a 4th Round Draft pick of the Chicago Bears. He played seven years between the NFL, CFL, and AFL.

After his career ran, he set his sights on Hollywood as he always promised. Through sports and lessons from his mother, Karon was taught that hard work is the only way to make the blueprints that God downloaded into his work.

Working off of his faith, he took acting classes in his off-seasons in Los Angeles. Once he officially retired, he dropped the football body and replaced it with the body of a leading man.

As a testament to his work, ethnic booked his first speaking role in Russ Parr’s classic romantic comedy “35 and Ticking,” starring Kevin Hart and Meagan Goode. After that he booked steady roles on multiple networks on shows like “Single Ladies,” and “Necessary Roughness”.

Now a solid network talent, Karon set himself up for a huge year run with a role in Will Packer’s feature film “Little” starring Issa Ray and Regina Hall. After that box office exposure, Karon booked two series regular roles on two hit shows.

One was “Ambitions,” with Brian J. White and Robin Givens, and the other was “Saints and Sinners,” with Clifton Powell and Vanessa Bell Calloway, respectively.

He is currently starring in the NAACP-nominated series The Black Hamptons on BET. Support the show: See for privacy information.