Where Are They Now? Christian Gaylord

Christian Gaylord: Blitzed by Adversity

Adversity is a formidable opponent, one that even the toughest of people must face. For former Nebraska offensive lineman, Christian Gaylord, the challenges he encountered on and off the football field shaped his remarkable journey. From being a part of three separate coaching staffs, suffering a season-ending injury, and losing a loved one in a tragic car accident, his battle with adversity became the foundation for a new mission: turning his experiences into a force for good. From navigating the tough transition after football to becoming a dedicated member of his community, Christian Gaylord’s life after Nebraska is a testament to the power of perseverance and purpose. So, what happened to Christian Gaylord after the final whistle was blown?

Christian was born on December 19, 1996, in Topeka, Kansas. Christian was born a Cornhusker thanks to the passion and love his father, Scott, had for Nebraska. Christian and Scott would watch Nebraska football from an early age, and when Chrisitan started the 3rd grade, he would also start his journey in football. Even as a 3rd grader, people could tell that Chrisitan wasn’t just your average kid playing football, he was special.  One of his coaches from his youth team even told his parents that he was going to be a D1 athlete someday and in a few years that reality would start to settle in as Chrisitan would be ranked the number one player in all of Kansas and be given a 4-star ranking.  After going to numerous camps and receiving over 20 D1 offers, Christian would commit to Nebraska in his junior year of high school and be one step closer to living his childhood dream of being a Cornhusker. Unfortunately, before he would step foot on campus the coaches that recruited him and whom he built relationships with would be let go when Bo Pelini was fired. This was a major blow to Chrisitan, but he would stay true to his commitment and still enroll at Nebraska.

When Christian arrived at Nebraska, Mike Riley was named the head coach and brought with him a brand-new staff. It was during this time Chrisitan would start his battle with adversity. Even after performing well in practices and drills, the new coaching staff didn’t think it was good enough. To make matters worse, off the field, he was in a toxic relationship causing his mind to veer away from football. Luckily, Christian had the never-ending support of his family and friends to help guide him through this difficult time. In 2015, he would end up red-shirting his freshman year and wouldn’t see the field until 2016. Come 2016, Christian would add depth at offensive tackle and see playing time in all 13 games either on the offensive line or as a blocker on the place-kicking unit.  During his sophomore year, he would appear in ten games in the offensive line rotation and help out on certain special team units. Adversity would strike again when Mike Riley and all of his staff would be fired in 2017, leaving Chrisitan questioning if he wanted to continue playing under, yet another, new coaching staff. Ultimately, Scott Frost was brought in as the new head coach and after meeting his new offensive line coach, Greg Austin, Chrisitan would decide to stay. His junior year he would find himself once again being in the rotation of offensive lineman and special teams, seeing playing time in 10 games during the first year of the Frost Era. In 2019, tragedy would strike not just once, but twice. Christian would tear his ACL before the start of the season, forcing him to take a medical hardship year. A few weeks after tearing his ACL, one of the most tragic things anyone can go through happened to Chrisitan and his family. His father, Scott, was killed in a car accident on Interstate 80, leaving his family broken-hearted and devastated. After the passing of Scott Gaylord, the Gaylord family would come together as a family, lifting each other up and helping the memory of Scott live on. Christian would honor his fathers memory through his faith and by coming back for a 6th year playing for the team he and his father loved and bonded over all those years ago. In 2020, Christian would return to the field and play in every game on both the offensive line and special teams. After the end of the 2020 season, Christian would decide his playing days were over and would focus on his family and his career.

Today, you can find Christian and his wife, Haley, back in Kansas where they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child, a baby boy, named Calhoun Scott Gaylord in early October. When Christian isn’t busy getting ready for the baby, he works full time at Ascend Hospice and Palliative Care as a community education liaison, where he strives to build amazing relationships with clients and properly educate them along the way. Through all the challenges and adversity, be it coaching changes, injury, or the loss of a loved one, Chrisitan has emerged as a beacon of perseverance, hope, and kindness. His story is forever a testament to turning adversity into a catalyst for positive change, and showing us that while challenges can shape us, it’s how we use those experiences to help others that truly define our legacy.