Charlie Batch
Charlie Batch is an NFL quarterback, community advocate, author, media personality and professional speaker who takes his “Expect Your Best” message to audiences across the country at Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, universities and more.
Charlie motivates and inspires with his personal stories of loss, perseverance and victories on and off the field, and audiences leave his sessions excited about their own potential as he shares with them his 10 proven ways to start winning today.
Charlie’s NFL career spanned 15 years, 60 touchdowns and more than 11,000 passing yards. He was drafted in the second round as a starting quarterback by the Detroit Lions in 1998 from Eastern Michigan University, where he had set numerous school and MAC conference records. In 2002, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as back-up quarterback and was instrumental in critical game wins that led the team to Super Bowl XL and XLII.
His leadership within the NFL extended far beyond the gridiron to include positions as the Vice President, Executive Committee for the NFL Players Association and NFL Spokesperson for the United Way. In retirement, he has continued to be a respected strategist in the NFL, providing game commentary for national sports outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, SiriusXM NFL Radio and Yahoo! Sports. Locally, he’s a frequent guest on Pittsburgh’s WDVE Morning Show and broadcasts WPIAL games in partnership with KDKA-TV Sports.
Today, Charlie continues to be active in all aspects of the game. At the same time, he has established himself as community advocate, philanthropist and public speaker. In 1999, he created the Best of the Batch Foundation, which gives Pittsburgh city kids a safe place to learn and grow. The Foundation includes a summer basketball league that teaches good sportsmanship and life skills; year-long reading and computer literacy programs; a Batchpacks for Kids school supply program, and much more.
In addition to his own foundation, Charlie serves on multiple boards including the Strong Women Strong Girls National Advisory Board, the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, among others. In just the past year, he has been awarded the 2013 United Way of Allegheny County Outstanding Campaign Volunteer of the Year, the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year Award, and the Baptist Ministries Conference Award “Hero in the Midst.” Also in 2013, he was presented with an honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service from Washington & Jefferson College.
Charlie’s football career began at the age of 7, when he first took to the field for the Steel Valley Midget Association. A graduate of Steel Valley High School and a native of Homestead, Pennsylvania, (a suburb of Pittsburgh), Charlie continues to reside there with his wife. Through his foundation, the Best of the Batch, as well as countless other community projects, he has become widely known as a service leader who gives back to his hometown.