HBO’s ‘Ballers’, which stars Dwayne Johnson, John David Washington and more, premiered in 2015 and has become a hit for the network. The show just picked up its fourth season for 2018.

Bleachers Report just confirmed that one of the writers for the show is a former NFL star that retired before his time. Rashard Mendenhall, former Steelers running back, shocked the NFL when he announced his retirement at the age of 26. In only three seasons, he won a Super Bowl, rushed for 4,236 yards and 37 touchdowns. Mendenhall told Bleachers Report that writing is actually his dream job:

“It’s been an incredible journey. Knowing that I wanted to write, but not exactly how, when or where. The way I’ve grown in this writing business and just seeing how the show’s being received…it’s something I couldn’t have drawn up.”

His football history is a plus for the producers. “Whenever we have football questions or scenes that are sensitive to the sport—like what players wear on first day of OTA [organized team activities]—we first reference back to Rashard,” says Tiffany Hasbourne, the wardrobe stylist. Zach Robbins adds that its beyond football with Mendenhall:

“Rashard was initially hired to validate and vet the football elements in our show, but quickly demonstrated that he had a nose for all things story and a grasp on what makes people tick. He became invaluable to the process, not solely to the nitty gritty of football.”