By Rachael Lindley
Photography by Crystal Wise
Colt McCoy is well-known and loved for his success on the football field. After 14 seasons in the NFL, he announced his retirement in 2024. However, don’t go thinking that he’s riding off into the sunset just yet. That’s never been McCoy’s style. Instead, he’s creating an empire of his own in Fort Worth.
It’s hard to bet against him. McCoy is still every bit the acclaimed athlete, undeniably charismatic yet surprisingly approachable during a meeting earlier this spring.
Friday Night Lights
His love of the game started as a child while watching his father coach high school football in Tuscola, Texas.
“Tuscola’s got maybe 700 people,” says McCoy. “It was all farming, community, grandparents up the road. You play every sport, know every neighbor, and learn to work for everything.”
McCoy was about 6-foot-two and 180 lbs when he graduated high school — a “stick figure,” as he calls it — but his love of football and ability to lead his teammates left an indelible mark on anyone he interacted with.
As a senior at Jim Ned High School, McCoy garnered the attention of University of Texas head football coach Mack Brown, who later offered him a full scholarship, something that never happened in his tiny town. He accepted.
Hook ’em Horns
McCoy was one of the winningest college football quarterbacks in Longhorn history, going 45-8 in 53 career starts. His awards and accomplishments are like a highlight reel for the ideal quarterback. So much so that his jersey number, 12, was retired on Oct. 30, 2010, shortly after he graduated.
As a four-year starter for the Longhorns, the two-time Heisman finalist left the program having won more games than any other quarterback in program history. His team voted him its captain and MVP an unprecedented four times — the accomplishment he’s most proud of.
“Nothing was ever given,” he says. “Everything was earned. Looking back, I’m so grateful I got to start for four years at Texas. That doesn’t happen often. I loved my teammates, the friends I made, the coaches we had. It was such a great group of people, and I’ll always be grateful for the wins and losses we shared.”
McCoy’s prestigious college football career was not without its heartbreaks. During the 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl, McCoy sustained a significant shoulder injury early in the first quarter against the University of Alabama. Losing him was fatal, weakening Texas’ offense beyond repair. The Crimson Tide bested the Longhorns, 37-21, in a heartbreaking finale of McCoy’s time at UT.
In a post-game interview, McCoy accepted defeat with class despite his clear devastation and frustration, giving the glory to God and praising his team’s spirit.
“I love this game,” he said. “I have a passion for this game. I’ve done everything I can to contribute to my team, and we made it this far, and it’s unfortunate that I didn’t get to play. I would have given everything I had to be out there with my team. But congratulations, Alabama.”
The NFL: High Stakes and Hard Lessons
McCoy was drafted into the NFL in 2010 by the Cleveland Browns as the 85th overall pick.
He would go on to play for the San Francisco 49ers, the Washington Commanders, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals, culminating in a 12-year, 14-season NFL career.
A career that, while marked with moments of brilliance, was marred with injuries. McCoy persevered and earned the respect of teammates and coaches for his grit, leadership, and football IQ.
“I just could not stay healthy,” says McCoy. “I never really battled injuries until my last game in college, and then when I got to the NFL, I would play well but could never string a full season together.”
McCoy knew that he needed to be thinking about his future. He recalls his fourth season in the NFL when his two friends were abruptly cut from the team, and he watched them spiral in the aftermath.
“At that moment, I realized the end comes for all of us in this game,” he says. “You can’t play football forever.”
In preparation, McCoy began taking internships in his off-seasons. He had stints in real estate, oil and gas, private equity, and family offices. He took every opportunity to learn different industries and to see what he enjoyed. He considered staying in the NFL and being a coach, but ultimately, he decided that a coach’s schedule wasn’t conducive to raising children.
After an elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2023, he was released from the Arizona Cardinals a couple of months later. McCoy retired a year later and moved to Fort Worth.
Why Cowtown?
“My wife and I prayed about it,” says McCoy. “We wrestled with where we wanted to live.”
He and wife, Rachel, recently built a home in Austin for their four children and were fairly settled with a school and church, but something didn’t feel quite right.
“It was the first time in my life I had a choice of where I wanted to move to,” he says. “We prayed about it, and the Lord led us to Fort Worth. But we didn’t know anyone here.”
After about a year into the family move, McCoy feels he made the right decision, explaining that his children act as if they have always been here.
“This is where we’re planting our flag,” McCoy says. “Where we’re building our business and our life. It’s not just a city — it’s home.”
The Next Play
“I didn’t have to work, so I asked, ‘What do I want to do?’” says McCoy. “I leaned into the real estate world. There were tons of great companies I talked to, but ultimately, I just wanted to start my own.”
Rather than join a firm, McCoy chose to start his own. With backing and partnership from HPI — a respected commercial real estate group with roots in Austin and Dallas — he launched his Fort Worth-based venture with a clear mission: build a great team, foster the right culture, and execute with excellence.
The Fort Worth office officially opened in February 2025.
“I’ve always loved building teams. It’s what I did in college and the league. Now I get to do that in business.”
High Risk Meets High Reward
When asked if anything from the NFL translates into business, McCoy smiles.
“In football, you make 20 decisions in two seconds. That translates. In real estate, you must assess risk quickly, make smart calls, and lead well.”
Members of McCoy’s team feel the effects of his influence at HPI.
“It’s been exciting to watch Colt bring the same competitive spirit from the football field into the office. Every day, he shows up with energy, a strong work ethic, and a genuine eagerness to learn in this new chapter,”says Garrison Lackey, Managing Director.
His leadership style reflects his quarterbacking days: decisive, adaptable, and calm under pressure.
“Colt has been blessed with the God-given ability to be a genuine leader of men regardless of his environment — whether on the field or in the office,” says George Jennings, Managing Director at HPI. “His natural drive and work ethic have already melded well with our office’s collective market expertise, and we are all excited for the trajectory we are on.”
After years of representing a billion-dollar industry, McCoy wields those skills for his business now, and he’s not interested in building the biggest real estate firm in Texas but one that meets his standards.
“I want to be excellent, not enormous,” he says. “I want us to treat people right, be flexible, and think long-term. That matters more to me than volume.”
In many ways, McCoy is still calling plays, leading teams, and playing the long game; he’s still building a legacy, and it’s still fun to watch.