#145 Chris Jones: Love, Loss, and the Healing Power of English Soccer

When do we get to the point in life when we begin to lose just as often as we win? Career restarts, divorces, the death of a parent, the loss of a friend? For Chris Jones it all began roughly a decade ago, when he discovered his wife’s romantic texts with his close male friend, and his marriage ended abruptly with a single sentence: “I saw it all. I’m done.” That moment led Jones - an award-winning writer for Esquire, The Atlantic and ESPN - into a new phase of his life, when introspection, vulnerability, and love for a blue collar English soccer team gave him perspective on what it means to win and lose in life.

On this episode of Paternal, Jones recounts the moment he discovered his wife’s infidelity, why his therapist recommended he consider picking up trash around town, and how he used soccer to connect with his English ancestors and his teenaged son during a time when he needed a win more than ever.

Jones’ new book Legs Hearts Minds is available wherever you buy books. He has appeared on Paternal twice in the past, in 2021 and again in 2022.