WATCH: Former WR Brandon Marshall conquers his fear of snakes

The coronavirus pandemic, understandably, could have led several people to realize some underlying fears they didn't know they had. Crowds, disease, isolation... you get the idea.

I, however, realized that I had a phobia that may not seem related to COVID-19 at all: snakes. Going on hikes and excursions through forests and creeks became a frequent activity for me and my roommates in an attempt to get outside, and coming across more snakes than I ever had before showed me that I'm truly squeamish when it comes to these slithering beasts.

If you're like me, you're not alone in dealing with some ophidiophobia, seeing as they topped YouGov's survey results of America's top phobias. Count former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall among those snake-haters. 250-pound linebackers coming to deliver bone-crushing hits? Nah. Snakes? You bet.

Marshall was forced to confront that fear on the latest episode of "I AM ATHLETE," co-hosted by former NFL stars Marshall, Chad Johnson, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder (start at the 11:26 mark).

Why was there a snake on the set in the first place? Because Mike Holston, a.k.a. The Real Tarzann, joined the show to share his story of working with animals and advocating appropriate treatment of our furry — or, in this case, scaly — friends. With over six million followers on Instagram, his goal and mission is one that resonates with many, including myself and the members of the "I AM ATHLETE" crew.

But the whole snake-handling thing? No thanks. I'm not sure Marshall would have fared as well had he been introduced to the nightmare-fuel serpent that Holston showed Mike Tyson a couple of years back on the "Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson" podcast.

A fear of snakes evidently isn't an issue for Holston, however, and his fascinating social media posts are good proof that this is the case.

Luckily, Holston's domain expands well outside the world of snakes and other reptiles.

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