1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, four 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: teen year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer Aenius Williams. Hello, 4 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast. I am a Nius Williams. 5 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: We're hosting our podcast series remotely during this COVID nineteen crisis, 6 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: which has touched us all in some way. Today we're 7 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: going to talk with a legend who is doing his 8 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: part to make an impact on his community during this 9 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: challenging time with us today. Is one of the people 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: who actually helped inspire this podcast series, so I'm most 11 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: grateful to him, the Great Receiver Brandon Marshall. Brandon and 12 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: his wife Mishi recently created a program called Few the 13 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: front Lines, which provides much needed recovery, space, tools, and 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: nutrition to healthcare workers doing this COVID nineteen pandemic. Welcome Brandon. 15 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, and you're so nice. You're talking 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,400 Speaker 1: about a legend. Oh my goodness. I mean you're the 17 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: ultimate legend, not only on the field but off the field. 18 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: Love what you're doing in the community and and with 19 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: people around the world. So thanks for having us and 20 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: and thank you for paving a way for men like myself, 21 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: like Shawn, what we're supposed to be like. This is 22 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: like you know, you you set the example. This is 23 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 1: what the NFL player looks like. This is what the 24 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: NFL family looks like. You know. So coming in and 25 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: just catching balls and and taking all the good from 26 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: the NFL not giving back. Uh, it's not the way 27 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 1: to do it. And uh, I really appreciate you. So 28 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: what we're doing with few of the front lines, um, 29 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: really is an extension of not only you, but all 30 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: of our greats in the NFL. Don't the work that 31 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: you guys have done. So you're trying to give me 32 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: the cry before we even get to talk you here, right, 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: because legs right, especially you, you know you're known to 34 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: get emotional. But thank you for those kind words. But 35 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: really we're living, probably doing one of the most challenging 36 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: times of the central let alone our generation. So before 37 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: we start, this is the first time we've had you 38 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: on and it was your idea to Tracy Pearlman about 39 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: recreating the experience of guys talking openly about all topics 40 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: in the hot tub cold tub that helped lead us 41 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: to create this podcast. So thank you for doing that. 42 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: And Brandon, real quick speak, Why the I have a 43 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: program I do with men I call the locker room 44 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: and now the hot tub. Why don't you initially tell 45 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: whoever's listening, why the that hot tub locker room experience 46 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: is so important? Well, let's go back a couple of years. 47 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: I was in York plan for the Jets and um 48 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: calling calling Kaepernick hit right, and this was a big deal. 49 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: And you know, we go through media training, we have 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 1: people coming out, come out every single year to talk 51 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: to teach us how to present in front of the world, 52 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: in front of our beat reporters and writers, and uh, 53 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: you know, this calling Kaepernick hick thing hits And we're 54 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: all in the locker room as players, like, Okay, what 55 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: is our message? What how do we feel about it? 56 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: You know? And in the New York Jets locker room, 57 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: we were trying to collectively come together and be on 58 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: the same page because we didn't want a distraction. But 59 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: we understood how big the topic was and how important 60 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: the moment was. So I look up, you know, after 61 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: a day or two of us, you know, trying to 62 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: figure out like how we need to keep our team 63 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: together and respect people's you know, point of view. I 64 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: got myself, I got Nick main Goal, had Eric Decker. Uh, 65 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: we had Ryan Fitzpatrick, we had Matt Forte. We may 66 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: have had you. No, we didn't have British the brickishaw 67 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: Ferguson here retired. We had these legends sitting in a 68 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: hot tub before practice talking about this major moment in 69 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 1: sports and in history. Uh. And I'm like, Wow, you 70 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: have Nick Mango from somewhere in the country. You have 71 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: Eric Decker from Minnesota, myself from the city, inner City, 72 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: who I've seen some of the things that Kaepernick was 73 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: standing up for. You have Running Fitzpatrick, this kid from Harvard. 74 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: So we all have these different point of views. But 75 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: we were able to have a respectful conversation where we 76 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 1: heard each other out. And I remember back then that 77 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: was the biggest thing was we weren't listening to each other. 78 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: We were just yelling, screaming at each other, or we 79 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: were trying to be right. And we felt like to 80 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: get the get the men sitch out there and to 81 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: actually be proactive and in this whole moment be beneficial 82 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: for a country, for a world. We had to have 83 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: the right conversations and people had to listen. So that's 84 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: the whole That was the whole thing about the hot tub. 85 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: We're having a real conversation. You've got you know, guys 86 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: from different parts of the country coming together and we 87 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: were listening. So to me, that's the hot tub and 88 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: that's the locker room. That's the amazing thing about the 89 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: locker room. I whatever, wherever I come from in my 90 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: belief like, that's one thing. But when we come in 91 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: that locker room, we respect each other and we have 92 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: one mission. We have one mission that's to go win. 93 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: We have one mission that's to be you know, that 94 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: the the ultimate jet, that ultimate ram, that ultimate stiller. 95 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: Uh So we put those things to the side and 96 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: we collectively come together. And what happens, it's so magical 97 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: in the locker room is when we actually come together, 98 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: you know, we start understanding the other side, things that 99 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: we've never seen before, things that we never even thought of, 100 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: because we respect the man or the woman alongside of 101 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: us through sport. You know, Brandon, all of a sudden, 102 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: you got me thinking. Man. Last week I was on 103 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: the call with the White House where it was a 104 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 1: conversation about the disproportional Oh, Yeah, just just just just 105 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: throw that out there. Last week I was on with 106 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: the White House, like, let me tell you what I'm 107 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: saying that it was really about the disproportional impact that's 108 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: happening in many of our African American munity that's relates 109 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,239 Speaker 1: to the virus. But my point in making that so sling, 110 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: like you're telling me all we gotta do is get 111 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: the Democrats and the Republicans in the HOTA. That's that's right. 112 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: Just get him on your podcasts and you're straight come out. 113 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: I promise you. You You know. Yes, it's amazing. One of 114 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: the things that sports, particularly football, it brings back the 115 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 1: bigger crowds as relates to attendance and the diversity of 116 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: social economically ethnicities all come together and then as a 117 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: team just as you said, from all these different backgrounds. 118 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: But to be able to learn how to listen is 119 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: extremely important, particularly needed now and what we're facing in 120 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: our country. But let's talk about few the front lines. 121 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: Give me a description of what do you do what 122 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: few the front lines? Two things, and these are things 123 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: that you have done your entire Careerities are things that 124 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: you coach other athletes. All these are things that Um, 125 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: we do before and after practice, we recover on one 126 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:43,119 Speaker 1: end of the spectrum. Um, we're literally putting recovery rooms 127 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: in hospitals. Were in over eighty hospitals, majority in the 128 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: United States, but globally, we're in the UK, we're deployed 129 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: in Germany, we're deployed in Canada, and we're literally putting 130 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: recovery rooms in hospitals. What does that look like? Massage 131 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: guns with their a gun, super simple, but making sure 132 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: that the muscles and the bodies, all those eggs from 133 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: standing on their feet for sixteen sometimes eighteen hours in 134 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: a day, that they're able to treat themselves or treat 135 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: each other. So we have these that's a mate. We 136 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: have amazing content and and and and in pictures of 137 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: doctors actually massaging each other with these massage guns. Still 138 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: practicing social distance is amazing. Uh. And the other thing 139 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: is the recovery pumps. So you guys didn't have this 140 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: back in the day, but they came out with all 141 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: these type of technology that helped us recover faster. And 142 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,559 Speaker 1: think about this, how many practices? Well you you did 143 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: you have a toe injury? Yes, yeah, you had a 144 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: toe injury. So you understand the importance of making sure 145 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: your feet are healthy and they feel good because that 146 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: literally has hurt a lot of our athletes are retired, 147 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 1: a lot of our athletes, so you understand it. So 148 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 1: these recovery boots, it literally pumps out all of the 149 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: lack acid, all of the fluid from the feet, all 150 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 1: the way up through the legs through the length. Note 151 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: So now if you come into an NFL locker room 152 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,439 Speaker 1: or NBA locker room before practice, after practice, before games, 153 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: after games, you'll see the entire team with these recovery 154 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: boots on. It literally feels like you have new legs. 155 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: Right when you do this, it literally pumps all of 156 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: that gunk, all that junk out of your body through 157 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: the lemp through the lymph nodes. Right. So that's the 158 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: recovery rooms on the second. On the other end of 159 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: the spectrum, we have to fuel them, uh, from a 160 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: nutritional standpoint, the right way. So how we supplement. We 161 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 1: talk about protein, we talk about glutamine, we talk about 162 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: vitamins all the time as athletes, but now more than ever, 163 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: we need our nurses, we need our doctors fueling correctly. 164 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: We need them fueling like us because we still have 165 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: two three months minimum to fight this thing that they're 166 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: calling a beast. So if they're not, if they're not 167 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:00,080 Speaker 1: if they're not fit for the next patient, for the 168 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: next month, for the next two months, what good is 169 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: it to have all of these ventilators and all these 170 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,599 Speaker 1: resources and all these supplies when we don't have the 171 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: staff to be able to use them. And that's my 172 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 1: biggest concern, and that's where where this whole fuel of 173 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: the front lines thing came from is because you know, 174 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: having all the supplies and all that stuff is great, 175 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: but we were already understaffed from a medical standpoint going 176 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: into COVID nineteen. So think about that we have we're 177 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: losing We're losing nurses and doctors daily. Uh. We have 178 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: nurses and doctors rightfully, so a lot of validity, but 179 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: are afraid to death because they may have, you know, 180 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: an elder at home or a baby at home, so 181 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: they're stopped. They're not even going to work anymore. So 182 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: now we have the small population of caregivers that to 183 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: in all of this pressure on their backs to to 184 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: to to be the the solution to this major problem. 185 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: So we need to do everything we can, not only 186 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 1: from a supply standpoint, but also from a nutritional standpoint 187 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: and a coverage standpoint, because they're literally saving our lives 188 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: right now. Do you have some corporate partners that have 189 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 1: joined in? Um? No, So it's been my wife and I. UM, 190 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: it's been out my wife and I. But the NFL 191 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 1: is doing a phenomenal job. Um. We're you know, the 192 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: NFL is backing us, and they're actually giving us fifteen 193 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: minutes during the NFL Draft to kind of talk about this, 194 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: you know. So we're excited about the NFL getting behind us. 195 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: So I would say, yes, we have one partner. Of course, 196 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: it would be the NFL stepping up taking care of 197 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: uh their family and and and and seeing what we're doing. Um. 198 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: But what we're doing now is we're actually putting together 199 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: that initiative. UM. I'm actually starting to talk about it. 200 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,439 Speaker 1: Before we weren't talking about it the last couple of weeks. UM. 201 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: So we're going to we're setting out to raise two 202 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: point five million dollars and we're just going to go 203 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: to a hundred UM athletes. You know, it could be 204 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: made up of a couple of athletes, a couple entertainers, 205 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: a couple you know, prominent businessmen and women or families 206 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 1: or companies, and we want a hundred hospitals that we 207 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: serve daily, all right. Uh and it's it costs us 208 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: around twenty two thousand per hospital. So that's what we're 209 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: setting out to do. Now we're starting with, you know, 210 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: the NFL Draft and bringing in others to tell this story. 211 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: Do you have any players and a legends that are 212 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: already connecting? Yes? So. Uh, we just made a hospital 213 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: run yesterday. So we're at Memorial yesterday. Uh so Stefon 214 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:35,079 Speaker 1: Diggs came out. Uh, Jerry Judy, which is amazing. You 215 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 1: got a kid that's probably gonna go top ten in 216 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: the NFL Draft, the biggest one of the biggest moments, 217 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: biggest days of his life, and the only thing on 218 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: his mind right now is football is not everything right 219 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 1: now and this kid is on the front line actually 220 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: serving taking Ossai bowls and salads and ginger shots and 221 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: um and different juices to our our our our nurses 222 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: and doctors. You had JPP out there yesterday, so Jason 223 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: Pierre Paul from Tampa Bay. Um, you have Bobby hard Man. 224 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: There's so many guys. Those are just some of the guys. 225 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: That came out recently, But there's so many guys down 226 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: here in South Florida that is actually on the front 227 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: line and helping us with this initiative. But again, you know, 228 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: that's just once part of it. We're actually, you know, 229 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: setting out to make an impact globally and we're in 230 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: eight hospitals right now and we're excited about growing that 231 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: and doing more. We don't want to just we don't 232 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: want to be one of those initiatives where it's just 233 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: you know, hey, we're here, just want to say thank 234 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: you and just keep it moving. We're going to serve 235 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: them every single day until this fight is one. Is 236 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 1: there anywhere now Brandon where NFL players are legends or 237 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: any potential corporate sponsors can connect what what you're doing? Yes? Um, 238 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: all the information right now is on our our page, 239 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: you know, if you scroll down, so it's the House 240 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: of Athlete dot com. House of Athletes dot com And 241 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: if you go down just a little bit on the website, 242 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: you'll see a button where you can get involved. Also 243 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: our nonprofit Project three seventy so Project three seven five 244 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: dot org. You can go and you can donate. Now 245 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: you can uh figure out ways where you can support 246 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: and so all of the informations there, So thank you 247 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: so much for that my pleasure. I can see so 248 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: many guys want to get involved because just as you said, 249 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: this is now those from we're we or us being 250 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: stars on the field to now our truth stars and 251 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: taking care of them because they're shining the most doing 252 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: this challenge. Let me dovetail now and ask you how 253 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: all does this initiative? How does that dove tell what 254 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: your efforts regard a mental health awareness because you're a 255 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: big proponent of mental mental health, so how does that 256 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: connect with it? Yeah, that's a that's a great question. Um. 257 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: So one of the things we actually last year we 258 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: went through a bit of a transition, uh, because we 259 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: we found that it's it feels and we know, through 260 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: God nothing's impossible, but it feels at time it's almost 261 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: impossible to make the impact or start the conversation that 262 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: we need in the mental health community, uh, to actually 263 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: move the needle when you're dealing with the clinical side 264 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: of it, when you're dealing with the stigma side of it. 265 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: So we made a shift last year before all of 266 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: this where we said, you know what, we're not gonna 267 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: come on this end of the spectrum and talk about 268 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: you know, bipolar or depression or exact anxiety and lead 269 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: with that we're actually gonna come on the end of 270 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: this side of performance. Let's just unlock our full potential 271 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: no matter where you're at in life. So we started 272 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: this whole deal that if people if we can get 273 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: people to come in and say, you know what, I 274 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: want to lose weight, I want to get my cholester 275 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: all down, I want to cut my body fat or 276 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: my b and I in half. If we can get 277 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: people in there and then start the conversation about wellness 278 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: and then get them into our our yoga class, will 279 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: put you know, quotation marks around that, and we started 280 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 1: the conversation about hey, guys, um, sometimes you can be 281 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: on either end of the spectrum. There's a thin line 282 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: between performance and and and and impairment. You know, there 283 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: may be some people dealing with anxiety, mean, some people 284 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: may want to learn more about meditation or how do 285 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: I get in that zone as that professional athlete zone. 286 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: And through that we've made a bigger impact faster than 287 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 1: it the ten years we spent on the nonprofit side. 288 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: So we feel that the wellness conversation shi um. It 289 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 1: needs to be a three sixty conversation. We can't just 290 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: talk about mental health, Like if we want to unlock 291 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: our full potential, we have to talk about five things, 292 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: and these five things are the pillars, and these pillars 293 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: should make up our lifes down. If you do this, 294 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: you'll luck your five your your full potential. Number One, 295 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: we all have to train. We were designed to move. 296 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: We're not designed to be couch potatoes, were not designed 297 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: to put their w own things in our body, So 298 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: we preach training. The second pillar for us is fuel. 299 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: We all need to fuel correctly. What are we putting 300 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: in our bodies from a macro nutrient standpoint, and if 301 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: you can't get all of those macronutrients through food, you 302 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: have to be able to supplement. The third thing is 303 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: being mentally fit. So there's that mental health component starting 304 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: that conversation about no matter what in the the spectrum 305 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: you are, if you surround yourself with the right people, 306 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,399 Speaker 1: get the right help, you can be your best self. Okay. 307 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: The fourth thing is recovered. Recover is key whether you 308 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:03,159 Speaker 1: have a bad back, you have a bumpny, or if 309 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 1: you just need to go on vacation. Recover is key, 310 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: and the last thing is tried, like having a team 311 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: of people you can do life with. We gotta do. 312 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: We have to be in the community. We were we were, 313 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: we were built to do things and do life with 314 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: other people. So that mental health deal it lives in 315 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 1: all of that. You can't do one without the other. Brandon, 316 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: I've always heard about your I guess your vision when 317 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 1: it came down to mental health. Let's let's now go 318 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: back to you. Where did you grow up? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 319 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: Oh wow, Yeah, we're poor, the poorest, the poorest county 320 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:48,360 Speaker 1: in all of Pennsylvania. Pitch Bird, you mean the home 321 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: of the Steelers. That's right, still city. So when did 322 00:18:54,680 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: you realize you needed to get help from a mental 323 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: wellness standpoint? Two thousand and eleven. Uh, just came off 324 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: of signing a big deal in two thousand and ten. 325 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: Four years in Denver, played there. There's some amazing things 326 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: ship to my the Miami Dolphins. The first year, um 327 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: was the first year. That was the first year where 328 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: you know football, there was things on the field that 329 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: I couldn't control. Like football. The football field was always 330 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: my sanctuary. I could all no matter what was happening 331 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: in the neighborhood. No matter what was happening at home, 332 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: I would be able to go to the football field 333 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,719 Speaker 1: and just absolutely be a beast and crush it. And 334 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: then there was a couple of practices where you know, 335 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: I had so much going on off the field. My 336 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: story is not unique at all. Probably our girls and 337 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: guys deal with the same thing, but all of us, 338 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: not all of us have the same coping mechanisms or 339 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: have the tools and skills to be able to self regulate. 340 00:19:55,520 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 1: I didn't have that. So two thousand and ten football 341 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 1: something was going on there. Let's fast forward to two 342 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: thousand and eleven. I go to Ricky Williams. I say, Ricky, 343 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: do you think I'm bi polar? You know, because like 344 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: I literally come into practice and or in the work 345 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 1: sometimes and like I'm gonna keep my mouth so I'm 346 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 1: not gonna say anything. And Ricky looked at me. You know, 347 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: I'm sure you guys may have heard Ricky Williams before 348 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: and it's like Michael Jackson voice, He's like brand. Then 349 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 1: he said, no, I don't think you're bi polar. I 350 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 1: just think you say the things that we all want 351 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: to say but won't say, right so I'm like, okay. 352 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: And the reason why it was it was important for 353 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: me to go to Ricky because remember Ricky was living 354 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 1: in a tent in Australia. He walked away from twenty 355 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: something million dollars when left football, remember and that, and 356 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: when he had this documentary came out and then part 357 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: of the documentary he showed there was a part of 358 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,320 Speaker 1: it where he was on he was in Waltham, Massachusetts 359 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: at this hospital working with Dr Dunderson. So I was 360 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: asking about it cause I'm like, how's how does this 361 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: guy go from that to now being this for nomen 362 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:03,960 Speaker 1: ain football player, phenomenal teammate, this phenomenal man. He'd be 363 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: sitting in the hot tub reading a book, which was 364 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: kind of like like this isn't this this the locker room? 365 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: What is this? So through that I said, Ricky, well 366 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: I need to connect with that doctor that worked with you. 367 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: So anyways, I end up going to uh McLean Hospital. 368 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 1: Spent three months there in the outpatient program, diagnosed with 369 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: the borderline personality disorder UM and I was in dialectical 370 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: behavior therapy, mentalization therapy, self assessment. I did neurological tests, 371 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: I did a cognitive uh, test just to see if 372 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: I was capable of change, and um, you know, I 373 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: put in the work. I would literally be on campus 374 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: from eight am to five pm every day. After that 375 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:44,479 Speaker 1: I'll go to re Box headquarters and work out and 376 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: train because it's the year of the lockout, and um, 377 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: it was. It was. It was the most phenomenal experience 378 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 1: for me. You know, I gave my life to Christ 379 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 1: the year before, and I thought everything was gonna be great, 380 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: and I thought, Man, all my problems gonna go away. 381 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: Things got harder, things got order for me. And then 382 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: I found myself praying, like, Man, help me break this cycle, 383 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 1: and you know, answer this prayer, give me clarity. And 384 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: it wasn't until I was halfway through that program at 385 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: McClean Hospital. I'm all my knees praying, and I well, 386 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: I started my morning's pray praying and I get on 387 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: my knees halfway through. Um that my time there, and 388 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: I go to pray to start my day and I 389 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: couldn't pray. It was just like like I was laughing. 390 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,679 Speaker 1: I literally was laughing. That was the first time I 391 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: was able to really feel and see a prayer answer. 392 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 1: And I was like, Wow, he's helping me. This is 393 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,239 Speaker 1: he's he's actually breaking the cycle right now. You know, 394 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: this is this is the most clear vision I've ever had. 395 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 1: So two thousand and eleven is when I knew, and 396 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: it happened on the football field. I dropped four passes 397 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: and I said, wow, that's never happened before. What is 398 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: going on in my mind? What's happening to my brain? 399 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: And that's when I called Dr Gunderson at McClean hospital. 400 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,120 Speaker 1: So as we was out branding, here's the question, because 401 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,360 Speaker 1: we do a check in early morning eight thirty every 402 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,640 Speaker 1: morning with the whole family. We check in and part 403 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,959 Speaker 1: of my question this morning was how do you feel 404 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: no work? What are you guys feeling? What do you 405 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: recommend two people who are obviously staying home and dealing 406 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,919 Speaker 1: with may not even know what they're dealing with in 407 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: terms of emotions. What in I guess, uh succinct way 408 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: would you share what legends or anyone that's listening how 409 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 1: to manage this pandemic and to stay at home? Are 410 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: there any tips that comes to mind? I would say this, 411 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 1: you know you you said pandemic right, um. A lot 412 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: of us are experiencing anxiety, depression of isolation for the 413 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: first time. And then there's some of us that are 414 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: just actolutely used to this, right uh, like the probably 415 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: the the patients like myself that's gone through this battle. 416 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: It's like we're prepared for this. So I would say 417 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: if you're either someone who's dealt with this before or 418 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: if you've never dealt with this before, it's normal, right 419 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 1: and you know, don't panic, seek help. Talk. Therapy is 420 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: the number one thing we can do right now. And 421 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: as men and and some of our legends out there 422 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 1: just tuning in, you know, we're too maucho at times. 423 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: We don't talk. We need This is not the time 424 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: to do that. We need to talk. We need to 425 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: open up. That's all I got for you. Hopefully they'll 426 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: have somebody out there. You're you. You will help more 427 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: than some people out there. And a great thing is 428 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: this podcast is not consumed just by legends, and just 429 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,640 Speaker 1: as you spoke to the general public. Thank you so much, Brandon. 430 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: This has been terrific. Thanks for joining us and thanks 431 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 1: for listening in. The best is yet to come, Yes, sir, 432 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 1: thank you, m M. This has been the NFL Legends podcast. 433 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: To provide feedback or request a topic For discussion, email 434 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: us at NFL Legends at nfl dot com. Yeah.