Episode Summary: Becoming UnDone – Episode 134

Legendary: John Lopez's Hall of Fame Journey in Athletic Training
Release Date: September 7, 2025
Host: Dr. Toby Brooks
Guest: John Lopez (NATA Hall of Famer, Retired NFL & Collegiate Athletic Trainer)

Overview

In Episode 134 of Becoming UnDone, Dr. Toby Brooks welcomes John Lopez, a legendary athletic trainer whose journey embodies resilience, mentorship, and redefining success after setbacks. From being told he would never make it out of college to standing on NFL sidelines and ultimately being inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame, Lopez shares his unvarnished path—highlighting moments of burnout, lessons learned, and the crucial value of human connection and family in a demanding profession. The episode blends personal stories, professional reflection, and hard-earned wisdom for anyone facing setbacks or considering their legacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. John Lopez's Early Struggles and Motivation

• Origin Story:
  • Initially pursued electrical engineering at the University of Florida but failed academically due to lack of focus ("the greatest weekend of my life" [00:03]).
  • Registrar told him: "Ms. Lopez, we don't think you'll ever make it out of college. Your GPA is just rock bottom." ([05:44])
• Turning Point:
  • Returned home, tried business, still struggled, but eventually found purpose through coaching and athletic training.
  • Quote: "That really got me upset because I breezed through high school without ever studying... I knew I could do it. I just had been fooling around too much." ([05:44])
• Early Athletic Training Days:
  • 18–20 hour days, minimal pay ("$250 for the year" [07:18]), but learned through mentorship and gritty hands-on experience.
  • Notable Moment: “My mom said, ‘Well, you need to start doing your own laundry now, or you could just start paying me rent.’” ([07:36])

2. Mentorship, Growth, and Evolution of the Profession

• Mentorship Lost and Found:
  • Lopez laments the decline of true mentorship in today’s field, arguing it was crucial in shaping professionals for generations.
  • Quote: "I think what we're missing today and what really helped me an awful lot as a young guy was that the mentorship was so important." ([11:11])
• Education vs. Experience:
  • Today's students are better academically prepared, but lack the "in the trenches" wisdom.
  • Example: Learning modalities from a book because there were no formal classes ([12:46]).
• Missed Opportunities:
  • Discussed the profession’s historic dream of an athletic trainer in every high school—still unfulfilled due to structural and economic barriers ([12:46]–[15:42]).
  • Observes new graduates avoid low-paying, high-demand jobs for better-paid alternatives, shifting the profession’s demographics.

3. Burnout and Navigating the Profession

• Personal Burnout:
  • Lopez shares honest admission of "crashing and burning" twice ("...thank God I had a wife who was strong enough to hold me up. […] It's a real thing..." [17:08]).
• Support Systems:
  • Stresses importance of family ("If you have a good spouse, a good family, and they understand…that can help get you back on track." [17:08]), and calls for educators to prepare future trainers and their families.
• Advice to Young Professionals:
  • Warned interns away from "crushing" environments: "Don't ever go to work for them because they're going to crush you." ([17:51])

4. Professional Culture: Relationships & Recognition

• Old-School Camaraderie:
  • Tells of legendary mentorships and interconnections, like the Raiders’ culture and the profession’s "godwinks" ([19:43]).
  • Memorable Anecdote:
    • Lopez helped Rod Martin (future legendary Raiders athletic trainer) land his pivotal job through quick networking at a convention ([20:32]).
• Changing Dynamics:
  • Old model: ATs were "jack-of-all-trades" and undercompensated; profession now struggling for respect, fair pay, and true value recognition ([15:42], [24:39], [25:06]).
• Relationship with Coaches:
  • Historically adversarial; contrasts with strength coaches who aligned with head coaches and advanced further professionally ([25:06]).
  • Newer models (e.g., Student Health Services alignment) offer job security but not necessarily salary advancement ([27:50]).

5. Systemic Challenges & the Future

• Oversupply and Underemployment:
  • Too many accredited programs, not enough viable jobs, leading to underemployment or exit from the field ([23:48]).
• Missed Innovations:
  • ATs failed to lay claim to sports science/data roles, allowing new fields to dominate ([31:05]).
• Call for Reform:
  • Advocates for a more interprofessional, athlete-centered approach: "There needs to be a whole new approach to it. […] If we’re not the leader, then who else is going to fill that role?" ([33:46])

6. Human Connection & Gratitude

• The Power of Calling, Writing, Encouraging:
  • Toby Brooks shares impact of handwritten notes and intentional encouragement ([37:26]–[41:46]).
  • Lopez continues tradition: “I try to pick up the phone at least once a day and call someone…” ([43:09])
• AI and Authenticity:
  • Brooks notes, “AI will never be able to take or to replicate or to substitute the value and the impact of true human connection.” ([41:46])

7. Legacy, Music, and What Remains “UnDone”

• Music of a Life:
  • Lopez’s montage would be soundtracked by Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz and old-time country; nostalgic for when music brought people together in the training room, not isolated in headphones ([44:34]–[45:28]).
• Remaining Goals:
  • Most wants to spend more time with his grandson, teaching him life through playing sports for fun—not the pressure of early youth competition ([46:25]).
  • Quote: “If there was anything that I can do [now], it’s be able to spend 24/7 with my grandson…” ([46:25])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |------|---------|-------| | 05:44 | John Lopez | "Ms. Lopez, we don't think you'll ever make it out of college. Your GPA is just rock bottom." | | 11:11 | John Lopez | "Mentorship was so important...I can go through the list of mentors and what they meant to me and what they taught me, and I think we have lost a lot of that mentorship." | | 17:08 | John Lopez | "Yeah, I crashed and burned twice, big time...thank God I had a wife who was strong enough to hold me up and kind of kick me in the backside, too, and get me going again." | | 19:43 | Toby Brooks | "To know that I was blessed enough to learn from a legend who himself learned from a Hall of Famer. It's just a very special moment for me." | | 31:05 | Toby Brooks | "We could have been the experts in analytics and data collection...and we didn’t do that. We allowed essentially a whole new profession to spring up under our noses." | | 37:46 | Toby Brooks | "AI will never be able to take or to replicate or to substitute the value and the impact of true human connection." | | 43:09 | John Lopez | "I try to pick up the phone at least once a day and call someone...If we don't have that connectivity, then this profession just can chew you up." | | 46:25 | John Lopez | "If there was anything that I can do [now], it’s be able to spend 24/7 with my grandson...That’s the best advice that I could give somebody." |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Lopez’s Academic Setback and “Rock Bottom” — [05:44]
• Early Entrée into Athletic Training — [07:18]
• Mentorship’s Power and Decline in the Field — [11:11]
• Professional Dream Deferred: High School ATs — [12:46]–[15:42]
• Burnout and The Role of Family — [17:08]
• Mentor Networking Legend: Rod Martin/Raiders Anecdote — [20:32]
• Compensation & The Profession’s Value — [24:39]–[25:06]
• ATs vs. Strength Coaches: Culture Clash — [25:06]
• Collegiate vs. Medical Models—Stability or Advancement? — [27:50]
• Oversupply of AT Graduates/Jobs — [23:48]
• Missed Opportunities: Sports Science — [31:05]
• Encouragement, Gratitude, and Human Connection — [37:26]–[43:09]
• Music and Changing Training Room Culture — [44:34]
• What Remains “UnDone”: Legacy & Family — [46:25]

Takeaways

• Persistence and Rebuilding: Lopez's story is a tribute to the power of not letting others define your limits, and using “rock bottom” as a foundation for rebuilds.
• Mentorship: The loss of deep mentorship is lamented; both Lopez and Brooks advocate strongly for its critical role in developing resilient professionals.
• Value of Human Connection: Authentic encouragement, gratitude, and consistent outreach matter now more than ever amid changing cultural and technological tides.
• Burnout & Family: Surviving and thriving long-term in a “grind” profession like athletic training requires honesty, boundaries, and strong family support.
• Professional Reform Needed: The field must reevaluate its models of employment, education, and interprofessional collaboration to remain relevant and rewarding.

Episode Tone

The conversation is candid, warm, sometimes nostalgic, and often challenges the status quo with both critique and hope for the future. Both host and guest connect personally to the issues discussed, offering actionable wisdom and humanizing a high-pressure career path.

For anyone—especially those in athletic training or allied professions—Episode 134 is a rich exploration of persistence, the irreplaceable value of real mentorship and connection, and how setbacks can sow the seeds for a legendary comeback.