For Good Podcast with JoJo Simmons

Episode: From Super Bowl to Saving Lives — Bryant McKinnie Gets Real About Mental Health

Date: September 9, 2025
Guest: Bryant McKinnie (Super Bowl Champion, mental health advocate, founder of B Major Foundation)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the realities of mental health for athletes, specifically Black men and men of color, with Bryant McKinnie—a Super Bowl Champ who’s turned his platform toward breaking mental health stigma. Host JoJo Simmons and McKinnie lay bare the mental health challenges athletes face during and after their careers, discuss creating safe spaces for vulnerability, and reflect on the power of authenticity, healing, and community activism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Transitions & Mental Health Turbulence

• Pressure in the NFL: Sudden fame, financial stress, being the go-to for family/friends, and the constant threat of being replaced all lead to extreme mental strain for players.
  • Quote: "All of a sudden you’re making a lot of money, become a target… that can be mentally draining." — Bryant (00:32)
• Locker Room as Safe Space: The camaraderie in the locker room provides critical support, but when players retire, this safety net disappears.
• Post-Retirement Crisis: Many athletes face identity loss and breakdowns after leaving the sport.
  • Quote: "They were having like mental breakdowns… They’d rather talk to me because they feel like I’m in the same shoes as them." — Bryant (02:34)

2. Breaking "Tough It Out" Culture

• Generational Shift: The current culture is more open, but in McKinnie’s era, you just "buckled up and kept going."
  • Quote: "Is it the safe thing in the long run? Probably not." — Bryant (07:07)
• Distrust in Organization Psych Services: Players often don’t trust therapists provided by the front office; fear of being reported inhibits honesty.
  • Quote: "Nobody really ever trusts them because they feel like they’re gonna go report upstairs." — Bryant (07:31)

3. Building Vulnerable, Trusting Communities

• Cocktails and Conversations: McKinnie brings together therapists, athletes, artists, and the community to facilitate candid, destigmatized discussions.
  • Safe Space Formula: Make people deeply comfortable, share personal stories from high-profile guests, encourage audience participation.
  • Memorable Moment: After a panel, McKinnie received messages from friends who finally opened up because of the event’s safe atmosphere.
    • Quote: "The next day they text me like, I’m so glad you did this, because I’m going through this." — Bryant (09:37)
• Who Checks on the Strongest?: The "toughest" or most charismatic people are often hiding struggles.
  • Quote: "Those are one of ones you need to check on." — Bryant (09:53)

4. Analogies That Resonate: Mental Health as Maintenance

• Car Maintenance: Don’t wait for a breakdown—take care of your mental health like you do your car.
  • Quote: "Don’t wait for the check engine light to come on to realize something’s wrong." — Bryant (11:16)
  • This simple analogy lands powerfully with audiences—most people neglect self-care and only act in crisis.

5. The Importance of Self-care & Pouring Into Yourself

• Empowerment Through "No": Part of mental health is learning to say "no" and not always people-pleasing.
• Pouring From a Full Cup: Community work is important, but you can’t help others if you’re running on empty.
  • Quote: "If I’m pouring everybody’s cup and nobody’s ever poured back into me, my cup gonna be empty." — Bryant (12:38)

6. Community Change Starts With Youth & Families

• Focus on Youth & Single Parents: Teaching young athletes about wins, losses, and emotional intelligence sets up long-term community resilience.
  • Winning from Losing: Losses are lessons that build character.
  • Quote: "Sometimes you have to lose in order to know how to win." — Bryant (15:48)

7. Real Talk on Substance Use & Reality Avoidance

• Substance Use as Escape: Many turn to drugs/alcohol to avoid unprocessed pain—real healing means facing and fixing reality.
  • Quote: "A lot of people get on, you know, drugs and alcohol to escape reality, and that’s really real is what they need." — Bryant (19:20)

8. Authentic Collaboration With Influencers

• Features stories from guests like LisaRaye, Shaun T, Ray Rice, Lil Scrappy—and emphasizes the impact of high-profile vulnerability on community healing.
  • Highlight: McKinnie and team support guests through their public and private traumas, using story-sharing to empower others.
  • Reference: Ray Rice opened up about his domestic violence situation; Lil Scrappy on divorce.

9. The Crucial Need to Normalize Therapy & End Stigma

• Stop Labeling as "Crazy": In underserved communities, mental illness is often written off as someone "being crazy"—real help is needed.
  • Quote: "It’s quick to say, oh, he’s crazy… Instead of like, let’s try to figure this out. Let’s try to get them some help." — Bryant (21:37)
• Find the Right Therapist: If you don’t connect with the first therapist, keep searching.
  • Quote: "Just because your first one might not be the one for you, but there’s other options." — Bryant (23:09)
• Representation Matters: There’s a scarcity of Black therapists, but McKinnie connects people with Black clinicians.

10. Mental Health Strategies That Work

• Physical Activity: Consistent working out is critical for mental clarity, emotional health, and a sense of accomplishment.
  • Quote: "Go a couple days about working out, you start to feel like a little brain fog." — Bryant (24:24)
  • Group fitness, boxing, tennis: all tools for keeping mind and body sharp.
• Self-Identity Beyond Sport: Athletes, especially post-retirement, struggle with identity shifts; staying active and exploring new passions (like business) is crucial.

11. Tools for Inspiration & Growth

• Book Recommendations:
  • Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss) for business and negotiation skills.
• Upcoming Events:
  • Speaking on mental health at Minnesota Vikings in October, working with Ray Rice and Dr. Tasha.
  • New projects: Tech startup in translation services, opening a brokerage in Atlanta.

12. Social Media Pressures & Protecting Mental Peace

• Advice from Ray Lewis: Don’t read the comments—good or bad.
  • Quote: "I don’t read the comments whether they’re good or bad." — Ray Lewis, paraphrased by Bryant (29:27)
• Fans often provoke for attention, not out of genuine critique.
  • Quote: "A lot of times… they really just want your attention." — Bryant (30:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Holding things in is like having a soda can and just keep shaking and shaking it and eventually it’s going to explode. You got to eventually just kind of let some of the air out before it explodes." – Bryant (10:46)
• "Self-care moments where you’re doing and getting a massage. Anything that relieves some stress out of your life is do that because it’s very important." – Bryant (13:16)
• "You got to have the energy… I don’t want to just call anybody [to participate]… it has to be somebody I’m kind of familiar with." – Bryant (21:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:32 — NFL pressures, challenges, and the role of the locker room in mental health
• 02:34 — Realization of the need to advocate for mental health after witnessing breakdowns among retired players
• 06:23 — Then vs. now: Shifting culture on vulnerability and seeking help in sports
• 08:45 — How to create safe spaces for vulnerability (Cocktails and Conversations)
• 11:06 — Car maintenance analogy for mental health routines
• 15:13 — Teaching mental wellness and emotional intelligence to youth
• 19:20 — Substance use as escape, the need to address underlying realities
• 21:37 — The critical importance of erasing stigma—stop labeling people as "crazy"
• 23:09 — Advice for those seeking mental health support for the first time
• 24:17 — Personal routines: Working out as mental self-care
• 27:01 — Book recommendation: Never Split the Difference
• 27:49 — Upcoming events and ongoing initiatives
• 29:27 — Social media’s impact on athlete mental health; advice from Ray Lewis

Tone & Language

Throughout, both JoJo and Bryant blend humor and heart, keeping the conversation grounded, honest, and accessible. The language is direct and personal, often referencing specific cultural touchstones and speaking authentically about vulnerability, community, and growth.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Vulnerability is strength: Even the strongest among us need support and safe spaces.
• Community matters: Healing is possible when we share, listen, and check in on each other.
• There is no shame in seeking help—mental health requires regular "maintenance."
• Choose yourself: Pour into your own cup so you can uplift others.
• The narrative about mental health, especially for Black men and underserved communities, is shifting—be part of breaking the old stigma.

If you’re struggling, keep searching for support, the right clinician, and remember—you are not alone.