Planet Tyrus – Brett Wetton: Success Through Persistence

Podcast: Planet Tyrus
Host: Tyrus (with guest Brett Wetton)
Date: December 16, 2025

Overview:

This episode of “Planet Tyrus” centers on the themes of persistence, reinvention, and giving back. Tyrus welcomes Brett Wetton, his former college football teammate, now CEO and chairman of multiple organizations, and head of the Nebraska Greats Foundation. Their high-energy, candid, and often humorous conversation explores their wildly different yet parallel life journeys—from tough childhoods and Division II football to unexpected career pivots—and the common drive to rise above circumstances and support others.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Brett Wetton’s Origin Story and Early Years

• [02:40] Brett shares he was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), immigrating to Nebraska as a child due to political instability. He was raised by a single mother, with his father departing early on.
• Tyrus marvels at the curiosity around Brett’s background:
  “People are probably wondering who is this larger than life white man dressed in black like Johnny Cash. ...You are actually an African American.” ([02:19])
• Brett reflects,
  “My parents were born on the continent of Africa—and yes, white people are born there!” ([02:48])

2. Growing Up Big and Learning Resilience

• Both discuss being teased for their size and backgrounds, developing quick wit and thick skin through childhood adversity.
• Brett:
  “I was teased quite a bit growing up in elementary school... then all of a sudden it all changed almost overnight.” ([05:27], [07:31])
• Tyrus describes defusing racism and exclusion with humor:
  “A lot of times I would say it before they could get it out... Let me guess, you’re going to bring it up because my mom’s white, my dad’s black. That what we’re doing today?” ([06:58])

3. College Football: Brotherhood, Hazing, and the Old School Grind

• Reminiscence about real “two-a-day” practices, camaraderie, and the physical/mental grind of playing Division II football.
• Brett recalls Tyrus protecting him from hazing as a freshman:
  “I see those little bastards with the clippers... I just said, ‘Hey, he ain’t doing it. Have a good day.’” ([19:45])
• Tyrus on the evolution of practices:
  “Now when I came back... I said, hey, what’s two-a-day? They’re like, ‘What? We’re only allowed to hit twice a week.’” ([10:41])

4. Nebraska Greats Foundation: Serving Athletes in Need

• Brett explains the mission:
  “If you’re a current or former letter winner... in Nebraska... if you have a gap in your insurance... we can help.” ([13:30])
• Notable story: The Foundation provided essential support to Tessa Davis, a former athlete with ALS, helping her secure care and time with her kids before passing.
  “At that moment I was like, she’s gonna die in the next couple years... all the great people... helped us... extend her life with her kids.” ([13:55], [14:54])

5. The Drive to Succeed—and The Cost

• Both speak about formative poverty, a burning desire to provide for family, and the persistent internal pressure to never fall back.
• “When you go without and you see your mother go without, it does something to you... you want to take the burden away from your mother. That to me was my fuel.” (Tyrus, [21:47])
• Brett on his sense of urgency:
  “I just remember feeling myself, man, I never ever want to go back to server again because I had no control over it.” ([22:57])

6. Failing Forward: Transitioning from Athletics to Careers

• Raw honesty about NFL tryouts missed, pivoting to “ordinary” jobs (Pizza Hut, university admissions), and fighting the stigma of not “making it.”
• Tyrus:
  “Whenever you would meet people, they would rub it in your face, oh, if I had your height I’d be a millionaire... How come you didn’t make it?” ([35:31])
• Brett discusses returning to UNK, mentoring doctors, and eventually rising in the medical field:
  “I got really lucky because [Dr. Crockett] saw in me what I didn’t see in myself... started to challenge me in different ways.” ([37:11])
• Both reject blaming external circumstances, highlighting introspection and persistence:
  “Do not ignore the failure. Examine it, break it down... Not making yourself a victim.” (Tyrus, [61:47])

7. Work, Family, and Tradeoffs of Success

• The constant struggle to balance career ambition against family presence and emotional fulfillment.
• Tyrus:
  “Every time you reach a cornerstone as a man... you’re just thinking of what’s next... without ever just taking a moment...” ([22:08])
• Brett on missing time:
  “You don’t get to be with your family that much... you question, was it worth it? Was the success worth it?” ([41:39])

8. Mentorship, Manhood, and “Never Give Up”

• Emphasize the importance of mentorship (“statesmen” like coaches, doctors) and grasping a hand when it’s extended.
• Brett’s advice to young men:
  “As cheesy as this sounds, like you just can’t ever give up. ...You just never give up, keep going.” ([61:15], [61:47])
• Tyrus underlines owning your story:
  “If you start the conversation, ‘I didn’t get the job because the manager didn’t like me,’ you’re... it’s nonsense.” ([62:07])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Perseverance:
  “The entire audience in there just froze. So have Rhodesia, right?” — Tyrus ([02:36])
  “Life is hard. ...Life is this. Yes, but you... I couldn’t control it. But now as you get older... we now can control our condition of which we live in.” — Brett ([23:12])
• On Identity and Resilience:
  “You don’t really pay that much attention to your successes while you’re in it. You never know you’re living your best life till it’s done.” — Tyrus ([39:13])
• On Friendship and Character:
  “You snuck it. Cuz that’s the thing with you and me. ...So many people have paid for my meal, so it’s just like... it even matter anymore.” — Brett ([64:07])

Important Timestamps

• 02:40–03:34: Brett’s immigration story, single-parent upbringing in Nebraska
• 07:50–09:16: Coming to terms with physical size and changing social dynamics as an adolescent
• 10:02–10:44: College football: real “two-a-day” practices, building bonds
• 13:30–15:09: Brett’s work with Nebraska Greats Foundation and the story of Tessa Davis
• 21:47–22:57: The formative pain of poverty and motivation to provide as men
• 35:31–37:11: Letdowns in pro football, career transitions, and the sting of public expectation
• 41:39–42:18: The sacrifices and regrets that often accompany career-driven success
• 61:15–62:13: Advice to young men: perseverance, accountability, and learning from failure
• 63:25–63:57: Sharing how to get involved with Nebraska Greats Foundation

How to Connect and Support

• Nebraska Greats Foundation:
  “If you know somebody that’s in need... reach out... NebraskaGreatsFoundation.org. ...We would love to talk to you.” — Brett ([63:25])

Summary Takeaway

With trademark banter and vulnerability, Tyrus and Brett Wetton deliver an episode rich in old war stories, hard-won wisdom about persistence, and the enduring need to pay it forward. Their stories—of being misfits, of hustle in sports and in life, and of building something meaningful—resonate beyond the football field, ultimately urging listeners to never give up, examine setbacks honestly, support one another, and savor every hard-earned win… even if only for a quiet moment in the sun.