25: The Wrap Up!

In the final show of the season, Annie picks out some of her highlights and favourite clips from our stellar guests. It was no easy thing trying to whittle down so much wisdom... 

“We saw Ryan’s life change in an instant. It made us not take anything for granted..it can happen to anyone”Ryan Shazier is a former linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted by the team back in 2014. Fast forward to December 4th 2017, it was during a Monday night football game when hearts stopped all over the world as Ryan went down in a game against the Steelers, clutched his back and couldn’t get back up.  In this episode we hear from Ryan’s mother, Shawn Shazier. Shawn takes us back to the beginning of Ryan’s journey when he first fell in love with the game at just 5 years old, through his battle with Alopecia right up to his retirement from pro sports.  Speaking candidly about the moment she saw Ryan get hurt on the field, the incredible determination he showed throughout his rehab process and her unwavering faith that her son would heal and walk again. 

"I really believe that mental health is about safety and creating safety.  Emotional, psychological, social and interpersonal. As parents, we have to model that behavior"Today we’re talking about the importance of the emotional wellbeing of athletes. Annie is joined by Dr. Herb Martin, a clinical psychologist and mental health expert. He is the president of Peak Performance Consulting Group and Team Clinician for the Los Angeles Chargers.  

“We told him. It’s a business and you totally lose all of your childhood when you sign that contract. You are a man…”The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive captain, Cameron Heyward has been a Pro Bowler the last four seasons while also earning All-Pro honors in 2017 and 2019. He was drafted by the Steelers straight out of Ohio State in the 2011 NFL draft and he’s been with the team ever since. In this episode we hear from Cam’s mother, Charlotte Heyward, who is not only his biggest cheerleader in life but also works as Executive Director of The Cameron Heyward Foundation. She might also be the biggest Steelers fan you’ll ever meet..and long before Cameron joined the team. Charlotte takes us back to Cam’s early days on the field when she says he was not a typical recruit. We hear about his battle with asthma, why his draft day was his home coming and also the lasting legacy of his father, Craig Heyward, who also played in the NFL for 11 years  but sadly passed away in 2006.  

"It's ok to get accolades, you work hard and you happen to be one of the best at something - how many people can say that?" Nick Bosa is defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers, he was drafted by the team second overall in the 2019 NFL draft. His brother, Joey,  is also an NFL defensive end and plays for the Los Angeles Chargers and and was selected by the team third overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Both men cut their teeth playing college football at Ohio State after incredible high school careers. In this episode their mother, Cheryl Bosa chats to Annie and digs deep into their respective stories, both on and off the field. Sharing the highs and lows of a life lived out in the spotlight. We also hear from coach Larry Johnson, who talks about the incredible bond with the brothers and faith he's always had in their talent. 

"I was stressed every day, I got to a point in my fourth year where I was ready to get cut" Last month, former NFL wide receiver Greg Camarillo, found a series of tweets he posted about mental health in and beyond football going viral. He spoke honestly and poignantly in the tweets after learning about the sudden passing of friend and former team mate Vincent Jackson. In this episode, Greg talks about his college football days at Stanford, his shock and delight at being signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and his time playing with the Miami Dolphins and discusses what a toll working in such a high pressure high risk environment takes on both your physical and mental health. 

“He went into the weight room after his freshman year and he came out a linebacker”Geno Atkins was drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft straight out of The University of Georgia. He has spent his last 11 seasons in the league with the team ever since and is now an eight time Pro Bowler. And his star keeps on shining.  In this episode we hear from his mother, Sandra Atkins as she takes us deeper into Geno’s story right back to his early football days growing up in Florida, right through draft day up to the present day. And all that’s fallen in between. Including how Geno is a carrier of the sickle cell trait and why - even in such a high pressure environment as the NFL -  he ensures he looks after his health first and foremost. 

Audrey Garrett and Robin Burrow join Annie to take a look back at a stand out season in NFL history. Together they dissect the highs and the lows of a season consumed with an unprecedented amount of injuries in the midst of a global pandemic. 

“I told them, I want you to retire the game before it retires you”Michael and Martellus Bennett have always been each other’s biggest cheerleaders. The brothers played football together at Texas A&M and both went on to become Super Bowl champions before retiring from the game and chasing their passions off the field. Their mother, Pennie Bennett takes us on a journey through the lives of these close brothers, and how their unshakable bond has never broken in spite of difficult draft days and the pressure of outside comparison that had followed both men since they were young boys just starting out. 

“They told the agent, we will never have a black quarterback” Donovan McNabb had a career as an NFL quarterback spanning 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was drafted by the team second overall in the 1999 draft out of Syracuse University and went on to lead the team to eight postseasons, five NFC East Division championships, five NFC Championship games and their first Super Bowl experience in 24 years. He was and remains an iconic player. His contribution to Eagles’ history was immortalized when his No.5 jersey was officially retired by the team in a memorable halftime ceremony in 2013. His mother, Wilma “Char” McNabb is no stranger to the spotlight herself after catapulting to fame in the infamous Campbell Soup commercials in 2002. In this episode, she talks us through not only Donovan’s rise to the top of his game but also how their family tackled issues such as racism in football as we hear about an era where seeing a black quarterback was still a rarity in football  and how they rose above it and pulled together to help Donovan achieve his dreams.