By Dwight Hollier, LPC, NCC
Director of Transition and Clinical Services, NFL Player Engagement
It’s a familiar situation: As football players, we want to sharpen our skills and perfect our technique, whatever it takes to be the best man for the job. We know a lot of factors go into making sure we’re the best we can be on the field—from putting in time in the gym and on the practice field to studying film. When we decide we want to be better, we know it’s going to take some work, as well as support from our families, friends, coaches, and teammates.
Too often we focus only on the physical side of being “the best.” But being our best means more than just being physically strong. Confidence, focus, and emotional well-being are important too. These qualities make players effective in the game that takes place on the field but also serve them well in the “Big Game”—off the field.
That’s the idea behind the NFL’s Total Wellness Initiative: Wellness is holistic, rooted in physical, personal, financial, spiritual, and especially emotional strength. We need to balance life’s myriad demands, which include careers, finances, family, and health concerns. Our relationships and responsibilities don’t exist in a vacuum—so when we face challenges in one facet of life it can throw everything else out of sync.
Just as in football, in life we need to recognize our support network that is standing by, ready to assist us to be our best and contribute to restoring that balance when it’s lost. That’s where the NFL Total Wellness initiative can make a difference.
Through Total Wellness, eligible members of the NFL family have access to valuable programs and resources including financial coaching and seminars, confidential personal counseling through Cigna, health insurance options, and prenatal care, among others. And in times of crisis, when life feels overwhelming or we’re concerned about a fellow NFL family member, the independently operated NFL Life Line is available 24/7 to provide free, confidential emotional support.
Through the NFL Players Assistance and Counseling Services program, all current and former players and anyone in their households can get up to eight face-to-face, confidential counseling sessions—for each issue or condition—at no cost. This program is available to current and former players no matter how long they played or if they’re eligible for benefits. Whether you’ve played 30 games or one, or are vested or not, you can get support for any mental health challenge you face, including issues with personal relationships, alcohol and substance abuse, and depression. Just call (866) 421-8628.
This newsletter is the first in a series that I hope will encourage members of the NFL family to think about what being healthy means to them. We’ll discuss wellness from the perspectives of people within and outside the NFL. And we’ll feature the programs and services that offer support to current and former players—and can help keep us at the top of our game.
Of course our health is important to us, but it affects our loved ones, too. If we want to support and provide for them, we have to first take care of ourselves. For athletes preparing for or playing in the NFL, this means setting yourself up for success in life after football. For those of us who are no longer in the game, it means taking advantage of the services available to help us thrive. Whatever our goals for healthy living, NFL Total Wellness can offer support to get us there.
For more information about NFL Total Wellness, please visit https://www.nflplayerengagement.com/total-wellness/
To speak with a professional at the confidential NFL Life Line, please call (800) 506-0078 or chat online at http://www.NFLLifeLine.org/chat. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.