Episode 7: Nate Boyer

On this episode of Blindsided we welcome Nate Boyer. Nate is a former long snapper for the University of Texas Longhorns, but he’s unlike any other football player you’ve ever met. Nate volunteered as a relief worker in Sudan, then enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a Green Beret. And that’s all before he started playing football. People celebrate him, but he’s always felt undeserving of the accolades. While people saw a hero, he saw a man with wounds. It’s taken him time to heal. And during that period, Nate learned that people should be proud of their scars. Both those seen and unseen. Here’s Nate Boyer on Blindsided.

*This episode contains content and topics that may be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. There are many support services that are here to help. Resources can be found at: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 866-615-6464

About Blindsided:

Plan your work and work your plan. For many athletes, words like these are scripture — permanent signposts lining the long road to success. The very act of pursuing a career in sports often gives a sense of control, a sense of safety. Just stick to the plan. Good things will follow.

That is, until life happens. The kind of life that happens while you’re making other plans. Devastating setbacks. Dark thoughts. Debilitating breakdowns. Mental health conditions that force an athlete to ditch their well laid plans and ask, “What’s my next play?”About Blindsided:Plan your work and work your plan. For many athletes, words like these are scripture — permanent signposts lining the long road to success. The very act of pursuing a career in sports often gives a sense of control, a sense of safety. Just stick to the plan. Good things will follow.That is, until life happens. The kind of life that happens while you’re making other plans. Devastating setbacks. Dark thoughts. Debilitating breakdowns. Mental health conditions that force an athlete to ditch their well laid plans and ask, “What’s my next play?”

Hosted by former National Hockey League goaltender Corey Hirsch and psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh, Blindsided allows professional athletes to open up about mental health. The podcast lets listeners hear moments when mental health became the athlete’s most important focus.

Blindsided then dives in deeper. It gets clinical. And it allows listeners to leave with a deeper understanding of mental health conditions that all people face. It then shows how athletes, in particular, face them down.

Welcome to Blindsided. Mental health. Sports. Life.

Other places to find Blindsided:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Spotify