Show notes
Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder
This episode includes conversations about suicide loss, suicide attempts, depression, addiction, trauma, and mental health treatment. Please take care of yourself while listening.
If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada for immediate crisis support. You are wanted. You are needed. And you do not have to carry this alone.
For Men’s Mental Health Month, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles sit down with former NFL linebacker Brandon Siler for a raw, powerful conversation about brain health, suicide prevention, life after football, and the pressure men often feel to stay silent. Brandon’s story is a reminder that asking for help is not weakness. It is strength, survival, and sometimes the first real step toward healing.
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Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries.
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Mental Health Quote
“Don’t let that soda shake up on you. Fizz that thing out before it explodes.” — Brandon Siler
Episode Description
For Men’s Mental Health Month, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome Brandon Siler, a former NFL linebacker, national champion, entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and straight-up wall breaker. Brandon’s story starts in Pine Hills, Orlando, where sports helped keep him focused, driven, and out of trouble. That path led him to the University of Florida, a national championship, and six seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
But this conversation is not just about football. It is about what happens after the cheering stops.
Brandon opens up about the devastating death of his teammate Javon Belcher by suicide, his own mental health struggles after leaving the NFL, and the hard truth that even the toughest people need help. He talks about the macho pressure placed on men and athletes, the stigma around therapy and treatment, and why real strength means raising your hand and saying, “I need help.”
Through Legacy Pro Sports, Pure Recovery California, Love4Vets, and Siler Brain Clinics, Brandon now helps former athletes, veterans, and high performers access disability benefits, mental health care, brain mapping, neuro-feedback, and treatment built around their lived experiences. His mission is simple but massive: knock down the walls that keep people from healing.
This episode is raw, hopeful, funny, and deeply human. It is a reminder that men’s mental health matters every damn day, not just during awareness months.
Keywords: Brandon Siler, men’s mental health, suicide prevention, brain health, NFL mental health, athlete mental health, veterans mental health, neurofeedback, brain mapping, trauma recovery, addiction recovery, mental health stigma, therapy for men, depression support, crisis support
Meet Our Guest — Brandon Siler
Brandon Siler is a former NFL linebacker turned serial entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and founder of multiple mission-driven companies. Raised in Pine Hills in Orlando, he earned a scholarship to the University of Florida, became SEC Freshman of the Year, helped lead the Gators to a national championship, and went on to play six seasons in the NFL.
After the death of a teammate by suicide and his own difficult transition out of football, Brandon shifted his focus to helping athletes, veterans, and high performers access the care, benefits, and brain health tools they need to heal and thrive.
Business Websites
Legacy Pro Sports: https://www.legacyprosports.com
Pure Recovery California: https://purerecoveryca.com
Siler Brain Clinics: https://www.silerbrainclinics.com
Siler Clinics: https://www.silerclinics.com
Love4Vets: https://love4vets.com
Personal Social Media
Instagram — Brandon Siler: https://www.instagram.com/brandonsiler40
LinkedIn — Brandon Siler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonsiler40
Facebook — Brandon Siler: https://www.facebook.com/brandonsiler40
X — Brandon Siler: https://x.com/BrandonSiler21
Business Social Media
Instagram — Legacy Pro Sports: https://www.instagram.com/legacyprosports
Key Takeaways
Asking for help is not weakness. It is one of the strongest things a man can do.
Brain health matters, especially for athletes, veterans, and high performers carrying invisible injuries.
Suicide prevention starts with honest conversations before the pressure explodes.
Therapy, treatment, and support work better when people feel seen, understood, and safe.
Brandon’s work is about knocking down walls so former players and veterans can access the benefits and care they deserve.
Healing does not mean you never struggle again. It means you learn how to stop carrying it alone.
Actionable Items
Check in on the strong friend, the funny friend, and the extroverted friend. They may be carrying more than they show.
Say the thing out loud before it becomes too heavy. Talk to a therapist, trusted friend, doctor, coach, or crisis line.
Reframe mental health care as brain optimization. You are not broken. You are learning how to care for the most important part of you.
References Mentioned
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org
Legacy Pro Sports: https://www.legacyprosports.com
Pure Recovery California: https://purerecoveryca.com
Siler Brain Clinics: https://www.silerbrainclinics.com
Love4Vets: https://love4vets.com
University of Florida Football: https://floridagators.com/sports/football
NFL Player Benefits: https://www.nfl.com/playerhealthandsafety/resources/frequently-asked-questions/player-benefits
Important Chapters
00:00:37 — Welcome to the Episode
G-Rex and Dirty Skittles welcome Brandon Siler and set the stage for a real conversation about mental health, football, healing, and the things men are often told to keep buried.
00:01:35 — Brandon’s Journey from Pine Hills to the NFL
Brandon shares how growing up in Pine Hills shaped him, how sports kept him focused, and how football eventually chose him.
00:03:30 — Life After Football and a Teammate’s Death by Suicide
Brandon opens up about the tragic loss of teammate Javon Belcher and how that experience pushed him to rethink his purpose after the NFL.
00:06:10 — Brandon’s Own Mental Health Struggles
He talks honestly about being in a dark place after leaving football and how hard it can be for NFL players and men to admit they need help.
00:07:44 — Why Athlete-Specific Treatment Matters
Brandon explains how one teammate’s struggle with alcohol, drugs, and mental health led him to discover treatment built for athletes who needed to feel understood.
00:08:13 — Brain Mapping, Neurofeedback, and Healing the Root Cause
The conversation turns to brain health, neurofeedback, biofeedback, red light therapy, and tools that help people see and work with what is happening in their brains.
00:12:48 — Breaking the Stigma for Men
G-Rex speaks directly about suicide prevention, asking for help, and why there is no shame in reaching out when you are struggling.
00:14:24 — Brandon on Strength, Masculinity, and Speaking Up
Brandon shares why men need to reject the “macho” stigma and understand that asking for help is a strength, not a failure.
00:17:06 — Love4Vets and Supporting Veterans
Brandon discusses his work with veterans, disability claims, mental health support, and why he felt called to help when he saw veterans facing similar struggles to athletes.
00:22:58 — Chasing the Best Version of Yourself
Brandon shares the powerful image he carried as a kid: looking in the mirror and chasing the best possible version of himself.
00:30:02 — Suicide Attempts, Therapy, and Brain Optimization
Brandon and G-Rex talk openly about suicide attempts, therapy, mistakes, healing, and why mental health care can be viewed as optimizing your brain.
00:33:37 — Advice to His Younger Self
Brandon reflects on faith, purpose, and what he wishes he had understood sooner when he was struggling.
00:35:22 — The Hardest Lesson Brandon Had to Learn
He shares the pain of realizing you cannot force someone to want better for themselves, even when you love them deeply.
00:37:24 — Anxiety, Favorite Words, and Brandon’s Humor
The episode lightens up with Brandon’s anxiety sound, his favorite word, his least favorite word, and a hilarious explanation of why exclamation points matter.
00:41:43 — Final Message for Men’s Mental Health Month
Brandon closes with a reminder to reach out, talk to someone, and let the pressure out before it explodes.
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