Brandon MacTrinder

I still remember one of the hardest hits I ever took. My head was throbbing, pain radiating through my body. I tried to lift my helmet off the ground—but I couldn’t. It was literally stuck in the grass at the old Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. So I planted both hands, pushed hard, and ripped it out. A thick divot of turf came with it, clinging to my helmet like a warning. That was a football hit. But it was nothing compared to the hits life would throw at me next. Mind Strength is like learning how to change a tire before it blows. It prepares you for the unexpected. So when things go sideways—when you get a flat—you know how to pull over, fix it, and keep moving. But what happens when all four tires blow at once? What happens when the whole car catches fire? That’s what happened to me in 2019. -I was cut from the NFL for the fourth and final time. -My dad was diagnosed with cancer. -My mom was unraveling in a severe battle with her mental health. -My five-year relationship and engagement ended. -My dog died. -I’d undergone two hip surgeries. -And somewhere in all that loss, I lost myself. I remember asking: Who am I now? Life had knocked me flat—and this time, I didn’t know how to get back up. So I reached out to my sister, Natalee. She heard it in my voice—the weight, the shakiness, the soul-level fatigue. “Luke,” she said. “You need help.” She gave me her therapist’s number. And to her credit, she didn’t just suggest it—she followed up to make sure I followed through. I made the call. And instantly, the shame crept in. I felt weak. I felt exposed. That old programming kicked in—rub some dirt on it, don’t show emotion, tough it out. I worried what people would think. My dad. My coaches. My teammates. I questioned what it said about my masculinity. My toughness. My identity. But I showed up anyway. I walked into that office. I did the work. And looking back now, I can say this without hesitation: It saved my life. That season of therapy helped me reclaim who I was. It helped me find clarity, dignity, and peace. It didn’t make me less of a man—it made me more of one. It made me stronger than I’d ever been. Today therapy is a foundational part of my Mind Strength practice. Not because I’m broken, but because I want to stay whole. Sometimes the most courageous audible you can call is this: “I need help.” And the bravest thing you can do? Accept it. coachlukefalk.com/hilinskish… #StudentAthleteMentalHealthWeek #HilinskisHope

On September 9, 2017, Tyler Hilinski was on top of the world—leading Washington State to a thrilling triple-overtime win over Boise State in front of a packed stadium. But just four months later, on January 16, 2018, Tyler passed away due to suicide. Tyler was my teammate, and his loss struck my teammates and me to the core. He was an amazing young man, full of life and “bubbly” to anyone who knew him. After his death, I carried guilt with me for a long time. Before Tyler’s passing, he was my backup quarterback. That meant I saw him as competition and, because of that, I didn’t fully open up to him—or let him or the other quarterbacks in. I often caught myself thinking, “I could have treated him better.” or “How did I not see it?” Through his loss, two truths became clear to me: 1. Sports and life are about people first. Whoever you see as competition is still human, just like you. You never know what someone else is going through. Follow the Golden Rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. 2. It’s okay to ask for help. In fact, it’s strength—not weakness. Tyler’s parents, Mark and Kym, turned their grief into purpose by creating @HilinskisHope, a nonprofit dedicated to ending the stigma around mental health and providing athletes with the resources they need. They’ve done remarkable work—so much so that the first full week of October is now recognized as Student-Athlete Mental Health Week. This year, it runs October 4–11, with hundreds of colleges participating. If you watch college football this week, you’ll see their sticker on helmets nationwide. This year, I am humbled and honored to partner with Hilinski’s Hope to honor Tyler’s legacy and strengthen student-athlete mental health. For every copy of The Mind Strength Playbook purchased through the links on this page, I will personally donate 100% of my proceeds directly to Hilinski’s Hope. I’m proud to do my part to help athletes access the tools and support they deserve. And I’m honored to stand with Hilinski’s Hope in carrying forward Tyler’s legacy and helping our student-athletes. bookpal.com/the-mind-strengt… #StudentAthleteMentalHealthWeek #HilinskisHope