In this powerful wellness check-in interview, Josh Byrd sits down with Mechane Slade, a former Division 1 and Division 2 All-American football player, for an authentic conversation about the mental health challenges athletes face behind the scenes. Mechane opens up about his journey from being a celebrated athlete to confronting the harsh realities of college sports as a business. He shares candidly about losing his sense of worth when the praise stopped coming, turning to self-medication to cope with disappointment, and the isolation he felt when people only valued him for what he could do on the field. The conversation explores the invisible injuries athletes carry - the pressure to always appear strong, the fear of vulnerability being seen as weakness, and the struggle to find identity beyond sports. Mechane reveals how stepping away from the game allowed him to see himself clearly for the first time, realizing he was "more than an athlete." Key moments include: • His transition from high school star to struggling college player • The dark period of self-medication and losing faith in his abilities • The powerful realization that vulnerability became his greatest strength • How sharing his story with teammates revealed they were all fighting similar battles • His message to men struggling with mental health: "Keep going. The rain don't last forever." This episode is essential listening for athletes at any level, men dealing with identity struggles, and anyone who needs to hear that it's okay to not be okay. Mechane's journey from masking his pain to embracing authentic connection shows the transformative power of honest conversation between men. Follow Mechane Slade on Instagram: @mechaneslade
