NFL Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins tackles cerebral wellness (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Former Eagles Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins tackles cerebral wellness by spreading awareness
By Damichael Cole

When you hear the name Brian Dawkins, more than likely you think of football. Images of a hard-hitting, relentless, passionate safety come to mind.

Those adjectives still apply, but Dawkins has taken on a new profession. At 46, he’s tapping into his mental side more than ever. He’s tackling cerebral wellness issues by spreading awareness through his foundation and using his platform.

“When Saturday came, I was ready,” Dawkins said May 27 on Inquirer Live at Lunch. “There’s no more thinking, worry, doubt, [or] concern. I know the game plan, I’m prayed up for the week, I’ve taken every day and I’ve gotten better mentally, spiritually, and physically. Sunday was party. It was literally party time. I still do that type of routine to this day.”

Dawkins has four pillars to controlling his life: his actions, reactions, efforts, and attitude.
Effort is the one that stands out — just like it did when he was racing 30 yards across the field from his safety position to tackle running backs near the line of scrimmage.

Through its consultancy arm, thinkBeyond, Beyond Sport is helping Dawkins develop a strategy with his organization, the Impact Foundation. This is a popular practice with current and former athletes, but the hands-on approach Dawkins displays isn’t.
“He’s on every email, he responds very quickly,” said Alexandra Chalat, managing director at Beyond Sport. “That’s really not typical with a lot of athletes. He’s very focused on getting this done.”

“He’s just there every step of the way,” Chalat added. “To me, that totally reflects what type of player he was on the field. You put him in to get stuff done.”

If you find Dawkins’ new profession surprising, you’re not alone. He never saw himself doing this either, until he spoke out about his battle with depression.

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