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Forbes
26 minutes ago
- Forbes
The NFL Plans To Use 2025 Season To Raise Mental Health Awareness
The countdown to kickoff for the 2025 NFL season is on, but this year, the NFL has plans beyond game day statistics. For the first time in league history, there will be three consecutive weeks of games that spotlight mental health, with Raise Awareness for Mental Health Games taking place in Washington DC, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. This is a bold and important step for a sport known for its physical intensity. Just last season, there was only one mental health awareness game: the NFL Washington Commanders held a Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game on December 1, 2024 in collaboration with the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Ahead of the game, a pre-game panel was held in the Branson Lounge at Northwest Stadium, featuring five panelists. This year, the movement is spreading across the league as there is a drastic rise in the number of Raise Awareness for Mental Health Games, signifying a cultural shift: mental health is no longer a side conversation in professional football. Here's the breakdown of the who, what, where, and when for teams addressing mental health this season. Los Angeles Rams Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game The Rams are hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, November 23rd, in the evening with a kickoff time of 5:20 pm PST. Four national non-profit organizations are collaborating to lead the Rams' inaugural Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game: Ahead of kickoff, 275 attendees invited by the non-profits involved will gather at YouTube Theater for an exclusive pre-game panel featuring leaders in athlete mental health who are driving the conversation forward across sports and communities. 'The LA Rams play such a vital role in supporting and building a strong LA community, and what an incredible time to come together in support of mental health,' said Louisa Rocque, Executive Director, Greater Los Angeles & Central Coast for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Suzanne Potts, LMSW, MPH, CEO of The Hidden Opponent, also notes, 'It's an honor to join the conversation on athlete mental health at such a meaningful event. We believe that supporting mental wellbeing is essential, on the field and beyond.' To request an invitation to the exclusive pre-game event at YouTube Theater, contact one of the four non-profits hosting this event. Washington Commanders Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game On Sunday, November 30, 2025, the Washington Commanders will host the Denver Broncos at Northwest Stadium. Ahead of the 8:20 pm EST kickoff, attendees who purchase a ticket through the special group sales link will receive access to the exclusive pre-game panel being held at Northwest Stadium at 6 pm. The theme of the discussion is prioritizing mental health in youth and youth sports, featuring panelists Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., Executive Director of the APA Foundation, Marcus Smith, former NFL player, Brook Choulet, M.D., The Performance Psychiatrist® and a counselor from the DC public school system. 'When teams like the Rams prioritize mental health, they lead by example,' said Rawle Andrews Jr., Executive Director of the APA Foundation. 'We're honored to be part of this effort to inspire hope, promote help-seeking behavior, and save lives.' This is the second consecutive season that the Washington Commanders have hosted a Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game in the regular season, showing their commitment to player health and well-being. Arizona Cardinals Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game On Sunday, December 7, 2025, the Arizona Cardinals are hosting the Los Angeles Rams for their inaugural Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game. Three national non-profit organizations are collaborating to lead the Rams' inaugural Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game: With kickoff at 02:25 PM MST, the Cardinals will feature the pre-game panel discussion at 10:00 AM on the club level at State Farm Stadium. Panelists include Dr. Brook Choulet, Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., and more. As President of the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry and President of the Maricopa County Medical Society, I believe this initiative reflects a cultural shift in how we understand strength and performance. Events like this are breaking stigma, building awareness, and creating space for healing, on and off the field. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and the Maricopa County Medical Society Foundation. Tickets can be purchased here. The Future of Mental Health Awareness in the NFL The NFL's growing acceptance and excitement to host Mental Health Awareness Games signals more than just a community initiative. It also marks a shift in the league's culture. By dedicating prime-time matchups, prominent platforms, and community engagement to the conversation on mental health, teams are instrumental in helping dismantle stigma, encouraging open dialogue among players and fans. These events during the 2025 season will help redefine what it means to be mentally healthy both on and off the Dr. Brook Choulet serves as President of the Maricopa County Medical Society Foundation and President of the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry, and is leading the Raise Awareness for Mental Health Game initiatives for the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Garrett Nussmeier injury status: What we know about LSU football quarterback's health
BATON ROUGE — LSU football senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is dealing with tendonitis of the patella tendon, head coach Brian Kelly informed media members after practice Friday. Kelly said he believes Nussmeier's injury stems from a 2023 surgery he had on his knee and the team is taking precautionary measures with the LSU quarterback to ensure it doesn't get worse. "He was throwing at practice today," Kelly said. "And he should be back out tomorrow in more of a practice situation. "We neeed to calm it down. It's chronic and we'll calm it down." Initially, media were scheduled to be able to view the Tigers' practice Friday. But the team adjusted the plan to close the session to reporters while keeping the press conference with Sloan after the team's practice Friday on the books. Rumors about Nussmeier's health and what might have happened during LSU's closed practice swirled all over social media Wednesday afternoon. Worry and dismay looked to have been setting in for Tigers fans on the internet as false claims of LSU's quarterback having suffered a serious injury made the rounds. GARRETT NUSSMEIER LISTED AMONG HEISMAN TROPHY FAVORITES Multiple sources told The Daily Advertiser Wednesday that Nussmeier did not suffer a season-ending injury of any form and that he was "OK." LSU was scheduled for a recovery day Thursday, so a rest day was built into the team's practice agenda before it got back onto the field Friday morning. Nussmeier decided to return to LSU for his senior season after putting up stellar numbers in his first season as the full-time starter in 2024. The quarterback threw for more than 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns in 13 games. No. 9 LSU is set to kickoff the 2025 season at No. 6 Clemson Aug. 30 (6:30 p.m. CT, ABC) and Nussmeier is set to play at start at quarterback. Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@ This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: is LSU football QB Garrett Nussmeier injured? Here's what we know
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UFC Vegas 109 predictions, odds, full-card preview: Will Anthony Hernandez extend his lengthy winning streak?
There's nothing in MMA quite like back-to-back weekends of UFC Fight Night events at the UFC APEX facility. What could be more fitting than a middleweight contender bout to headline the UFC Vegas 109 festivities? Anthony Hernandez is on one of the most under-the-radar rolls in all of MMA, as he'll look to extend his seven-fight winning streak against Roman Dolidze in Saturday night's main event. Dolidze is also on a nice stretch himself, with a three-fight string of success. The winner almost feels destined for a dance with fellow surging contender Reinier de Ridder after his recent win over Robert Whittaker. It's a compelling mix of madness atop the middleweight division, which often yields the most entertaining outcomes. UFC Vegas 109 edges out the overall lineup from last week's pit stop, thanks to slightly higher stakes in some of the matchups. But again, these shows are pit stops of the highest order before the real goods get delivered at UFC 319 in Chicago next weekend. 👑 UFC Vegas 109's lineup Crown grade: F+👑 Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. 185 pounds: Roman Dolidze (+240) vs. Anthony Hernandez (-300) There's a way to describe this matchup other than being incredibly "middleweight." But whatever that alternate description may be, it probably isn't as accurate as the obvious. Hernandez has become, in a way, the division's new Demian Maia. Brendan Allen put up a good fight in the pair's rematch in Seattle last February, but Hernandez ultimately stayed one step ahead, as he does with all of his opponents on the ground. On the feet, he's improving each fight, and has reached a point where he can hang with anyone en route to executing his game plan of dominating on the ground. The Georgian Dolidze has continued to refine his already well-rounded skillset in recent years. After a brief skid with losses to Marvin Vettori and Nassourdine Imavov, he's tightened up his defensive deficiencies to avenge the Vettori loss, while adding Kevin Holland and Anthony Smith to the resume. Those wins were what they were though, and a far cry from how impressive Hernandez has been on his stretch of success. Dolidze should put up a good fight and fend off Hernandez in the early going, but he'll get worn out like the rest of Hernandez's foes. "Fluffy" just doesn't stop. Unless Dolidze can physically hold Hernandez down for long periods, he's going to have his work cut out for him. I just can't see it happening, and expect this to be a sloggy grapplefest that results in another win for Hernandez. Pick: Hernandez 135 pounds: Steve Erceg (-600) vs. Ode' Osborne (+425) Not once have I ever imagined breaking down an Ode Osborne co-main event. Yet here we are. Although this bantamweight tilt is circumstantial, Steve Erceg putting the flyweight division behind him after a trio of setbacks would be an interesting prospect. His three-fight skid started with his surprise title shot in May 2024. The Australian is still a notably high-quality fighter at 125 pounds; he just got thrown to the deep end relatively quickly in his UFC run, which set him up to sink or swim. "Astro Boy" became notorious for his knockout power and overall sharp boxing acumen at flyweight. Erceg already had an edge everywhere on Osborne, aside from maybe speed, so with the extra weight packed on and the short-notice factor, this should be a nice rebound highlight for him. Pick: Erceg 115 pounds: Iasmin Lucindo (-185) vs. Angela Hill (+150) For some reason, I swore these two had already fought before. Angela Hill seemingly can't stop, won't stop, even at age 40. "Overkill" has become the gatekeeper of all gatekeepers at strawweight, falling short only to about every top contender you can think of. Like, literally, that's not even an exaggeration. Outside of that laundry list, Hill will get the job done, even if by the slimmest of margins. This matchup presents another stiff test for the still-young Iasmin Lucindo, who has already faced great challenges in Marina Rodriguez and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Although she fell short to one-time title challenger Amanda Lemos in her last fight, Lucindo is as clear a future divisional staple as any right now. Hill's speedy combinations and great movement are going to give Lucindo fits, but expect the counters and overall damage Lucindo delivers to be more impactful. The fight should keep a high pace and be fun while it lasts. Pick: Lucindo 145 pounds: Andre Fili (+190) vs. Christian Rodriguez (-235) Christian Rodriguez has been the ultimate prospect-spoiler thus far in his UFC run, turning back Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman and Austin Bashi. Unfortunately for him, he's running into the hot-and-cold vet, Andre Fili. Why is that unfortunate? Well, because Fili has alternated wins and losses in his last seven appearances, with a loss in his last fight against Melquizael Costa, who also last fought and beat Rodriguez. The vets and more experienced fighters like Julian Erosa and Costa have proven to be trouble for Rodriguez, making Fili no different. Unless the seasoned slugger's chin has completely faded, he'll find a way to pull this one off. Pick: Fili 135 pounds: Miles Johns (+240) vs. Jean Matsumoto (-300) The more we delve into UFC Vegas 109, the more obvious it becomes that this is "UFC Seattle: The Sequel." Jean Matsumoto suffered his first career loss to Rob Font at the Pacific Northwest event earlier this year, proving perhaps it was too much, too soon for a leap of such gravity. With the loss, Matsumoto slides back down the totem pole to a very winnable matchup against Miles Johns. That's not to say Johns isn't a capable competitor in his own right. His trajectory has simply progressed at a significantly slower pace. The Brazilian's speed and overall dynamic striking abilities and ground game should be enough to get past Johns, who will hope to replicate the seasoned Font's performance from February. Pick: Matsumoto 185 pounds: Eryk Anders (+400) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (-550) If the main event wasn't "middleweight" enough, you're in luck because this fight opens the main card. For some reason, like Lucindo vs. Hill, this also feels like a fight that's already happened. Christian Leroy Duncan can regain some momentum by halting Eryk Anders, who retired Chris Weidman his last time out in December 2024. You read that right. Anders is on his first winnng streak since 2019. Anders is going to find himself at a strong disadvantage against the explosive and rangy kickboxer. What he lacks in speed at age 38, he makes up for with grit and determination to drag his opponents into deep water. That's a big ask for what "CLD" brings to the table, and unless Anders pulls out an Arman Petrosyan-type performance to stifle the Brit, the oddsmakers got those moneylines correct. Pick: Leroy Duncan Preliminary Notes A more missable batch of prelims doesn't exi-... Elijah Smith is a prospect very much worth keeping a close eye on, as he earns this week's biggest favorite label. Other than that, Priscila Cachoeira is still on the UFC roster, which means someone behind the scenes just loves to watch the world burn. Quick picks: Julius Walker (-650) def. Raffael Cerqueira (+475) Elijah Smith (-750) def. Toshiomi Kazama (+525) Joselyne Edwards (-375) def. Priscila Cachoeira (+300) Uros Medic (-450) def. Gilbert Urbina (+350) Julija Stoliarenko (+350) def. Gabriella Fernandes (-450) Eric McConico (+135) def. Cody Brundage (-160)
