From Vodka to Victory: How the Real "Jerry Maguire" Hit Rock Bottom, Rebuilt His Life, and Stood Up to the NFL

Change Your Brain Every Day

Dr Daniel Amen

Braintrauma, Healthtips, Sleep, Obesity, Anxiety, Braininjury, Depression, Ptsd, Mentalhealth, Mood, Brainhealth, Health & Fitness, Energy, Disease, Addiction, Mental Health, Healthadvice, Adhd, Memory, Focus

4.6 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sports super-agent Leigh Steinberg—the real-life inspiration for Jerry Maguire—joins Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about the hidden brain costs of America's favorite game and how he rebuilt his life from the inside out. From representing half the starting quarterbacks in the NFL to hosting the first-ever Concussion Brain Health Summit in 1994, Leigh has spent decades sounding the alarm about traumatic brain injury in sports—and fighting for real change.

He also opens up about his own battle with addiction, the moment he hit rock bottom, and the brain imaging and recovery tools that helped him find his purpose again. His story is a raw and inspiring reminder that even the most successful people can lose their way—and that with the right help, you can come back stronger than ever.

In this episode, you'll discover:

· The shocking truth about what the NFL knew—and denied—about concussions

· Why athletes (and their families) often ignore symptoms of brain injury

· How Leigh hit rock bottom with alcoholism and turned his life around

· The science-backed tools (including brain imaging, HBOT, and stem cells) that helped him heal

· Why protecting young athletes' brains could change the future of sports

· How "The Comeback" isn't just his new book—it's a roadmap for resilience

Transcript

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0:00.0	Is it healthy for someone to play tackle football when they're 8 to 15 years old?
0:06.0	And I would argue no, because the brain's in formation.
0:10.0	If 50% of the mothers in this country understand the connection between playing a collision sport and brain health
0:18.0	and tell their teenage boys, you can play any sport but not tackle football.
0:22.6	It won't immediately kill football, but it will gradually change the socioeconomics of it,
0:28.6	so it becomes a gladiator sport.
0:30.6	Lee Steinberg is a legendary sports agent who's represented over 300 professional athletes
0:35.6	across football, baseball, and beyond.
0:38.0	For five decades, he's been shaping the business of sports
0:40.9	and redefining what it means to lead from behind the scenes.
0:43.9	Every time an offensive lineman hits a defensive lineman
0:47.8	at the inception of a football play,
0:50.2	it produces a low level, a little bit of brain change.
0:53.8	So you could have an offensive
0:55.5	lineman who played in high school, college, and pros, who had 10,000 sub-concussive events,
1:01.8	none of which have been diagnosed, none of which he's aware of because he just feels stunned
1:06.6	after every play.
1:10.9	Every day, you are making your brain better or you are making it worse.
1:16.5	Stay with us to learn how you can change your brain for the better every day.
1:24.6	This podcast is brought to you by the Change Your Brain Foundation,
1:30.0	dedicated to ending the concept of mental illness by creating a revolution in brain health.
1:38.7	Go to change your brain.org to learn how you can support our mission.
	...

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