The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Bryant McKinnie NEVER Got Fined By The NFL?! | Hour 2

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

"What were you doing there, Dan?" We forgot one part of Dan's time angering ESPN: the time he was suspended for two days for putting up billboards throughout Cleveland after LeBron left Miami. And after Dan gives Jeremy about two seconds of Marlins updates, Bryant McKinnie joins us in the studio to discuss his efforts to support the NFL community on mental health. Check out bryantmckinnie.com for all the details of his mental health awareness event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the Dan Levatore show with the Stucats podcast. So this is what our basketball experts said before the game last night. I think the thunder are going to destroy them. And Michelle Beatle, who was on with us earlier, said before the game after SGA won the MVP, she said it would inspire Wembe, quote, it's going to make Wembe play better. The alien is petty. So Michelle Bidle, Amin's nemesis, was more.

accurate slightly than our basketball expert at least one game into the series. Whose list was the best on those top ten lists, Greg? Which of the lists did you like the best? I like Valerie's list, actually. I liked it. It had certain ones that were on neither of the other two lists, such as the art of conversation. I just thought there was a little more variety to it. I still have nightmares about Dunk Levitard, so that one's... I'm with... with Valerie. No billboard on Valerie's list, which I thought was interesting. Well, thank you for that. So that allows us to play the Cleveland television station that covered the billboard controversy comprehensively. I know we need to fire up the narcissist cam so you can

see Greg Cody's delight when this story plays. Now at 11, it's a sign of the Times. This billboard poking fun at LeBron James went viral yesterday. Well, tonight, the man, the Miami radio host behind the billboard has been both silenced and suspended. Good evening. I'm Danita Harris. Chris is in Chicago tonight, getting ready for tomorrow's vote to bring the 2016 Republican National Convention to Cleveland. We're going to check in with him in just a few moments. Smaller stories. But first, message delivered. You're welcome, LeBron. We showed you the controversial billboard in Akron last night. Now the ESPN radio host who paid for it

is now paying the price. News Channel 5 is Michael Baldwin live in LeBron's home where Dan Lebertard's silence definitely has people talking. Yeah, Dan Levitart, we won't be hearing from ESPN host Dan Lebertar anytime soon. That's because he's been suspended for two days. He's been suspended for putting up signs like these throughout the city of Akron. And notice, Danita, I said these. That's because there's more than one. Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six.

That's right, six of these. welcome LeBron Love Miami billboards spread across Akron. That cost about a hundred grand and they were put up by ESPN TV and radio host Dan Lebertart, who lives in Miami. Well, the four-letter network suspended him for two days because they say they had no idea what he was up to. They released a statement saying in part, his recent stunt does not reflect ESPN standards and brand. We were not made aware of his plans in advance.

Lebertar sent a text to a reporter in response to the suspension, which reads, I guess ESPN didn't find it at all quite as funny as I did. Nope. And neither did people from Akron like the LeBron James Grandmother's fan club. I did not like the billboard. No. Don't mess with our child. Don't mess with our child.

A Miami Herald reporter spoke to Lebertard and says we may be out of bounds on the sign's message. Dan did it all in jest. You know, to him it was all good-natured fun. You know, it was never meant as any sort of harsh criticism of LeBron. No matter what the billboard's message is, people in Akron think ESPN did the right thing by having Lebertart sit on the bench a few days. Well, I think he did it underhanded then.

You know, if they didn't know about it, they did the right thing by suspending him. Oh, how about that? You know, of those six billboards that we found, we found one near Springfield Township and another one that near Coventry was just over the Akron line. Now, again, Dan Levitar's producer is supposed to be coming to the rally tomorrow. He says he has another few surprises for us. We'll have to see what those are. All right. We're live in Akron.

I'm Michael Baldwin. News Channel 5. Oh, wonder what they could be. Okay, thank you very much, Michael. Big story in Akron, huh? The local news music gets me every time. And then that like that awkward silence in between the pre-produced piece, back to the live guy.

You can always tell the difference between the microphone, too. It's great. Jeremy mentioned that Greg Cody sounded like the 1950s there. You looked younger. You sounded healthier. You sounded vibrant. Okay. Oh, Dan never meant to do this on purpose.

I definitely looked younger. I didn't know how to play that. Like, I didn't know whether I make fun of it or I went all serious, which is not natural for me. Jeremy, the Marlins beat the Braves last night. They have the Major League leader in batting average in Otto Lopez. They have the RBI leader in Liam Hicks. They are six games back of the wild card. What do you have?

They also have the only qualified starting pitcher in baseball without a loss in Max Meyer. He shoved last night. That wasn't even the story. That's enough. Thank you. We appreciate everything you gave us there. He shoved. That is a base.

He's developed the baseball parlance. That is something you hear around the batting cage. It's something that's only made an appearance over the last nine years. He shoved is a new, and it's short for, he shoved it up there. That's what it's, that's what. Yeah, that's about as close as I'll get to saying that is just shoved. But yeah, come on. That's baseball talk, Dano.

Come on. Havi Sonoha, Grand Slay. and then Xavier Edwards goes back to back. It was nuts. The best shutout they've ever had over the Braves in the history of the franchise. You love run differential. That was a good day for run differential. Dan, 12-0-0-0-0.

The Braves, the Braves are plus 86 on the season. They're good. They're minus 14 against the Marlins. The Braves are an exceptional baseball team. They'll probably win 16 to 2 today. And that concludes our Marlins coverage for the season. I hope not. They are doing it cheap.

Unfortunately, they've got a lot of problems in that division, including suddenly Don Mattingly. The Phillies are clubbing everybody. Yeah, what the hell is that? They get Don Mattingly and they cannot lose at all. How are you making that nepotism? He was hired by his son, the GM. Yeah, it's reverse nepotism, we decided. Reverse nepo.

But that's not nepotism. That needs another. How to get the job? Yeah, but that's not. Donnie works hard. I'm actually okay with him getting a job. Thanks, Dad. No, but I don't think.

think that the son hiring the, is the son hiring the dad nepotism? Why not? We discussed this and I was calling it reverse nepotism and people pointed out to me that nepotism, it's just nepotism. Regardless, it goes either way. You can go up the chain or down the chain. I did not know that. If I get my dad a job, that's nepotism. I did not think that. Here's a definition. Unfair practice of using power influence to grant jobs promotions or other advantages to family members regardless of their qualification. So it could be. My bad. Is Donnie qualified? Let's talk about this. It's right. talk it out. Could be Mattingly managing, could be Poppy on HQ. It is super weird that the Phillies all of a sudden are clubbing the baseball and are good when

they started the season terribly just because they hired Don Mattingly. They haven't changed it. They didn't change anything else. Schwabers on pace to hit like 68 home runs. You could argue they had a good team though and like the bigger, like. But we all thought they fired their manager because of a small sample size. Everybody thought like, oh, they're old. It's finally over for some of these guys. Price Harper, Kyle Schorber, and they have been the best hitters in baseball since Don Mattingly became the manager, 15 and 4. I was not joking. I know a lot of people around here can't always tell what's a bit and what's not a bit,

but I was not joking in any way when I told you guys that I was indeed negotiating with Udanaas Haslam to become the enforcer around here for our punishments and costumes and penalties for the bucket during football season. Those negotiations have fallen apart, but I am now in negotiations with another big man who's formidable who we're going to bring in here in a second in order to more properly administrate our costume situation because it's been a long time since anyone around here wore a costume. And so in moments here we will have in the studio with us

what I believe to be will be our new enforcers because it's been a minute since any of you wore a costume around here and the reason that Jeremy has a neck brace on is because the last time he was in here, he put Jeremy in a headlock and it was very painful and Jeremy was complaining about this. Were you here that day, Greg? When Jeremy was complaining about the fact that a great former offensive lineman had put him in a headlock and he's obviously a very strong human being. No, I was not. I wish I had been.

That would have been an interesting sight. Well, he did legitimately get hurt. Yeah, I mean, it wasn't supposed to hurt. Brian was very kind and in his version of gentle, but it still crushed my neck and I was in pain for a couple of weeks. Yeah, we will bring Brian McKinney in here in a second. But among the things that I want to talk to Bryant McKinney about is sort of the changes in journalism that make it so that Jalen Brown and Stephen A. Smith are now just

going back and forth at each other. And I do think this is the weird transaction where Jalen Brown suffers from it, but Stephen A. Smith does not. Stephen A. Smith gets rewarded for the fact that all of these guys continue to get lured into beef with him. So the first thing we're going to do here as this escalates. I'm just marvel. I think he just ate a donut and two bites. Yes, he's a substantive man with an appetite, and he can eat whatever he wants around here, because I've brought him in here to ship-shape you guys a little bit

because you guys don't wear costume. I've seen Chrissy's a donut and two bites. Shut your mouth. Ship-shape. Going for two when you're up by five. Switching the zone when man isn't working. Oh, and building your new stadium in the state your team actually plays in. In sports, some things just make sense.

You know what else makes sense? sense drinking Yeagermeister shots ice cold drinking it any other way would be like punting on first down or letting your worst hitter bat first or like going for two when you're down three with a second to go it wouldn't make any sense so don't let the team down when it comes to yagermeister drink it cold or don't drink it at all yagermeister damn that's cold drink responsibly yagermeister liqueur 35% alcohol by volume imported by massed yagermeister u.s white plains New York. Tony, you know that moment at a party or a tailgate where everything just sort of clicks?

I know it well. It's usually when I show up. Everybody goes crazy. Yeah, you usually take all the credit for it. But it's because Tony usually walks in with quervo. I'm walking like this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quervo is a thing that turns hanging out into this is the night.

It has that effect on people. It does. You usually take the credit for it. But again, it's the quervo effect. It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing. up hooting and hollering. Keep it quervo. Keep it quervo, baby. You can always tell when a new business trend shows up because suddenly everyone starts talking like they invented it. Right now it's AI. Every company says they have an AI strategy. Every consultant says they have an answer. Meanwhile,

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Don Lebatard. And finally, abstaining from food for 16 to 18 hours a day could be key to treating a variety of health conditions like stabilizing blood sugar levels and increasing resistance to stress. Stugats. Mike, are you doing something like this right now? I lost a lot of weight doing intermittent fasting and low carb, so now I'm getting back to it. But how much in that six to eight hour window, how much can you eat? Unlimited? If I could just eat unlimited, I'd do that. That'd be fun.

For six to eight hours. You can't eat unlimited. Try me. No, no, I mean. This is the Unlebutar show with the Stugat. We need here to be more beholden to the audience. And so we're going to have to use the enforcement of Bryant McKinney here. And I'm going to involve him in this story in a second.

He's obviously a Miami legend. He never allowed a sack in college, not even in practice. He's an all-pro, a Super Bowl champion. And he's a three-time Grammy-nominated executive producer. And I'll get his thoughts on this in a second. But let's first, to recap for the audience and for him, Jalen Brown went very strong at Stephen A. Smith, and it sounded like this. And it's Kenyon Perkins' job

And it is my job To talk to the media It ain't It ain't your job To be a clown It ain't And this whole playing the game This delusion

That y'all running with Y'all making it seem Like I'm playing the game And I'm pulling the ladder down Y'all ain't doing nothing But helping y'all And I'm tired of that shit Y'all not be in the breath

And that's why people calling that shit out And that's why people I've came to that conclusion And I'll tell Stephen A Whoever else When they see them When they see me in person

I will let you know that it's Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C, directly to your face. So you don't even know. Like, it only got to be no, you know what I mean? It is what it is. I feel like we need to work on our Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C just doesn't really do much for me. We've got to do better with the insults than that. Okay, but clown is pretty strong. Clickbait is pretty strong.

And then Stephen A threatened him, which I don't think is in any way appropriate, does not in any way resemble journalism, but also threatens him with actually doing journalism. Jalen Brown, be careful what you wish for. You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room? How the organization might think about you? How the city may feel about you.

How Jason Tatum may or may not have felt about you. Sneaker deals, endorsement deals. The list goes on and on. The season is over, bro. You on Twitch. trying to do what I do and talking about me needing to step away. It makes no sense. I'm simply making the point that it is not wise.

After 24 hours of having your season over in the first round, for you to be coming out talking about, that's your favorite season. It ain't the smartest thing in the world to do. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful. I was trying to sit up there and look out by letting you know this is not a good look. When you're talking about clickbait and all of that stuff, somebody told you one of the best ways to get it is to bring up my name. And that's what you did.

So who's really looking for clickbait? They're both wrong here, to be clear, because Jalen Brown saying the things that he did when he said them make him an easy target on fair criticism. But Stephen A, threatening him with, I'm going to do journalism. I'll do, don't make me, don't make me do my job correctly. You thought I was good at entertaining. Wait till I really do reporting and do my actual job, what you people think I actually do. One thing on the Jalen Brown situation,

obviously signed a massive $300 million contract. What is that roomies in? Is it like a bunker? Well, Stephen A had commentary on this as well, goes after him on this one as well. Not going to get personal. I didn't mean what I say, though. You didn't make $53 million this past year.

make $57 million next year, and 61 after that and 67 after that, you could have video that's not relying on a laptop. You could have a damn studio instead of some damn room or dungeon or whatever the hell it is. Producer, direct, to hire somebody if you can't. You can afford it. I meant what I said about that. Cody, what are your thoughts here before we get to Bryant McKinney? Stephen, that's gold for Stephen A. Smith. Okay, the controversy, another, an athlete sniping at him is perfect. Perfecto. That's exactly what Stephen A wants. That's what he elicits. That's what he's hoping for. And so it's all good with Stephen A. What a masterclass. I'm not going to get personal,

but your shit is busted. Brian, what are your thoughts here as you see the Gulf widening between athletes and the people who cover them? You and I have always had a good relationship. You have always been accessible. I don't know what your general relationship was. with the media throughout your career. But what are your thoughts on what you just heard there? I feel like I had a good relationship with the media. I would like the media to stay professional, as I would do the same. I think things can get a little carried away now

in the day and a day and a social media because people do things for entertainment purposes. And it may not always come off being classy or most professional, but they feel like they won't get more views. Did you feel like you were ever covered unfairly? Did you ever feel like a reporter crossed the line with you, specifically? I feel like year one situation I had when the Pro Bowl situation, when I didn't play, but

it was already discussed that I was not able to play because I had an injury and that was made prior. So the way it was handled to me, I feel like when the training was from like Dallas Cowboys, he asked me to come in at a certain time. I came. He went out to dinner. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, hey, I'm here. He's like, oh, I went out with family, this and other. I'll be back at this time. Okay, I waited. You came back and you moved the time again. Now this time I'm out, I'm going out to dinner. So now it's like, now I'm out. And we made it clear I'm not playing. So whatever you got to do, just do it. But so now I didn't

show up when he got back. I wasn't available. I came the next morning and I was like, oh, you missed this and we have discussed that I wasn't doing it. It was reported, right? It was it unfair that you were partying instead of doing the Pro Bowl. Exactly. But everybody knew that, everybody knew I had an injury prior and I don't take the TOR off shot. I took it one time because we were in the NECC championship game. That's the only reason why I took it. Other than that, it's like I just played through it. I don't take TOR off. I don't take all those things. I thought it was that needle. It was a while ago.

I don't remember, but you got to sign off, a waiver and everything to take that. So I'm not a fan of it. So I took it at one time just because of that was the further I've been in my career. And it wore off by Wednesday. I forgot I took it because, you know, your body starts to wear off by like Tuesday or Wednesday. The pain comes back. Right. So by the time I got into practice, I was like, oh, no, I'm not taking a shot for the All-Star game.

So I'm not doing it. It gets to my up, bring the other person back in, but I just won't do it. I think they banned Torado all shots since then. But it was a fairly common thing. Yeah, I don't think that Tor Idol's allowed in the NFL anymore. But I know that guys would just line up for that shot because can you explain to us what that does specifically, the numbing agent? It basically numbing. So if you have an injury or anything, it basically a numbing to like Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.

But then it comes back. And then also the thing is you have to be careful is you don't want to aggravate the injury because it's numb. You know what I mean? But it numbs the area so that like you could use that muscle as if it's 100%, right? Because your mind doesn't know. That seems so dangerous. Mine doesn't know it's still injured. So, yeah, so that's what it does.

So that was my only time I ever taken it. And then when I realized it wore off because I forgot. I was like, oh, I'm not doing this again. The body screams for a reason. It's to alert you that you shouldn't be doing something that puts it in it. Yeah, with that a little vitamin T in your system, Dan, and all of a sudden it's like, oh, I can run, dude, let's go. But do you remember the feeling of when it kicked in?

Do you remember because you said you never taken one before? So you took it for the first time because of the stakes. of the situation. It was a hugely important game. And do you remember how it felt? Just didn't feel nothing. You didn't feel any pain. Like right away? It took about 30 minutes or so and then you just

you don't feel any pain anymore. So now you're going out there playing at a high level because that's the purpose and then but when it wear off you go back to that same original pain. And I had tore my arm, ended up being in both feet. So that's why I did get the shot.

What a sport. Right. Y'all also have to remember, I never missed any games due to injury. So that was part of the reason why I had to take the thing. It was a championship game, and I was like, all right, just suck it up for this one time. I was actually looking it up, Dan. I was looking at his stats yesterday. He averaged less than a hold per season in his career.

You had to hold more than that, right? Just not get caught. Maybe some of them might have got to go with himself. I'm going to tell you this, too. I never got fined either in my whole career right until my last season. Like by the team or by the league? You know, like the league that say, like, you did something like... So, um, the last, my last year, my 12th year, I get a fine letter.

And I'm like, what? But then guess what? Matt Burke, who was my sending the year before, he's the guy over the fines. I was like, Matt. I went all this time. I've never got a final letter ever in my life. So I guess what I never got a fine, y'all? So how did that conversation go?

What was the fine for? And how did you talk him out of finding? It must have like a block or something I did that they were not sure if it was, like, legal or if I did something wrong. And, um, he said, you said, you said, you said, he reviewed it, he didn't feel like it was bad either, but I had gave him a, I kind of gave him a text message prior when I found out he was over, that was a position he had the year after he, you know, retired. And I'm like, oh, I got his number. Let me text him and he just give him a heads up. I just told him the story because I just hosted the Minnesota Vikings draft party on the 24th.

So I just seen Matt there and I had to let him know, you saved me from like never being fine. He's got a Vikings podcast, Brian, does believe in Vikings. Are you excited about Kyler Murray because last year was a bit of a disaster? I am, and I've always wanted to have like a veteran quarterback there in case, you know, JJ doesn't make it through the season because he hasn't played a full season yet. So at least have somebody with veteran leadership in there that he can learn from who, you know, can just show him the ropes a little bit too. I'm going to play for you some sound here of Dana White in a second.

But after Ron Dale Moore's death, former NFL player Braden Feheco posted this on Twitter. These NFL teams come out here and post these mental health awareness posts talking about they care about players. Don't be afraid to reach out, et cetera. All they care about is what you bring to the table when it's game day. Most players don't want to get help inside the building of an NFL organization because they know you'll get looked at differently. You go to a staff member, tell them you're struggling. Watch how different they start treating and looking at you.

I've seen it firsthand. Generally speaking, the trainer's room is considered. something that makes guys invisible if they're in there for too long. What are your thoughts on what it is is being said there? I agree with part of what he's saying. I do agree with the, I know a lot of players don't like to be in-house and discuss what they have going on because they feel like the head of coaching everybody I find out.

So I know that's like a stigma with everybody. But I can say based on each organization, because ever since I started up on mental health awareness event, the Vikings have been a big sponsor. And the Vikings also hired me the past three years to come up and talk to the team on mental health, myself, a therapist. And I bring like a player like Ray Rice and Tommy Harris. I come there again this year in October to speak to the players. And this year they added the staff as well.

So they're taking the steps to do what it is and have these conversations. Unfortunately, they lost a player during the off season. So that's another strategy you got to work on now is how to communicate and keep these guys wheeled in when they're not present. But during the season, it's mandatory for them to have these conversations. And the past three years, I've been doing it in October. How and why did you decide? You're doing a fundraiser at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

You can buy tickets online at brian mackenny.com. Why are you doing this? And where did you break through in terms of being able to comfortably talk about some of this stuff? Because when I retired, there was a couple guys that retired around the same time as me, and they were having trouble transitioning. And they'd rather talk to me than their own family. You know what I'm saying? It's like, we played the same sport.

And, you know, a guy got Baker Act. I had to go down there to the ward and sit there and we're hearing. I was like, call my mom because she's a part of the NFL. a mom association. So she was connecting people to the NFLPA, like, how we can get people help? Because, like, their parents didn't know. Like, you know what I'm saying? So it was like, and then the individual didn't want to talk with their family, share anything with their family. So it was like, I had to step in and really help. So from there, I was like, okay, this is a real thing. And then when things like this go wrong, we need to know who we can go to for help or like,

you know. So the program, they send you away for like 30 days to, like an area in Detroit. And I think another location like Jacksonville, there's some players away for like 30 days for some type of treatment. The event is this Thursday. It's at 7 p.m. and Bryant McKinney.com is where you go if you want to support what he's advocating here. But there are a lot of primitive cavemen saying what it is that Dana White is going to say here. You give me your reaction to what he says here.

I hate this whole men's mental health bullshit that they talk about. Unfortunately, when you're a man, you are the provider. you are the one that that takes care of your family. You know, you are the example for your kids when they grow up and your sons, you know, and your daughters. And unfortunately, you can't be that guy that's, I see these guys posting on social media. Oh, I had a bad day. And I'm so sad and all this other crazy shit. So unattractive.

Oh, it's just, it's unattractive to all their males. let alone women. I can't even imagine. Yeah, I'm really against all that. I mean, I feel like people go on vacations to, like, refresh and do things for their mental health. You know what I'm saying? So a lot of things,

then somebody like him ended up having a breakdown and did not have nobody to talk to. And, like, you know what you feel like you're alone and to be suffering in silence, but you would never know because you won't speak up. No, the way to do is just slap your wife. That's like if you don't know what to do with your emotions, you just drink a bunch and then slap your wife on.

video. The idea of it is weakness, though, Brian. The idea of speaking to weakness instead of being viewed as a strength, that's the obstacle, is it not? Especially in football. Yeah. This generation is more likely to speak out. I feel like my generation, we didn't. But me having these talks, I realize that they're really engaged in the conversation and they want somebody to talk to. I just I'm like my generation doesn't want to talk like that. But they want somebody to talk to because our sessions are like an hour, but we always run over at the time because they're really engaged and they're trying to express what it is or how they feel.

So my schedule gets a little chaotic this time of year. Most days I'm here at the Metal Arc Studios and then I'm heading straight to another broadcasting or hosting gig. And especially in this Miami heat, it's insane. And not the Miami heat, but the Miami summer heat. I've been trying to keep at least one healthy habit consistent. And that's why I've been bringing Kachava's new travel packs with me. It's one less thing I have to worry about, which is great because I'm already spending enough mental energy,

figuring out what shirt is acceptable to wear on camera or hosting or on the show that I'm not going to get made fun of for. So I just throw one in my backpack, and I've got an all-in-one nutrition shake ready whenever I need it. It's packed with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, greens, probiotics, electrolytes, and more. So even when my schedule is all over the place, I know. I'm getting something good in. It tastes great. It's easy to take anywhere and there are no fillers. No nonsense. Take your daily ritual with you. Go to kachava.com and use code Dan for 15% off your first order. That's 15% off your first order. That's Kachava, K-A-C-H-A-V-A-com. For 22 years on this show, we've debated the greatest athletes of all time. Who's the

goat in football. Who's the goat in soccer? Who's the goat in hoops? One thing that we all know is Dan's the goat of finding the worst possible take. But there's another kind of MVP slash goat that doesn't get enough credit. The friend who knows to show up with enough Miller lights, plus extra ice, because they just know. The one who already has seats at the bar when you walk up, that is a Miller time, MVP. I've been on this show long enough to know that Dan is going to make everything about his feelings and Jeremy is going to push back on whatever I just said. But here's something nobody on this show will argue with. Miller Life is the summer beer.

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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We've gotten a lot better at talking about our mental health than we used to, right? People are more open about it, conversations are happening, and that's a really good thing. But asking for help, that still seems to be the hard part. Better Helps, 2026 State of Stigma Report, surveyed 2,000 Americans, and if it revealed that 85% of Americans believe getting support is wise, yet 74% say society discourages people from doing so. Think about it. Most of us believe it's the right thing to do, but we still worry about what other people might think. Maybe the best way to change that is to make those conversations a little bit more normal. Better Help supports fully licensed therapists in the U.S. and they handle the matching process for you. You fill out a short questionnaire and if it's not the right

fit, you can switch at any time. Don't let stigma stand in the way of support. Start therapy with BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com slash dLB. That's BetterHELP.com slash DLB. Don Lebertard. He called me on my own podcast. He called me full of shit claiming that I'm faking interest in the solar eclipse.

Well, you do do this. You love to just get excited about everything. Okay, Jr. Stugats. I had to school you and explain to you. He was going to take you to Augusta. When I was 17 years old, Alan Sherry and I used to haunt the Bueller Planetarium.

This is the Dan Lebertar Show with a Stugatz. When you mentioned Baker acting, for those of you who do not know what that is, that is arresting someone, I don't know if that's just Florida law. It's not just Florida law, right? It's national and international. Is it international as well? It's arresting someone when you think. or loved ones think that they are a danger to themselves and others.

Without invading the privacy of the player that you're talking about, what was the experience that you were going through the specifics of it, the details that enlightened you to, wait a minute, this is something that I need to be involved in advocating for going forward. It was two players, and I was close, you know, my mom is close with their parents, and I was close with them as well. And I was just seeing, and they will call me, And one of them got into a fight, but it was like he knew he was about to do it because he called me and told me prior.

And I was like, call my mom like, are you going to have to bail? You can call his mom to bail him out and stuff like that. And then the other person got Baker acting. Then their family told me and I went down there to visit. And I just realized like when I was sitting in that site where I was like, this is real. Like, you know what I mean? Like, now let's figure out how to like treat it, you know, how we can make this situation better. And I feel like both individuals have been better since.

I feel like it's probably really uncommon, not just for someone like yourself that is willing and open to talk to other players about it, but you're clearly very willing and open to have your mother involved with it, too. Oh, yeah. Because I need to know who I needed to talk to, so I called her. And she's also friends, you know, the parents are all friends with each other, too. So she was aware of, you know, what was going on. I'm glad that you're doing this, Brian, because Zaz right here normally just says you just take all the emotions. Yeah, I shove it down real deep in my stomach.

Brown liquor. Brown liquor, to never be seen again. It is something that seems dangerously male. Where do you see the mental health conversation in the NFL now compared to even five years ago? It's happening now. It wasn't happening as much five years ago. I feel like a lot of teams are now mandatory having these conversations where they have to discuss mental health. And I think the Vikings are one of the teams, the first teams, you know,

probably started it, where, you know, you have my team coming and we talked to them. But it's becoming a thing now. And you see these guys that are young, they're passing away early from suicide and stuff like that. So it's like, it's there. So we just have to figure out, like, what we can do to, like, kind of control it. Two months ago, the NFL approved a full-time mental health clinician available for every team. During your playing career, was it ever okay to tell a teammate, I'm seeing a therapist? If anything, a teammates would talk to each other,

but we wouldn't talk to nobody in-house because you feel like whatever you're saying in-house is going to go right back up to the head man. So it's like you kind of stayed away from that. And that's what they have to kind of figure out how to get away from that, make a players feel like that. Because I felt like that, we all feel like that.

So it's like, and I know they still do. So they have to figure out how somehow make it kind of separate. Nobody wants to feel like they're talking to somebody who's going to go talk to their boss. You know what I'm saying? And share their information. Because now I feel like, okay, you're going to cut me and if you find I'm doing this.

You know what I mean? They have to figure it out, though. Brian, what's the biggest remaining obstacle to getting rid of the stigma of mental health in the NFL? Is it the head coach himself? Do you think who still sees it as weakness? So for the Vikings, I don't think he made his staff now a part of it. So I don't think he views it like that. I think he's very open to it.

Certain teams is probably different for different teams, you know, case by case. But the Vikings have been nothing more proactive. That's all I can say. For the organizations, I'm not sure. I maintain that what it is that you did for a living by itself is a mental health obstacle course. You're fighting pain all the time and you are fighting others for money and your career is going to end short in most instances. And I just think that all of it, what you guys were doing daily, everyone looks at it and like, oh, that looks great. That looks fun and Sundays are or whatever day you're planning.

is fun, but did you enjoy the rest of the week? Not every day. Because you can't miss anything. So I miss a bunch of funerals and things like that because there's no days off. Once you're there, it's like you're going to miss some things because you're in season and you're in work. So you have moments of people who've passed that I've missed going to their funerals and things like that because of work. And that can play with your men on a little bit too. But for the most part, I enjoyed it.

I mean, but you do have your moments where you. it can be draining a little bit, you know. But, yeah, I liked what I did. CTE is still an overriding issue in the NFL. We don't associate it a lot or maybe enough with the offensive line position. How did you get through your career in terms of that kind of situation? Nobody was big enough to hit him in the head. Well, that's what I'm thinking, but I don't know.

Right. I mean, you had your moments probably where you, I've had a couple collisions like that, but not probably as much as, like, a wide receiver running back, but I've definitely had your moments. here and there just because you're constantly on the field. I don't come off the field except, you know what I mean? You know, receiving everybody, they come off. I'm there the whole time.

So in the quarterback. So you have your moments, but I was able to do stuff like I take NAD plus like, you know, Ivies. I do stuff like to try to reverse everything. NAPD plus good stuff. It is. Was there any player who got multiple holding calls against you in your career and any player? Did I help? Yes.

Is there a player walking the earth today who can say, made Bryant McKinney get a holding call twice? I don't know if it's the same person going to say twice, but maybe once or something. Who's the guy you played against that? You're like, I might have to try to hold this guy. This guy's pretty good. When I first started, his name was KGB, Kabir Kabarjibya

and Miller from Green Bay. He was real slippery. So in my first two years, two or three years in the league, he was somebody it was like, yeah, I got to figure out something, knock him down, try to do something. But it wasn't strength, it was slippery. Yeah, because he was quick off the ball. He could get low. He could just do like a lot of things.

So, yeah. And he was kind of tall too, so he's a long arm. As someone who, you know, like we mentioned, never gave up a sack while in college. Not even in practice. Was like the jump, did you have a moment in the jump from college to pro where you notice what a huge difference it is for you? It was more technique and the guys getting off the ball. The defense can, he can read the quarterback. He can read just different things, read just dance.

So it's just more about just having the experience and knowing what to read. wearing college a little bit, you can kind of overpower people just with your size. Give me somebody that the strength of the person, because nobody's usually stronger than you. Did you run into anybody whose strength was consistently a problem? Yeah, I'm going to say two people. Justin Smith, he was not the same Justin Smith when he was when the Bengals, but then when he got to the 49ers, it was a whole different Justin Smith. And he became very strong. And then, really?

Helodi Nata. Helodina from the Ravens. I went against him as a Viking, and he's a pretty big strongdown. Wait a minute. He's in the middle. What's he doing on the outside? Sometimes he'll be a three technique and try to run a game on me or something like that. And then even...

You know about that game, Dan? Sean Rogers from Detroit, he would be inside, but it was like they like to face me. Sometimes they'll line up against me. He's like, right. All right. Now who's the opposite? the guy they're like, I'm going to pick this person up and throw him with my hand. It was disrespectful that he was trying to beat you.

I don't know. Dwight Franey at Syracuse? That was like my rival. You know, I faced him all the way up until the Super Bowl season. That was the first round of the playoffs. And we kind of lined up against each other than kind of like chuckle before we put our hand down in the dirt because it's like, here we go again. How many times would you have a play? Like maybe the game was a blowout.

How many times you have a play where you had that agreement with the guy in front and you're like, yo, let's just cool it for a couple. So, no, because me and Dwight Freeney had that one time in, like, the preseason. He felt like I was going super hard and all that, but I don't trust you. So it was like, you might try to get one now. So it's the preseason, calm down. I'm like, so you negotiated a deal, but you thought he was lying. Yeah, I still wasn't sure, so I still was like just trying to be ready to be on point in just a case. Like, don't love me to sleep.

I don't trust you. You made a deal. You made a bar. bargain on the line of scrimmage, was there anybody who dared talk trash to Brian McKinney? Nobody really said anything to me. Ever? Not really, no. People would talk to me about random stuff like, oh, I've seen you on South Beach,

you're at the Wet Willie and stuff like that. I'm like, what are you talking about? I didn't really talk much. I'm like, why don't you talk about? But like I would hear like Anthony Herrera, the guard and stuff. Like I would hear some people get cussed out. No, nobody really said. Maybe not talking to you, but like a guy on defense where you're just like,

That guy's crazy. There's guys out there who talk, but nobody ever addressed me directly and said anything like. Smart. What is your preferred drink at Wet Willys? Is it the 180 octane or is there something better than that? I think he did away with that.

It's a Superman. So it's a mixture of like 180 and something in the Blue Dream, but it's called Superman. Blue Dream. What was your spot of preference on South Beach? Was it indeed Wet Willis or was it somewhere else? At one point it was where Willis was the place to go to.

you had Nikki Beach and you had opium gardens or amnesia and all that. Remember that? I don't, but I've been only told stories about. I'm younger than you guys, so I don't have the, I wasn't able to go out at that time. But I remember my older brother-in-law telling me about Nikki Beach, about amnesia, about, what was the other one? Treehouse or something like that? You had a Manchin. You had a crowbar.

You had a crowbar. Come on. Who was the person that you had a bottle-bying competition against a, you had? during the Super Bowl week? I think that was Braylon Edwards. Wow. Yeah. I think I saw Lil Kim on your shoulder that weekend.

What were you doing there, Dan? Dan, you was there? Lil Kim was on his shoulder. Oh, that way? I was imagining him. You had a chicken fight? You had a chicken fight style? Just like a parrot, like on a pirate's shoulder.

One side of his shoulder. Let's play the sound of Aaron Rogers, and I want to see if he's ever had a defensive end come at him that he thought was crazy. Aaron Rogers, Kyle Vandenbush, sorry. Kyle was a very good player for a number of years. He used to wear red contacts, which was he didn't need because he was already teetered on the edge of insanity. So I remember, you know, one time he got me and he was kind of, you know, he wasn't getting off me. He's like, I got you good.

I'm like, you hit me in the head though. He goes, no way. I was like, no, I think it's going to be a penalty. He goes, no. Also, another play involving him, we ran a, like a seven-man protection. He looped from his end, and our fullback kind of blasted him a little bit. He wasn't looking, so Kyle thought it was a cheap shot. And instead of getting up and chasing the playdown, he chased the fullback down and ended up running a route out to the right.

It was like, I'll kill you. I'm going to kill you. I can see that, and I already knew he was going to say a rare context. I've seen it before, too. I didn't know if that was supposed to be like an intimidation factor or not. But he is one player who I didn't ever have trouble with. I feel like he was a good player, but I didn't have an issue with him. What are you saying Justin Smith did?

Got stronger. BryantMcKinnie.com. He's got B Major Foundation. It's hosting its fourth annual Cocktails in Conversation, a mental health awareness fundraiser at the, Semino Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Bryant, it's always nice to see you. I am happy that you are now going to be our enforcer and make these guys wear their costumes. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Most energy drinks tastes like a dare that you lost, but Bucked Up has fixed all of that.

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