Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The Injured Athletes Club

  1. All Episodes
  2. 4 | New York Jets' Brandon Copeland: Comeback of the Century

4 | New York Jets' Brandon Copeland: Comeback of the Century

Oct 24, 2019

From a torn meniscus weeks before his Pro Day to a broken hand shortly before we recorded this podcast, Brandon Copeland—a linebacker for the New York Jets—has had his share of injury-related setbacks. 

Brandon considers himself much more than a football player; he’s an entrepreneur, philanthropist, father, professor teaching financial literacy, and more. However, being a pro athlete makes all these other endeavors far easier. So, he maintains a detailed—but flexible—routine to stay healthy, mentally and physically. 


All this has allowed him to continue playing for seven years in a sport that’s not exactly easy on the body. He was kind enough to share his story in an interview for our book Rebound—and joins us again on the Injured Athletes Club podcast this week to expand on it and update us on what he’s been up to since.

Brandon told us:

  • How injuries are viewed in the NFL—where, he points out, there is essentially a 100-percent chance of getting hurt (5:11)
  • His strategies for preventing them when possible, and managing them when they do happen (7:50)
  • How he realized his pain threshold might be different from everyone else’s (17:17)
  • How his first major injury—a torn meniscus—came at the worst possible time for this then-future NFL career (19:13)
  • How he used mental skills to manage that comeback, including reaching out for support from a surprising place—the school’s track coach (23:47)
  • The way he allows himself time to be disappointed after each injury, then moves on (26:25)
  • Why he says it’s important to have different forms of motivation available at different times, and how he cycles through them (29:41)
  • What he names his motivational playlists (hint: one matches the title of this episode) (31:39)
  • How he handles haters—including why he screen-shots their comments and saves them (35:48)
  • What injury has taught him about himself, as an athlete and a person (44:23)

 

Resources/links we mention:

 

You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.

 

To access more resources for injured athletes:

 

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.