Sports Mental Health & Behavioral Wellness Internship
Built around the ALL THE SMOKE interview where Warren Moon — Hall of Fame quarterback — speaks openly about racism, family pressure, and secretly attending therapy. Study his journey, connect it to the science of mental and behavioral health, and produce original content that brings athlete mental wellness to new audiences.
Purpose Held Under Pressure
The Sports Mental Health & Behavioral Wellness Internship is built around a single conviction: asking for help is a strength. Warren Moon kept his struggles inside for years, then secretly went to therapy. This internship invites you to make that conversation normal — to study his journey, connect it to the science, and carry the message forward.
Five Grey Cups · NFL\'s highest-paid player · Hall of Fame · A mental health story.
Who Is Warren Moon?
Warren Moon is a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback. After no NFL team would draft him as a quarterback, he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League and won five consecutive Grey Cups — a feat no other quarterback in pro football history has matched.
He then signed with the Houston Oilers and became the NFL\'s highest-paid player. He appeared in nine Pro Bowls and played until age forty four. In 2006, he became the first undrafted quarterback and the first Black quarterback inducted into the Hall of Fame.
His career is a living example of what Voice Up calls purpose held under pressure — and it is also a mental health story he tells honestly.
The Chapters You Will Study
Using the Warren Moon interview as your guide, you will work through his journey in order — the same order Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson trace on the show. Each chapter shows a different stage of his growth.
Refusing to Change Positions (01:05)
Why quarterback was part of his identity from the start. The lesson: purpose.
Five Straight Grey Cups (17:24)
No NFL team would draft him as a QB. He went to Canada and made history.
NFL's Highest-Paid Player (22:04)
The league that refused to draft him paid him more than anyone else.
Secretly Attending Therapy (27:54)
The mental health heart of the interview.
Doug Williams & the Black QB Legacy (34:57)
The barrier finally falls in Super Bowl XXII.
Playing Until 44 (49:13)
The people and principles that kept him going.
Mental & Behavioral Health Connections
Warren Moon\'s story is not only a sports story — it is a mental and behavioral health story. In the interview he speaks openly about racism, family pressure, and secretly attending therapy. Here is how his journey connects to the science of mental wellness.
He Secretly Went to Therapy
Warren Moon kept what he was dealing with inside for years — "I don't want them to ever worry about me." He later went to therapy because of it. His honesty models what Voice Up teaches: asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
The Pressure of Being "The Only One"
As the only boy in his household at seven, and one of the only Black quarterbacks in college and pro football, Moon carried a load few others shared. Being "the only one" is a documented risk factor for anxiety, depression, and burnout — in sport and in life.
Racial Trauma & Behavioral Health
Moon describes the racism his family endured and the hostility from fans calling for a white backup. Racial stress is a real behavioral health burden — linked to elevated rates of hypertension, sleep disruption, and depression. Naming it is the first step to treating it.
Composure Is a Learned Skill
Hosts asked how he kept his composure when pressure came from every direction. Moon credits his mother, his partner, and eventually therapy. Composure under pressure is not a personality trait — it is a mental health skill that can be taught, practiced, and supported.
Purpose Protects Mental Health
Moon refused to change positions because quarterback was part of his identity. A clear sense of purpose is one of the strongest protective factors in behavioral health — it lowers anxiety, increases resilience, and gives meaning to hardship.
The Stigma Is Still Real
Moon went to therapy secretly during his playing career. Decades later, athlete mental health stigma persists — especially for men, and especially in sports that prize toughness. Voice Up's work is to make that conversation normal, starting with stories like his.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 — call or text 988. Voice Up also offers a Crisis Support resource at the top of every page.
What You'll Do in This Internship
Active Listening
Study Warren Moon's journey chapter by chapter using the ALL THE SMOKE interview as your guide.
Mental Health Research
Deep-dive into the science of athlete mental and behavioral health, from racial trauma to therapy and resilience.
Content Creation
Produce essays, listening guides, or multimedia pieces that bring athlete mental wellness to new audiences.
Community Education
Share discoveries with Voice Up's global community across 134 countries.
Purpose Connection
Connect this story to your own purpose and Voice Up's five principles.
Legacy in Real Time
Help carry forward a conversation that saves lives — not inherited automatically, but chosen.
Program Details
Format
100% Remote
Hours
5–15 hours/week, flexible
Duration
8–16 weeks
Academic Credit
Available through your institution
Open To
All students and emerging professionals
Focus Areas
Sports mental health, behavioral wellness, athlete legacy, content creation
Ready to Make the Conversation Normal?
If you are drawn to sports, mental health, or the power of athlete stories to change how we talk about wellness — this internship is for you. Apply through the Voice Up Video Interview Application and mention your interest in the Sports Mental Health and Behavioral Wellness Internship.