NFL Total Wellness wallpaper featuring a vibrant design promoting health and fitness in the context of football.

Strong Minds, Stronger Players:
Reimagining NFL Total Wellness

A Crafted Approach for Engaging
Clinicians and Players

NFL Total Wellness is a vital initiative dedicated to supporting the mental and physical well-being of players, connecting with them directly as well as through their couches and clinicians. As conversations around mental health and wellness gain momentum in professional sports, there was a need to refine and enhance the program’s materials to better engage key audiences, encourage dialogue, and make a greater impact.

Working closely with NFL Total Wellness doctors, MBLM developed an inventive design and content approach that maintained the NFL’s detailed brand guidelines and governance requirements. A core challenge was to create materials that resonated with two distinct audiences—athletes and team clinicians—ensuring both impact and clinical credibility.

For athletes, we crafted visually inviting, conversational content that encouraged participation and showed respect for their abilities and health. The design and messaging focused on reducing stigma and making wellness resources feel important and actionable. For clinicians, the materials were designed to be substantive, thorough, and structured for easy reference while ensuring clarity and engagement. This balance allowed medical staff to quickly access vital information while maintaining the depth needed for professional use.

Before and after images of a brochure, showcasing the design changes between the two versions of the pages.

Although NFL Total Wellness does not publicly share program results, broader league-wide trends demonstrate the effectiveness of increased focus on mental and physical wellness. A 17% decrease in concussions since 2023 reflects an overall commitment to player safety and education. Research shows that 26% of NFL players report symptoms of anxiety, while 24% experience depression, underscoring the need for accessible mental health resources. Expanded mental health initiatives, including embedded clinicians and increased player education, highlights a shift towards a more proactive approach to wellness.

Elements of the design system an a vibrant color palette representing self-care, featuring soothing hues that promote strength and well-being.

A vibrant display showcasing graphics in diverse shapes and bright colors.

A split-screen collage of football action and emotion, with dynamic arrows radiating from both a player catching a ball and a smiling man’s face.

A split-screen collage of strength and movement, featuring an arm-wrestling handshake on an orange background and outstretched arms in motion on a blue background with dynamic arrows.

NFL Total Wellness graphics promoting self-care, mental training, sleep, and mindfulness with bold text and dynamic visuals.

By reimagining these materials, we helped bridge the gap between medical expertise and player engagement, fostering an environment where wellness is prioritized and openly discussed. As the NFL continues to lead in athlete health initiatives, these refreshed materials provide a lasting foundation for sustained progress in mental and physical well-being. Overall, the design and copy enhancements elevated the presence of this program in the NFL and its helped increase its effectiveness.