NFL legend Nick Lowery on Kannalife, Super Bowl LIII, CTE awareness, CBD & more
Within his 18 years on the football field, Nick Lowery was a seven-time NFL All Pro player. Off the field, Nick Lowery's humanitarian work led him to earning the NFL Players Association's most honored award, the Justice Byron Whizzer White Award. Still the Kansas City Chiefs' all-time leading scorer, Lowery is regarded as one of the best kickers in NFL history.
These days Lowery still makes a lot of NFL-related appearances, but he also spends a lot of time on charitable endeavors and advocating for alternative medicine research. The Ivy League scholar -- who founded the Champions For The Homeless organization over a decade ago -- is also a spokesman for Kannalife, Inc.
I had the pleasure of doing Q&A with Nick Lowery not only about his NFL career, but also about his work with the aforementioned Kannalife.
Is there a career accomplishment you are most proud of?
Nick Lowery: If I had to choose one, I am most proud of winning the Byron “Whizzer” White Award in 1993. It is not just the award itself that I am proud of, but what it stands for. Byron White was a famed NFL player that went on to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
During his career, he was directly connected to John F. Kennedy and the civil rights movement. He has inspired me to advocate for change as well, and I have chosen to dedicate myself to changing health within the NFL.
Once you retire from the field, it is incredibly difficult to find something else that fuels passion in you. I am lucky to have found my place with a company that is changing football lives and also thousands of others by fighting TBI, CTE and America’s opioid addiction.
How much is the NFL a part of your everyday life these days?
Nick Lowery: The NFL is still a huge part of my life. Just last weekend, I participated in an event called “BallsFest” in support of children fighting cancer with a group of NFL players.
We discussed how difficult it can be to transition out of an NFL career considering that for many of us, football has been a passion in our lives as long as we can remember. I am still very active within the football community and Treasurer of the [NFL] Retired Players here and have remained friends with many former players.
In recent years, I have received quite a few calls from athletes and retirees asking about CBD and its extensive benefits.
Where are you at on the argument of this year's Super Bowl being too defensive a game? And Maroon 5 not being the greatest choice for a halftime performer?
Nick Lowery: To start, I think Maroon 5 gave a great halftime performance so I disagree with that. This year’s Super Bowl game was not the most exciting game, but I always appreciate good defense.
What I did find disappointing was that the [Los Angeles] Rams head coach Sean McVay did not seem to have his usual well-developed, creative game strategy and could have made more changes in the second half.
Also related to the NFL, you are active with CTE awareness. How and when did that first start?
Nick Lowery: My dedication to CTE awareness is incredibly personal as I have watched so many great players degenerate due to the disease.
It first started with Mike Webster, a dear friend and teammate of mine. He and I were the oldest players on the Kansas City Chiefs in 1989/1990 and I slowly watched CTE damage this true Hall of Famer after he retired over the next five years.
Eventually, his brain had devolved so much that this wonderful man, who inspired confidence in so many of us, lost his family and felt so alienated he became homeless.
NFL stories like Mike’s are more prevalent than we think and are the reason I am passionate to push forward the work Kannalife is doing.
Is there anything that you feel people have wrong about CTE?
Nick Lowery: It all starts with a concussion and evolves from there. Traumatic brain injury results from an impact to the head and the CDC identifies TBI as a serious public health issue.
CTE, which is a type of traumatic brain injury, is still fully diagnosed post mortem. The NFL committed $40M in 2016 to fund medical research centered around enhancing player health and safety and awarded more than $35M in grants for research in brain health and injury at the end of last year.
I’d like to see another $25M in concussion research, specifically in therapeutics like KLS-13019, because helmets can only do so much.
Kannalife has been awarded U.S. Government held patent 6630507 “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants” by Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Julius Axelrod, and is working in the research of CBD.
Kannalife has also improved upon CBD by developing a proprietary molecule, KLS-13019, which is 50x more potent, 10x more bioavailable and 400x safer than CBD.
For someone suffering from long-term concussion-like symptoms, what do you feel are some of the better ways to combat these?
Nick Lowery: Over the last four years, I have hosted summits on concussions with top experts in the field from Barrow, Banner, Mayo, UCLA speaking on the most innovative science behind treatment.
One significant thing I have learned is the importance of having a proactive strategy for the player and the player’s family. Having an intercellular “helmet,” like Kannalife’s CBD and KLS-13019, is so important to potentially treat the brain.
Players and families need to be educated on the science behind verified treatment methods that can provide relief where traditional medicine has fallen short.
CTE-related work aside, what are you currently working on?
Nick Lowery: I completely love working with veterans and the homeless, and my program called Champions For The Homeless.
My work at St. Vincent De Paul in Phoenix with the homeless has shown me the level of alienation PTSD causes veterans to feel.
30 percent of our homeless friends in Phoenix are veterans. More personally, my brother Chris was diagnosed with early dementia four weeks ago and CBD products combined with social activity, exercise, good nutrition and lots of genuine love, etc. have already helped his mental health improve drastically.
My brother’s struggle and happiness are both a personal cause for me and a professional one.
Are there any sports that you are passionate about besides football? Any favorite teams or athletes at the moment?
Nick Lowery: I love the Golden State Warriors. It is amazing to see the way coach Steve Kerr and players like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant let go of their egos for the greater good of the team.
One amazing athlete I have been watching closely is 14-year-old Ezra Frech from the Angel City Games for disabled and amputee athletes. Ezra lost his leg and yet has managed to set more than 20 national records. He was asked to speak to the Warriors when he was 10, the year they went on to win their first NBA title!
Finally, Nick, any last words for the kids?
Nick Lowery: Recently, I had the honor of speaking with the winless San Carlos Apache football team in Arizona. As I told them, there will always be someone stronger or better but if you put all of your focus and power into what you want to achieve, anything is possible.
There are many NFL players who aren’t as strong, fast or athletic, but they have the focus and determination to always fight to get better. That winless team went on to never lose another game! We all hold the power within ourselves for greatness!