Nate Recknagel, MSW ‘13

In his job as a Mental Health Specialist for the NFL Player Care Foundation, Nate Recknagel, MSW ‘13, provides crisis management for retired players facing medical, emotional, financial, social, and community difficulties.

A retired professional baseball player himself, Recknagel’s extensive background in sports is an advantage to him in his position with the NFL PCF, but plays less of a role in the kind of work he does than most people assume.

“When I tell people that I work with retired professional athletes, they think my experience in sports helps me do my work,” said Recknagel. “That’s true to a point, because it helps establish a connection with my clients. But I decided to study social work because I was interested in a holistic approach to sports counseling. It’s important to understand what’s going on away from the game, within the individual, that limits performance.”

Recknagel played baseball for U-M while earning his bachelor’s in psychology. After graduation he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and played first base from 2008 through January 2011, when injuries led him to retire from the sport. The choice to earn his MSW in IP/Mental Health was motivated by a desire to help athletes identify and address underlying mental health issues, such as anxiety, that can influence physical performance.  

At the PCF, Recknagel is part of a five-man team that provides financial assistance to former players who are struggling with mental health issues, declining medical conditions, drug and alcohol addiction, and financial difficulties.

“I determine whether a client needs hospitalization or intensive outpatient treatment, or maybe they’re having complications with psychiatric medications,” said Recknagel. “Some of what I do includes connecting them with mental health services, providing psycho-education on drug dependence, discussing maladaptive behaviors, or assessing for depression. My IP and mental health classes helped me develop the skills I use in my job every day.”

“It’s my job to understand the benefits and vast resources of the NFL PCF, and provide formal clinical recommendations to the PCF’s director and case management team. The foundation provides financial support to the retiree with great consideration of my recommendations.”

In addition to his IP and Mental Health classes, Recknagel did two field placements. At the state of Michigan’s maximum security psychiatric facility for the criminal justice system, the Center for Forensic Psychiatry, he worked with patients who have been declared incompetent to stand trial or acquitted by not guilty by reason of insanity. His second field placement was with U-M Hospital where he worked on the Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

Recknagel says he hopes to someday provide sports performance counseling to the active professional athlete population. The NFL Player Care Foundation is an independent organization dedicated to improving the lives of retired players through specific research and education programs, health and wellness support, and financial assistance to those in need. For more information, vist the NFL Player Care Foundation.