The National Championship dust has settled, but the stories from "The U" never stop.

In this episode, we are joined by a special member of the Goldberg & Rosen family: former Miami Hurricanes and NFL running back, Mike James. Before he was rushing for 150+ yards against the Seahawks, Mike was actually a summer intern at our law firm—battling us in 6:00 AM spin classes and learning the corporate ropes.

Mike takes us inside the intense world of college football practice (including a hilarious story about a teammate getting "jumped" by one person), breaks down the physical toll of the NFL, and opens up about the injury that changed his life forever.

We also dive deep into the serious side of sports law and medicine. Mike shares his journey from opioid dependency to becoming the first NFL player to file for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for cannabis. We discuss the current state of NFL drug policies, his work with the Lion Order movement, and the research being done right here at the University of Miami on psychedelics and holistic pain management.

In this episode, we cover:

1. [00:00] Intro: From the G&R mailroom to the NFL backfield.
2. [05:30] "Inside Run" & War Stories: Why practice at The U was harder than the games.
3. [12:15] The Injury: Breaking an ankle and the "dark side" of painkillers.
4. [22:40] The Lawsuit: Challenging the NFL's drug policy and filing for a TUE.
5. [35:00] Opioids vs. Cannabis: The science, the stigma, and the future of athlete recovery.
6. [48:00] Life after the League: Entrepreneurship and advocacy.

Links & Resources:

1. Follow Mike James on Instagram: @mikejames | @lionorder
2. Goldberg & Rosen: goldbergandrosen.com
3. Follow us on Instagram: @goldbergandrosen