WFT Hires Barbara Roberts as 1st Full-Time Director of Wellness and Clinical Services

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The Washington Football Team announced Tuesday they have hired Dr. Barbara Roberts as director of wellness and clinical services.

The newly created full-time role for Washington makes it the seventh NFL team to employ someone with this job title, which focuses on improving mental health for players.

“Mental health is one of the most important factors in making sure our players are prepared for the challenges of life in the NFL,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “Dr. Roberts brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and will be a tremendous resource for our players. Her impressive track record speaks for itself and I am excited for her to join our team.”

Dr. Roberts has a Ph.D. in psychology from The University of Oklahoma and served in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy as a senior policy analyst and coordinator for health policy.

With Washington, she is expected to create a system within the organization that will “focus on specific coping mechanisms.” The players will also have daily mental wellness work.

“I look forward to this opportunity to enhance the NFL Total Wellness mission,” Dr. Roberts said. “I will focus on the development of a foundation for mental wellness and its impact on overall health and performance. I am deeply appreciative to Dan and Tanya Snyder and Coach Rivera for this tremendous opportunity to further develop a culture of wellness.”

The league created NFL Total Wellness as a resource for current and former players to help be proactive for mental health as well as help manage crises. 

Players around the league have also become more open discussing mental health issues as of late, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Atlanta Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst.