Robert’s football journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Starting as a tight end at Iowa, he transitioned to offensive tackle, paving the way for a stellar collegiate career. A two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection, Robert was named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2003 and capped off his senior year with unanimous All-American honors and the prestigious Outland Trophy. His excellence extended off the field, earning him three Academic All-Big Ten awards.
In recognition of his remarkable contributions to the sport, Robert has been honored with multiple accolades:
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2023 at the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner.
- University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2017.
- Kinnick Wall of Honor: Added to Iowa’s America Needs Farmers Wall of Honor in 2015.
In this episode, Robert reflects on his incredible football career, the transformation of Iowa’s football program, and his experiences in the NFL. But the conversation goes deeper, exploring his journey after football and the life-changing healing he found through ibogaine.
For both Marcus and Robert, ibogaine offered a second chance—a path to healing they’re now sharing to inspire and support others who may feel lost or stuck. These raw, personal stories are a testament to resilience and the universal power of hope.
Tune in for an inspiring episode filled with life lessons, healing journeys, and a reminder that no matter the challenge, transformation is always possible.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• My parents were very much like: “You do sports, or you work on the farm.” (9:55)
• Once my siblings started earning scholarships, and I saw what it did for them, I was like “I wanna do that.” (11:17)
• [The coaching staff] were just guys that wanted to get the best out of you. They were there to make you better. (14:25)
• [Melanie] Q: What do you think builds a great team? A: I think it’s the people and the culture. (15:55)
• It’s that Midwest mentality. Work ethic, no show boating. It’s about being the best you can be, doing it the right way, and being good people. (17:02)
• I knew I needed my buddies next to me on the offensive line. For me to be great, I needed them to be great. (17:57)
• I kept working and working. And by the end of my college career, I was the best there was in the country. (25:34)
• Continue to work at wat you do to be a better all-around athlete. (25:39)
• I love how I was raised. My parents still married after 50 years. (26:57)
• I never had a sporting event that I ever remember from as young as I was in grade school, that one of my parents was not there. (36:37)
• I worked so hard and sweated so much that you gotta go to the bathroom. One day I had to go to the bathroom real bad and the game was about to start. The only thing I could do was sit here and go. Go in your pants. I did it every game after that. (47:51)
• I got to where now I’m taking pain killers to get to practice. Now I’m asking my linemen what do we do? I’m dizzy. I’m not myself. (55:08)
• As time went on, things started to spiral: alcohol abuse. (63:00)
• I got a brain scan. That’s when they put up a picture of a healthy brain against a picture of my brain. It was shocking. (65:23)
• I started a journey of doing everything I could in modern medicine. (68:58)
• I took the invitation to take an Ibogaine treatment. (73:15)
• The treatment saved my life. I can out of it a different person. (77:57)
Support Robert:
- Website: athletesforcare.org
- IG: Athletes4care
Support TNQ
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.co
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