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NFL Coach Derius Swinton II on Athlete Mental Health, Culture and the S.E.R.V.E. Mindset

Longtime NFL coach Derius Swinton II joins Aaron Strout to talk about his path from Hampton University safety to special teams coordinator for the 49ers and Chargers. He explains what special teams actually are, what he learned from Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, John Fox, and Steve Spagnuolo, and why he believes NFL culture needs time to build.

Derius also shares the S.E.R.V.E. philosophy behind his work on athlete mental health, how a tragedy in Kansas City in 2012 changed the way he checks in with players, and why he is now moving toward sports media. The conversation ends with a Charles Barkley story from a Home Depot aisle and a few lighter picks.

Key takeaways:

  • Hampton and the HBCU experience shaped how Derius communicates with players.
  • Special teams touch every part of a roster, and the coordinator speaks to the whole team.
  • Winning culture takes stability and time, and Derius saw that firsthand across three head coaches in three years in Las Vegas.
  • S.E.R.V.E. stands for Sacrifice ego, Encourage others, Responsibility in relationships, Vision forward, and Enthusiasm.
  • Athletes need emotional and mental training tools, not just physical and tactical preparation.
  • Real connection means asking “how are you?” and meaning it.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and introduction
01:34 How Hampton and HBCU roots shaped his leadership
03:55 From a Bills cut to coaching at Tennessee
08:08 Letting go of the playing dream
11:09 What special teams are and why they matter
14:31 Lessons from Pete Carroll, John Fox, Chip Kelly, and Steve Spagnuolo
18:36 Why culture takes time, from the Raiders to Belichick
22:38 Earning trust in a brand new building
26:03 S.E.R.V.E. and mental health in sports
30:27 Lane Johnson, Stephen A. Smith, social media, and betting pressure
35:26 Kansas City in 2012 and learning to ask better questions (a heavy topic, so you may want a content note)
41:22 The missing voice in sports media
48:19 What “reaching higher” means to Derius
51:11 The Charles Barkley Home Depot story
53:37 Book, show, and podcast picks
55:40 Most impressive people he has met, and working with Josh McDaniels
1:01:39 The concert he wishes he’d seen
1:03:07 Closing thoughts

About Derius Swinton II:
Derius played safety at Hampton University and began coaching as a graduate assistant at Tennessee. He has coached for the Rams, Chiefs, Broncos, Bears, 49ers, Lions, Cardinals, Chargers, and Raiders, including stints as special teams coordinator in San Francisco and Los Angeles and as the Raiders’ interim coordinator in 2025. He was also a Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellow with the Cardinals.

About the host:
Aaron Strout is the author of Wired for Purpose: Why Humanity Is the Biggest Differentiator in a Digital World and founder of Aardwolf LLC. Reaching Higher features conversations with people doing good in the world.

Thanks to Missy and Carol Voronyak for the introduction.

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