Mid-South Hero: North Memphis native using NFL experience to mentor young men

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Discipline and strength on the gridiron prepared this former NFL tight end and line backer for the halls of education at the intersection of mentorship and devotion.

Curtis Weathers was raised in North Memphis and graduated from Bishop Byrne High School and later from Ole Miss.

He spent eight seasons with the Cleveland Browns tackling offensive lines, only to set his sights later on developing young boys to men.

Weathers put his energy, time and heart into The Brotherhood, an organization committed to shaping personal development of boys by using a framework that focuses on goals, a vision plan and preparation.

A viable community must have men who commit time, finances and invest in our future.

After only being in The Brotherhood for a year, Jaylin Burgess, a senior at Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering has armed himself with a few disciplines.

“I’ve learned how to stay committed and respect and value important things,” Burgess said.

Burgess wants to become a dermatologist and have his own practice.

Dr. Trenton Watson, Director of Operations for MASE is the top recruiter for The Brotherhood. He has a vision for all young men.

“In my vision I want to see every young man in this building be a part of The Brotherhood. We want them to understand that The Brotherhood is not about specific young people. It’s about all of our young men, we’re trying to impact of them,” Dr. Watson said.

Joining The Brotherhood is a choice and not every young person will become a professional athlete like Weathers, and that’s okay.

Change comes from all walks of life: businessmen, entrepreneurs, medical professionals and more.

Weathers understood early on that changing a young person’s academic performance through school-business partnerships, and measuring that, IMPACTS student achievement. He was asked to lead school reform in the Cleveland City Schools District. That opportunity landed him back home with then Memphis City Schools.

“The thing that interest me the most in our kids is personal development. How do you help them be a better version of themselves? That’s what The Brotherhood is all about,” Weathers said.

It’s framework is also grounded on principles - tools to evaluate and teacher

“One is commitment. One is perseverance. One is scholarship. One is truthfulness,” Weathers said. ”But those principles are the building blocks for the kind of person we want, character is another one of those principles.”

Currently, The Brotherhood has more than 100 members spread over four chapters.

They meet during the week and starting next month, they will have Saturday sessions.

Making a difference one young man at a time.

Congratulations Curtis Weathers! You are this month’s Mid-South Hero.

Copyright 2022 WMC. All rights reserved.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.