Why We Need to Talk About Tests and Messes episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 4, 2026 · 55 MIN

Why We Need to Talk About Tests and Messes

from 5AM Podcast · host Michael Klassen, 5AM Podcast

From playing on Major League Baseball’s biggest stages to serving three and a half years in prison, former MLB pitcher Brandon Puffer experienced both the highest peaks of professional sports and the absolute lowest depths of personal struggle.In this powerful episode of the 5AM Podcast, host Michael Klassen sits down with Brandon Puffer to discuss his 15-year career in professional baseball, the hidden mental health battles and addiction pressures faced by pro athletes, and the series of warning signs he ignored that ultimately led to his arrest and imprisonment.Brandon shares candidly about the myth of "one bad night," the slow fade of compromising choices, surviving rock bottom, and how faith and full surrender helped him rebuild his life. Today, as an author, speaker, and youth baseball coach, Brandon uses his most expensive life lessons to help others realize that your worst mistakes do not have to define the rest of your life.In this episode, we discuss:00:00 - Introduction & Welcome to Brandon Puffer03:17 - The pressure, downtime, and mental health struggles of an MLB player07:24 - Early warning signs and the battle with addiction10:16 - How personal choices directly impact performance and confidence12:39 - The "slow fade": How small compromises lead to rock bottom18:20 - The fateful night, arrest, and facing a 5-year prison sentence24:30 - Surrender, faith, and finding purpose behind barsTurn your hardest moments into a powerful testimony of faith.Contact Coach Brandon: www.coachpuffpositive.comSubscribe for more encouragement on your spiritual journey.Follow 5AM Podcast on our YouTube channel: YouTube.com/@5AMPodcastChannelSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06ptr5B...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...👉 CONNECT WITH US:🌐 Website: www.5AMPodcast.com📱 Instagram: www.instagram.com/5ampodcast🐦 X.com: x.com/5AMPodcast1📘 Facebook: www.facebook.com/5ampodcast⏰ TikTok: www.TikTok.com/@5am.podcastSupport the Show:☕ Buy Us a Virtual Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/5ampodcast#5AMPodcast, #BrandonPuffer, #MLB, #RedemptionStory, #Coachpuffpositive, #AddictionRecovery, #FaithAndSports, #PodcastInterview, #christian, #christianpodcast #faith,

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 4, 2026

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Why We Need to Talk About Tests and Messes

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