ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — Contrary to popular belief, the Buffalo Bills have two MVPs on their roster — quarterback Josh Allen and Bills sports psychologist Dr. Desaree Festa, affectionately referred to as Dr. Dez.
While she may not be a household name outside the organization, her impact at One Bills Drive cannot be measured.
“I think Dr. Dez, I’d give her MVP role, because a lot of guys utilize that resource,” second-year defensive tackle DeWayne Carter said.
“Dr. Dez, I think, is one of the most vital people in the organization,” offensive lineman Alec Anderson added.
Festa joined the Bills after the 2020 season came to an end. She had been working in Charlotte with different sports teams and leagues, but got a call from Orchard Park.
“Meeting Coach McDermott, meeting Brandon Beane, seeing what the team was doing here, I knew was something special and I wanted to be part of it,” Festa told 7 Sports.
Dr. Dez spends most of her week meeting with players and coaches, talking about anything and everything. She believes being present is important and it allows her to build a foundation of trust with her team.
“You have to understand the player, what’s going on for them in their role and in their life, and what can uniquely fit them,” Festa said. “And then the player and I team up together to come up with solutions and strategies to help optimize them.”
“It feels like a safe place for me, I know I can always go in Dr. Dez’s office and talk about anything that’s going on in my life,” wide receiver Jalen Virgil said. “Sometimes we need somebody, we have our families, we have our friends, but sometimes you need someone who is there on a daily basis to be able to connect with you and be able to empathize the different things that we go through on a weekly and daily basis.”
On game days, Dr. Dez is on the sideline with the players and coaching staff, observing body language and providing encouragement. Sometimes it’s just a simple fist-bump or “you got this” to let the players know they’re prepared and capable.
“If you’re not in the right head space mentally due to life overall, it’s going to be hard to perform, so all of it's connected, and Dr. Dez does a great job for us,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said.
“She is, like I said off camera, a secret weapon,” cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram added.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the perfect time to share some of Dr. Dez’s journey. Being open and honest about mental health isn’t always common, especially with young men, but Festa believes her team is showing the strength that comes with being vulnerable.
“I think a good way to notice the growth, and I think this would interest you, is like listen to the way they talk in their press conferences,” Festa said.
“My therapist told me to leave the past in the past and that’s what I’m going to do, and I’m going to move forward because that’s all I can do,” Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White said on April 22nd.
“I meet a lot with Dr. Dez, and she has done a ton for me,” Tyler Bass said after his game-winning field goal against the Miami Dolphins in November. “(I’m) just really learning and getting tools from her, it just kind of prepared me for this game and moving forward, so I’m really grateful for that.”
So what’s her advice to those who want to improve their mental health?
“First, we want to reframe mental health from being a negative to a positive," Festa said. "This is something that can elevate you and that you can leverage to get you to even the next step. Taking care of your mental space can help you go from good to great, great to greater, greater to best. So it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, it just means that this is a really important aspect of you to just give more attention to.”
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