In December 2024, when safety Tycen Anderson was playing for Cincinnati, his older brother died by suicide. That has led him on a path to help others.

Anderson, who signed as a free agent with the Broncos in March and will report to training camp with other veterans Tuesday, is planning to open a mental health clinic in his native Toledo, Ohio.

“I know how dealing with the things with my brother, how that affected my mental health and how that affected the mental health of a lot of people that I loved,’’ Anderson said of the death of William Anderson at 31 in an interview with The Denver Gazette. “And I know that suicide rates are higher than they’ve ever been and going through it myself and dealing with it is something that I’m just starting to take very serious.”

Anderson, 27, is working with a business advisor, Erik Johnson, to open the clinic, hopefully by the time the season gets underway for the Broncos on Sept. 14 at Kansas City. It will be called Anderson Wellness Group.

Anderson is entering his fifth NFL season after being a fifth-round pick by the Bengals in 2022 out of the University of Toledo. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Denver primarily due to his prowess on special teams.

Anderson spent his rookie year on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury and was lost for the season after seven games in 2023 due to a torn ACL. However, he played in all 34 games the past two seasons for the Bengals and was a vital cog on special teams.

Shortly before the Bengals played at Tennessee on Dec. 15, 2024, Anderson learned of his brother’s death.

“It was for sure very devastating,’’ he said. “It was my dad’s first son, my older brother, somebody that I loved and looked up to. He’s forever in our hearts for sure and obviously you wish things were different when somebody does something like that. But I’m here now. I’m blessed. I’m a lot stronger mentally. I’m in a better space mentally, and I’m excited to be here.”

Anderson said the Bengals sought to retain him after last season but his brother’s suicide and other factors in his life played a role in him wanting to sign elsewhere.

“It was a lot of things going on in my personsal life,’’ Anderson said. “My older brother committed suicide and things of that nature. It was just a lot of stuff going on in my personal life where I felt like I needed a break from Ohio mentally, and coming out here for sure, it’s been a sense of relief and things of that nature.

“So that’s kind of where it all came (from). I love that organization (of Cincinnati). They took care of me during that time (of his brother’s death). They drafted me. I’m forever grateful for them, but mentally, I just needed a break from the city.”

Anderson played a variety of roles on special teams for the Bengals, which included gaining acclaim as both a gunner and a punt protector. He said the Broncos are looking at him in a gunner role.

Denver coach Sean Payton called Anderson “smart” and said he’s “found a niche” on special teams. He was the only outside free agent the Broncos signed after free agency got underway in March and leading up to the April 23-25 draft.

“I go back to all the way when he was in college,’’ said Denver special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. “I was with another organization (as special teams coordinator for New Orleans) but really had high grades on him coming out. I wasn’t surprised that he got drafted where he got drafted. His special teams film stuck out in college as a core player and really his first two years he battled the injury bug.”

Anderson really impressed Rizzi after that.

“I thought his last two years, he played really consistent football,’’ Rizzi said. “I got a lot of respect for (Bengals spcial teams coordinator Darrin Simmons). I know he’s coached well and so I just felt that adding him into this group (was an asset). … He’s a good add. He’s a very mature player, really good high football IQ.”

With the Bengals, Anderson didn’t play a single regular-season snap on defense until 2025 and in his career has 850 snaps on special teams and just 64 on defense. While he has confidence in his ability to play safety, he knows he was brought to the Broncos primarily for his prowess on special teams.

“You’ve got to just understand where you fit in on teams, find your niche,’’ Anderson said. “I found my niche as a core special teamer and that’s what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my career. … I know that’s going to be how I keep my foot in the door in this league.”

Anderson admires how Matthew Slater, listed as a wide receiver, lasted 16 seasons with New England, from 2008-23, while almost exclusively playing on special teams. He pointed to safety Michael Thomas logging 12 NFL seasons, from 2012-23, while being primarily a special teams player.

“Michael Thomas was one of my mentors when I played at Cincinnati, a guy that I looked up to, one of my big brothers in this league,’’ Anderson said of having him as a teammate from 2022-23. “He made a lot of plays and a lot of money for himself and took care of his family on special teams.

“Every team is going to have their superstars that the media goes to and navigates to, but we know (about) special teams, special plays, special players. That’s my motto for sure. … If the media doesn’t really boost me up, I know the value that I bring to a team.”

Off the field, Anderson said he is adjusting well to Denver.

“It’s been pretty cool getting to navigate though the city, getting to tour the city,’’ Anderson said. “It’s been pretty fun. … The mountains. The outdoors. I’ve done some fishing down here. Driving through the mountains, that’s been pretty cool.”

Anderson did some fly fishing at Deckers Lake with his girlfriend. And even though all he caught was a “little sucker fish,’’ he still enjoyed it.

Anderson grew up fishing with his grandfather in Ohio and he loves nature. At a property he owns in Toledo, chickens are being raised that a cousin attends to when Anderson is not there.

Soon, the plan is to open Anderson Wellness Group in Toledo.

“I’ve got a business advisor (in Johnson) that we’re going through the talks and everything right now,” Anderson said. “We’re seeing what Medicaid and what Cigna and United Health Care and Blue Cross Blue Shield and the things that they’ll be willing to pay for as far as the billing such as individual therapy, group therapy … and things of that nature. It’s been a process, but it’s for sure coming to light.”

Anderson called his quest “something I’ve been really passionate about” since the death of his brother.