Logan Ryan says Chinese firm collected his brain data from wearable headband

Two-time Super Bowl champion Logan Ryan said he was "unbelievably freaked out" and worried the Chinese government could access his thoughts after learning that a headband he used during his NFL career collected and shared brainwave data.

Ryan discussed the matter on the podcast "Pablo Torre Finds Out" on Sept. 16, 2025, saying he had not known how the data from the device was being handled. On the program, host Pablo Torre told Ryan that the headband, made by BrainCo, recorded brainwave data every half-second and that BrainCo is a Chinese company subject to Chinese laws that could require data sharing with state authorities. Torre also said BrainCo has received investment tied to the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which he said has links to the Chinese military.

Ryan, who retired from the NFL in 2024 after 11 seasons and two Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots, said he adopted the device — a FocusCalm headband that pairs with a smartphone app and a game-like interface — to help with breathing and mental focus late in his career. He described a training exercise in which users steer a virtual race car faster when their breathing and mental state meet desired parameters, adding that the device made him a calmer competitor in high-pressure moments.

"As athletes, we wear a lot of wearables," Ryan said. "Everyone has to kind of wear it. I realized if I could think faster, I could play faster as I got older. The way it was presented to me obviously was not that way ... You try to get better in your field and you're willing to do what it takes, legally, to get better at your craft."

Ryan said he learned about the possibility of data sharing only during the interview and that a representative later contacted the show to "reiterate how unbelievably freaked out" he was. He said he planned to investigate how personalized the data collection was and whether the device could be used to track thoughts.

BrainCo issued a statement quoted by Torre saying the company has "no collaboration with any kind of military in any country" and that, "to the best of our knowledge, our technology is not being used for any military purposes."

The episode highlights privacy and national-security concerns that have followed the spread of wearable and neurotechnology devices. Chinese law, including the 2017 National Intelligence Law, has been cited in past scrutiny of Chinese companies because it can be interpreted to require organizations to assist state intelligence work, a point U.S. lawmakers and cybersecurity experts have raised in debates over foreign-owned technology.

Neurotechnology devices that measure brain activity have prompted particular scrutiny because of the sensitive nature of neural data and the potential for integration with artificial intelligence systems. Experts have warned that continuous, fine-grained neural measurements could reveal personal and cognitive states that extend beyond conventional biometric information.

Athletes and teams increasingly use wearables to monitor performance, recovery and mental state. Those devices collect a range of physiological data, and their adoption by professional sports organizations has raised questions about consent, data ownership and security practices. Ryan said he first encountered the headband through a yoga instructor and later appeared in a commercial for the company in 2022.

In response to concerns about foreign access to data, U.S. officials and lawmakers have in recent years reviewed and, in some cases, restricted the use of certain foreign-owned apps and technologies in government contexts and among critical infrastructure operators. The case of an athlete learning after the fact that a device he used may have relayed neural data to a foreign firm adds another dimension to ongoing policy discussions about data safeguards, particularly for novel forms of biometric and neural information.

Ryan told Torre that his experience was a reminder for others to research the technology they use. "You've got to make sure you do your research," he said. "We need a right to protect ourselves from that."

The episode did not include independent verification of Torre's assertions about BrainCo's investors or connections. BrainCo's statement denied military collaboration and said its technology was not being used for military purposes. The former player said he intended to look further into how his data had been handled and whether additional protections were needed for athletes and consumers using similar devices.