No pain no gain. Just do it! Willpower knows no obstacles. These are all motivational sayings to help athletes strive for the best. No doubt, football has been one of the most physically demanding sports to be invented. Currently, The NFL brings out the best of the best. Even the players now versus a decade or two ago are training harder and getting stronger. Ironically, the two aren’t battling each other but uniting to fight the stigma of mental health and addiction.
NFL Mental Health: The NFL-NFLPA is Uniting to Fight the Stigma
Winning Used to Be Everything
The pressure to win at all costs take precedence over the players’ well being. This is how it has always been. Pushing players beyond their own belief is a compliment to coaches that come in to build a team. There are exceptions to the rule of course. Sean Payton is one of those coaches who push players yet keeps the locker room fun. Make no mistake, Payton wants to win. Maybe even more than any other coach.
Winning, of course, makes it easier to loosen up. Payton does it better than just about anyone in the league. That being said, connecting with players is priceless. Having them go out and perform week in and week out is more than drawing up plays each week.
In the NFL as a whole, the combination of protecting the players from injury and keeping the game physical is becoming a finer line every year. The constant barrage of news is never-ending. Unfortunately, when news breaks, the bigger stories seem to focus on a player getting into trouble. The PR departments are earning their money these days.
Combining Forces to Save Lives
And this is not just the NFL. Mental health has been brought to the forefront by many professional athletes. Some of them, current and others, have been retired from the game for a long time.
I thought maybe I could help people with awareness, help men get the strength and courage…Depression is not something you make light of. It’s serious
-FORMER NFL QUARTERBACK TERRY BRADSHAW
The battle between the ears is something the NFL hasn’t touched until now. This could be groundbreaking. More importantly, the openness could open up a much-needed conversation around all sports.
This is the biggest fight of my life. This monster is going to be the toughest fight of my life
– PROFESSIONAL BOXER OSCAR DE LA HOYA
Oscar De La Hoya retired from the sport in 2009. He contemplated suicide when he faced battles with addiction to drugs and alcohol. The NFL and the NFL Players Association are finally uniting for one thing. Both are implementing specific guidelines and professionals to be able to help teams deal with pain management, prescription drug monitoring, and mental health. In short, the combination is coming together to fight the mental health stigma. That also includes prescription drug abuse and addiction.
Here is a copy of the full release from the NFL. The key takeaway from these programs is implementation. Every team in the NFL will be required to have trained clinicians and availability to the players at their own respective facility. This is a huge step.
Courage to Speak Up
Significantly, the partnership is designed to move the issue forward. Many of the domestic issues have resulted from the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Of course, not every single incident can be prevented. However, these measures will reduce the probability. In addition, the focus is on preventive maintenance before the issue becomes volatile.
Brandon Marshall is one of the biggest voices to come out and speak about it. Marshall was a six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver for five separate franchises. He has over 970 receptions for 12,350 receiving yards in his career. Additionally, Marshall is 22nd all-time in receiving yards. That’s more than Michael Irvin, Hines Ward, and Calvin Johnson.
“Man if you would have asked me eight years ago what does mental health mean to me. I would have said mental toughness. Another part of my answer would’ve been ‘masking pain’. As football players, we are taught to never show weakness, to never give an opponent an edge. To open up when something hurts, in our culture is deviant. But when you really sit down and think about it, connecting with those emotions is the real strength,” Marshall said.
Regardless of your opinion on how players are supposed to act, with regards to their physical toughness, these issues are only going to grow going forward for years to come. Having these standards implemented will help guys who are struggling to come forward. It’s much easier to pretend that everything is OK or blame a nagging injury. The courage it takes for a man to face his own demons is a battle versus pride. Above all, it’s almost going against everything athletes believe in.
At the same time, times are changing. Issues that players face are different now than just a decade ago. While facing a 300-pound man lining up inches away from you can be daunting. The challenge to face an invisible opponent can be even more debilitating. There is no shame to admit a problem. It would be a shame to avoid it and suffer the consequences later on.
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