Feel Something, Say Something: How Mental Health Openness in Sports is Changing

Aside from perhaps the military, no other profession seems to glorify toughness quite like sports. And you don’t even need to be a professional to experience this. Who amongst us – after getting an elbow to the face or a ball to the gut (or elsewhere) – hasn’t been told by a parent or coach to just “walk it off” or “rub some dirt on it”?

Of course, that’s just the physical stuff. While every level of sports has its own pressures, high-level athletes are the ones sitting in a crucible, with their every move watched, analyzed, and argued over. And sure, training can help make the body tougher, but what about the mind, what about emotions?

Essentially: What happens when you can’t just rub dirt on your brain and walk it off?

This is when mental health can suffer greatly, which can have tragic consequences. In May of 2024, after years of battling depression and anxiety and the resulting alcoholism, golfer Grayson Murray took his own life. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, he was only 30.

While Murray was open about what he was dealing with, many players in similar situations aren’t. In society in general and sports specifically, there is a lingering stigma regarding mental health. Because this can be perceived as a lack of that aforementioned toughness, often players don’t want to admit they are struggling.

Fortunately, there has been a bit of a shift lately, and some athletes have decided to speak out. Johnny Manziel spoke candidly about everything he went through after his disappointing career ended, including the fact that the only reason he’s still here is because of a malfunctioning gun.

Dak Prescott talked about dealing with anxiety and depression after the deaths of his mother and brother. He even started a foundation called Faith Fight Finish aimed at encouraging people to ask for help when they need it. (And, despite what that windbag Skip Bayless thinks, admitting you are vulnerable makes you a better leader, not a worse one.)

Another football player who isn’t afraid to discuss his mental health is Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. To encourage the state to provide more support for virtual mental health services, Moore wrote a letter to Governor Tina Kotek discussing his experience:

“Early in my college career, I found myself struggling deeply: I was depressed. The pressure and expectations that come with playing quarterback at a high level felt overwhelming at 18.”

Around the same time, wrote Moore, his mother received a cancer diagnosis, and trying to balance school and football while seeing her go through chemotherapy challenged him mentally and emotionally. And what helped him the most? Support.

“Support from my friends, love from my family, and access to the resources I needed to get better. As a young Black man and athlete, reaching out for help can often feel like climbing an uphill battle. It required vulnerability and trust, and I was fortunate to get the care I needed.”

Moore went on to write that seeking the help he needed has made him a better leader and teammate. He’s also challenging his fellow Ducks to “lead beyond the field and use our platform to support people who feel voiceless. Leadership is not just about what we do on Saturdays – it is about who we stand up for every day.”

While Moore decided to go back to Oregon, someone who entered the recent NFL draft was former Michigan linebacker Ernest Hausmann. This is notable because Hausmann disappeared from the Wolverines at the end of last season and for several months before and after, exhibited erratic behavior. Eventually this was attributed to undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which included bouts of depression. In an extensive profile, writer Albert Breer chronicles Hausmann’s journey, how he was able to come to terms with his condition, and how he hopes his openness will be able to help others.

“I believe that there are so many things that people struggle to talk about,” Hausmann said. “Like when I was in high school – you didn’t even know you’re manic. I didn’t know anything about depression. But if this even helps one person, I’ll be happy with this all.”

It’s refreshing for people in the public eye to be so honest, especially these modern-day gladiators who play perhaps the toughest sport of them all. Of course, there’s still a long way to go before everyone accepts that athletes are real people with real struggles.

In addition to blowhards like Bayless, there are idiot fans like the one who told Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran to kill himself during a recent game. In the past, Duran has talked about his depression, which involved a suicide attempt. Unfortunately, it’s incidents like these that might prevent players from speaking out and getting the help they need. Said Duran:

“Honestly, it's my fault for talking about my mental health because I kind of brought in the haters. So I've just got to get used to it. I was just trying to hold it in and not really bring that up to the team. I mean, we're trying to win a game. I shouldn't even bring that up to anybody.”

Clearly there’s much work to do before all athletes will feel okay about telling people they’re not okay. But hopefully we’ll eventually get to a place where they won’t feel ashamed or afraid and that they’ll be the players considered the toughest, not the ones who can endure the most silently.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available. You can call the national suicide and crisis lifeline at 988 or visit their website at http://988lifeline.org .