Kyle Long reveals how NFL pressure, injuries and depression took a heavy toll and why therapy became a turning point
In an interview with PEOPLE, he said therapy, honest conversations and support from people close to him helped him understand what was happening. Long said his mental health struggles may have started when he was young. “That’s when it became tangible stress, fear and anxiety,” Long told PEOPLE. He said players were expected to stay composed even when struggling. “I am in a constant ‘working on it’ phase,” he told PEOPLE. Johnson & Johnson said in May that Long had battled depression at different stages of his life, including during his NFL career. The company said the campaign encourages conversations with healthcare providers.
Former Chicago Bears guard Kyle Long is speaking openly about anxiety and depression during his NFL career, including a difficult day at training camp when he felt unable to leave the team bus. Long is now sharing his experience through Johnson & Johnson’s Generation Fine campaign. He had trouble explaining how he felt and believed it was simply part of growing up. After entering the NFL, playing pressure, injuries and losing games brought stronger fear, stress and anxiety. “And then you start losing games and you start to really sink into that depression. It becomes something that, in the moment, feels like you’re the only person on the planet who’s dealing with it. “You lift weights, you run sprints, you eat healthy, you get eight hours of sleep, you go see a physical therapist. For me, that missing thing was speaking with a medical professional and finding out why I’m feeling the way that I’m feeling, and then knowing that ‘fine’ is not the finish line. Long’s experience shows why he believes talking about what is happening can be an important part of getting support.