Dak Prescott recently admitted to struggling with mental health issues, and Aaron Rodgers has nothing but praise for his fellow superstar NFL quarterback for being so candid about it.
Prescott recently opened up in an interview about his mental health struggles that began at the onset of coronavirus pandemic. These struggles were exacerbated for the Dallas Cowboys quarterback when his older brother, Jace, committed suicide in April.
Rodgers was asked about Prescott being so forthcoming with something that has long been stigmatized, and the Green Bay Packers quarterback commended the Cowboys signal-caller for being unafraid to disclose his struggles.
Thought I’d ask Aaron Rodgers today about mental health, specifically what he thinks the value of people like him and Dak Prescott talking about their headspace, happiness and mental well-being has in destigmatizing talking about that stuff.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 23, 2020
His full answer: pic.twitter.com/OtZ4kN1915
“I saw what Dak said. I applaud him. I think it’s phenomenal, speaking out, because that’s true courage and that’s true strength,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “It’s not a weakness at all.”
Prescott’s disclosure led to one particularly outspoken sports talking head to make dubiously polarizing and questionably tone-deaf comments that called into question the Cowboys quarterback’s qualifications as a leader. This rhetoric was widely condemned in most circles, and it stands to reason Rodgers feels the same about such alarming commentary.
What’s more, Rodgers has made it clear in the past that professional athletes do indeed deal with mental health issues just like everyone else, and that it is imperative for them to have resources available to deal with them.
The notion that professional athletes suffer from and have to deal with mental health issues like everyone else has received much more attention in recent years, thanks in no small part to the tireless advocacy by Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, who has experienced similar issues himself and bravely spoken out about it.
With fellow pro sports stars like Prescott and Rodgers also weighing in, it surely will help others feel more open about discussing their own personal issues.
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