Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Willis McGahee discloses he thought about taking his life ‘a couple of times’ after NFL retirement

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Akash Chatterjee | Last updated 12/8/23

Former NFL running back Willis McGahee recently opened up about the suicidal thoughts that hit him after his retirement. The former Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens RB admitted how the need for money and engagement compelled him to think about taking his life.

In an interaction with the Athletic, the former player noted,

When it's gone, you really have nothing to fall back on--It's just a lot coming at you, man, and it gets mentally tough.

Players battling depressive traits are nothing new in the NFL. There have been ample examples where players have suffered mental health issues and coming back to their routine lives. However, the case with this former running back is slightly different.

The player also admitted that the thought of suicide

crossed my mind a couple of times

McGahee alleged the league authority of not fulfilling its disability policy. The need for money hence emerged out of that. In the interaction, the RB cited the problems that he suffered with the NFL’s disability policy.

He is among one of the ten players who filed a lawsuit against the NFL over disability pay. In the lawsuit, the players wrote that they had powerful statistical elements to get the benefits. However, still, they were deprived of what they were supposed to get.

Willis McGahee alleges that he was deprived of total payments

In the interaction, the former Denver Broncos player noted that his ‘Line of Duty’ benefits were cleared by the league. However, his applications for ‘Total and Permanent Disability’ benefits were denied every year.

The Total and Permanent benefits are given to those who are unable to work due to disability. The players need to fill out an application, provide supportive documents, and need to show the results of at least one medical test. McGahee noted that he dealt with disabilities, including a sleep disc in the back that made his way difficult to get out of bed. In addition, he had knee pain, stiff joints, and others.

It sucks--It hasn't gotten better. Nothing has gotten better. Everything, as time goes along, gets worse. That's where I'm at right now. I'm just trying to figure it out. It's very emotionally stressful. It takes a toll on the mind and the body. Because every day you're trying to figure out, 'What's next? How am I gonna get over this hump?

It is to be seen whether the complication gets dissolved with time.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: