In the world of sports where players are taught to play through pain, injury and exhaustion, speaking up about things such as depression and anxiety is predictably uncommon.
Mental health is a complex issue that athletes in particular tend to shy away from. Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst is one of the few exceptions, though. Acquired in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Ravens, Hurst figures to be a big part of Atlanta’s offense in 2020.
The 2018 first-round pick, who has been driving back and forth between Jacksonville and Atlanta to practice with quarterback Matt Ryan, took some to speak with Mina Kimes on the ESPN Daily podcast about his own battles with depression.
You can watch a clip of Hurst’s appearance below as tweeted by Kimes, or click here to listen to the full interview.
Four years ago, Hayden Hurst’s struggles with depression led him to nearly take his own life. Today, he tells us how he learned to stop bottling up his issues, and why he wants to help others now.
His story is a powerful one—you can listen to here: https://t.co/7jD1bmAjCX pic.twitter.com/NDNvckiQtv
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) May 20, 2020
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