Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is sharing the most meaningful mental health lessons that he’s learned over the years.
“Reach out to someone [and] don’t be afraid to talk to somebody,” Brown, 27, said during a pre-Super Bowl press conference on Tuesday, February 4. “Don’t be afraid to seek help because somebody was there for me. Ultimately, it saved my life.”
He added, “Keeping going because I’m pretty sure you have people who love and care about you. Take it one day at a time. You get to choose your feelings [and] whatever mood you want to be in, you get to choose it. [If] you want to be happy, you can be happy.”
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According to Brown, individuals can also change their intrusive thoughts or feelings “just like that.”
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“It’s a choice,” he stated. “I’m a completely different football player. I’ve definitely grown off the field as well, but on the field, I’m a whole different person.”
Brown, who was traded to the Eagles in 2022, previously shared that he personally dealt with suicidal thoughts two years prior.
“I’m kind of nervous even saying this, but a year ago from today, I thought about taking my own life,” Brown said in a November 2021 social media video. “I had no more hope of better days, and everything was just going wrong for me.”
At the time, Brown said he was struggling with depression and suicidal ideation.
“That was a dark time in my life that nobody really knew,” he said in a press conference several days later. “I wanted to encourage others to seek help whenever they are down. I didn’t really take [into] consideration what depression really was. I always just brushed it off; that’s how I grew up.”
According to Brown, his emotions “got the best of me.”
“I just wanted to put out a positive message that I’m still here [and] I’m still growing,” he said at the time. “I’m still learning. I’m blessed [and] I got a lot of things to be grateful for and someone was there for me. So, reach out to your loved ones and ask them how they’re doing and listen to them, ‘cause it’s important.”
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During the 2020 football season, when Brown had “thought about taking [his] life” following undisclosed struggles, fellow NFL star Elijah Moore checked in on Brown. The athlete said that, as a result, he shares a special bond with Moore.
“He’s more than family,” Brown further told reporters. “I love him like he’s my brother, but he’s a special person and I appreciate him each and every day.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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