As inspiring as it can be to watch our favorite athletes to do battle on the gridiron, it often results in an internal strife under the surface that impacts them more than most.
Tennessee QB Brian Maurer has spent most of his life in the spotlight, from his time as a highly-touted QB recruit from Florida to competing for the Vols starting job. There's nowhere to hide, and that led him to a dark place that very few of us can understand.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Maurer shared his journey, which very nearly had a tragic ending.
Maurer had planned on taking his life in January of this year, but was saved by an impromptu phone call from his mom and two-year-old nephew. While Maurer's mind was cleared in this instance, his struggle with depression and anxiety is ongoing.
The 19-year-old has since gotten help, and he took this opportunity to remind all his fans that they should do the same, rather than entertain other ways out.
In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Tennessee Quarterback Brian Maurer took to Instagram to share his battle with anxiety and depression, including his plans to take his life on January 22nd of this year.
Maurer, along with Kevin Love and other high-profile athletes, has become the face of mental health in sports. Such a topic would've been deemed impossible to discuss even a decade ago, but thankfully, due to the work of professionals (including sports psychologists), it's a conversation no athlete must keep behind closed doors.
We wish Maurer nothing but the best in his ongoing fight.
