The Jambar
Across all major sports leagues, mental health has become more of a regular topic of discussion than it was in the past. Athletes are speaking up for themselves in ways we haven’t seen before, but they lack empathy and proper advocacy from respective fans.
24-year-old Marshawn Kneeland, defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, was found dead in his car from an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound Nov. 6.
Kneeland spent five seasons playing on the defensive line at Western Michigan University, and was selected 56th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cowboys.
This isn’t the first case of an NFL athlete allegedly died or having died by suicide. In 2012, Junior Seau, 12-time Pro Bowler and 1992 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, died by suicide at his Oceanside, California, estate.
Seau’s death, like many other former NFL players, such as Aaron Hernandez and Greg Clark, was believed to have stemmed from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. While CTE was not cited or confirmed as a cause for Kneeland’s death, the situation has been a catalyst for further discussion.
An article from Mayo Clinic describes CTE as a condition caused by repeated head injuries.
“CTE is rare and not well understood, but experts don’t believe it’s related to a single head injury,” the article stated. “Experts are still trying to understand how repeated head injuries and other factors might contribute to the changes in the brain that result in CTE.”
Over the years, the NFL has rolled out various guidelines and strategies to prevent head injuries. The company has implemented stricter concussion guidelines, along with a modified kickoff prohibiting helmet-first contact and a mandatory guardian cap requirement in all contact practices.
While all of these changes can help slow or even prevent CTE, none of them solve another correlated problem — stigmatized mental health.
CTE tends to be a taboo subject to most sports fans — a monster that is certainly hiding under the bed, often left unchecked. But why?
The problem with stigmatizing mental health in professional sports is it implies the standard of people seen as superheroes not being able to show weakness. Building a habit of personalizing the country’s idols will open doors to better understanding one another’s mental situation.
The disconnect between the typical athlete and fan is not something to overlook. Most common men could not fathom being a part of the fraction of the population considered lucky enough to commit their lives to keeping their physique far above the average person.
Athletes and fans alike can greatly benefit from a formal mental health resource structured around psychiatric therapy and the promotion of athletes opening up about their struggles, and seeking help for them.
Organizations such as Athletes for Hope and Deconstructing Stigma have made it their mission to advocate for athletes’ mental health, as well as collect data to publish in hopes of better informing the public about athletes’ struggles.
Fans can reflect the intentions of these organizations by breaking down the idolized, parasocial barrier with athletes, and remember that the athletes dedicating their lives to physical perfection might be suffering on and off the field.
For anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org.