"I thought I was going to die": Urban Meyer reveals struggle with depression post-2009 season-ending loss to Nick Saban's Alabama
Urban Meyer, the former Florida Gators head coach opened up on his horrific battle with depression in a startling and very personal admission.
The devastating defeat to Nick Saban and Alabama football in the 2009 SEC Championship game seemingly took a tremendous toll on Meyer's mental health.
"UNTOLD: Swamp Kings," a new Netflix documentary series that will debut on August 22, centers on Meyer's open and moving description of his inner suffering throughout that turbulent season.
After the Florida Gators won their second national title, Urban Meyer's team entered the 2009 season as the best and most talented team in college football.
The expectations were enormous, and as the season progressed, the weight of these lofty aspirations started to bog down the the team. This eventually resulted in internal strife and a heartbreaking defeat. Urban Meyer delivered a chilling admission:
"The game started, and we were in a street fight early and then they started to pull away from us. I couldn't get out of bed, no energy, no desire... I thought I was going to die."
The Florida Gators had a terrific start to the 2009 season, going undefeated through their first six games, despite some tight victories. However, during a game against Mississippi State, team tensions erupted to a critical level.
At halftime, with the Gators barely ahead 13-10, All-American players Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes were involved in a violent on-field fight that turned into a brawl in the locker room.
How did Urban Meyers and the Florida Gators tackle the remaining 2009 season?
Even though the Florida Gators defeated Mississippi State by a score of 29-19, their togetherness had been severely damaged. The documentary included veteran Florida beat writer Pat Dooley, who said that despite their perfect record, the squad was "so miserable."
The Gators were successful in winning their next five contests, preparing for an exciting matchup with Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
After beating Alabama the year before to earn a spot in the BCS championship game, Florida was forced into the difficult situation of having to defend the crown in this matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams.
Speaking openly on camera, many Florida players admitted that the squad had a noticeable lack of excitement and vigor, in sharp contrast to Alabama's never-ending appetite. Final score: 32-13.
The Crimson Tide prevailed with a convincing win, ending Florida's historic 22-game winning streak and their hopes of a repeat national title. Later, Alabama would go on to win the championship.
Urban Meyer's open admission of his struggle with depression following the Alabama loss offers a moving window into the immense strain and emotional toll that leading a team to the highest level of college football competition can exact, even on the most successful coaches.