5 NFL players who successfully tackled drug addictions
NFL players are at an extremely high risk for drug addiction and dependency, according to a research study published in the scientific journal, Drug and Alcohol Dependence. They are more at risk than most because of the violent nature of the sport, which often requires surgeries and recoveries with common prescriptions for opioids and other painkillers.
Drug addiction is one of the darker sides of football and unfortunately many players, former and current, have struggled with it. On the bright side, many have recovered and overcome it.
Some of these recovering players have chosen to make their story public. They hope that by sharing their experience, they can help others in the same situation. Here are five NFL players who came out on top against drug addiction.
#1 - Brett Favre
Brett Favre has been open and honest about his struggles with addiction to painkillers during his career. He claims he was prescribed them during the 1994 season while recovering from shoulder surgery and admits he got hooked. Favre has said he used them daily for about two years and even had several seizures during his dark time.
In a 2016 interview with Graham Bensinger, Favre said:
“I knew that I didn’t necessarily need [Vicodin] but I sure liked the way it felt, I knew it was wrong.”
Favre attended rehab and eventually overcame the dependancy. He claimed his breaking point was following the 1996 season, when he decided to commit to sobriety. Favre is a legend of the sport and retired with 71,831 passing yards, 508 touchdowns, 336 interceptions and one Super Bowl victory.
He has been sober for more than 20 years and says he has never gone back to using painkillers.
#2 - Johnny Manziel
Johnny Manziel has publicly battled a party lifestyle from which he developed a dependency problem. He has claimed in recent years, looking back at his failed run with the Cleveland Browns, that his addiction contributed to his demise in the NFL.
In an interview with ABC News the former quarterback said:
"I was self-medicating with alcohol. That’s what I thought would make me happy and get out of that depression,"
**VIDEO** This morning on @GMA ... Johnny Manziel talked about his mistakes that kept him out of the NFL, his past alcohol addiction and his recent bipolar diagnosis https://t.co/KYxVAXq6x0
Thankfully, he is sober and healthier now and currently plays quarterback in the Fan Controlled Football League. He is committed to this lifestyle and is firmly focused on his new football career.