5 NFL players who have been vocal about their support for mental health ft. Joe Burrow

Many NFL players are also known for being extremely charitable in addition to being superstar athletes and famous celebrities. They often speak out about their support for various causes, using their large social platforms to raise awareness for the ones they are most passionate about.

Mental health is a popular cause that many NFL players have recently been raising awareness about. The CDC estimates that more than 50% of the population will be diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point in their life, while 20% of Americans are dealing with it in some form each year. It's obviously a widespread issue and here are five NFL players who have focused on improving the situation around it.

#1 - Adam Thielen

Adam Thielen started the Thielen Foundation during his time as a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings. The main mission of his foundation is to bring awareness and support to youth mental health.

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He had this to say during an appearance on Mind Matters, a show hosted by Carson Daly in association with The Today Show focused on mental health issues:

"I can't explain how important it is to just say, 'Hey, I have some things going on and I need your help.' We're here to help them now."

Thielen believes the same concepts he uses with children in his foundation should also be applied to adults, including NFL players. He stated that speaking up is the most important thing because it's not always easy to tell when someone may be struggling mentally.

#2 - Taylor Lewan

Taylor Lewan recently opened up about his own personal struggles with mental health. This includes during his time recovering from a devastating knee injury during the 2021 NFL offseason with the Tennessee Titans.

He had this to say about his journey when speaking with the media following a team practice:

“You’re making 100 excuses in your head and then you get down, and you’ve got to go unpack all those things. You can’t pretend it didn’t happen. I had to go and talk to a lot of people and figure that stuff out, unpack that stuff. Once we did, I feel a whole lot better. I feel like more like myself than I ever have.”

Lewan encourages everyone to talk about how they're feeling and where their mindset is because it can potentially save lives. He will continue to battle a similar situation to what previously caused him mental distress, as he once again suffered a terrible injury during the 2022 NFL season.