Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Brian Maurer recently revealed that he almost killed himself.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the young quarterback detailed his battle with depression and how he nearly killed himself in early 2020. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North
View this post on Instagram
Maurer wrote the following in part about almost committing suicide:
On Wednesday January 22 , 2020 i planned to take my own life , i though i lost my battle with depression and that my pain had come to an end as i was going to do it i looked up and i said “god if this isn’t your plan for me please send me a sign” 2 minutes later my mom called me with my baby nephew Jeremiah and she said she was just calling to say she loved me , i then knew that by ending my pain i would be causing so much more to the people who loved me.
You can read his full post below.
Major props to Maurer for being straightforward and blunt about his struggles with mental health and depression.
I have no doubt an Instagram post like that is an incredibly tough thing to do, and it without question took a lot of courage.
Hopefully, Maurer stepping forward encourages other young men who need help to seek it. Getting help is a veteran move. It’s not something to be ashamed of.
View this post on Instagram
Maurer’s message is also a necessary reminder that athletes struggle with a lot of stuff once the lights are turned off. People seem to think they’re robots walked out onto a field to perform.
They’re not. They’re people and they carry heavy expectations on their shoulders. The Tennessee quarterback’s words make that clear.
If one person seeks help because of Maurer’s Instagram post, then it was worth it. I’m glad to see he’s doing better. Mental health is important, and we should spend time focusing on it.