The alarming rise in mental health disorders and suicide among young people has become a significant concern. To address this issue, a group of current and former NFL players brought a powerful message to high school students in Las Vegas’s Clark County School District during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Intermountain Health hosted “The Strongest Play is Asking for Help” event, featuring The Defensive Line, an organization of professional athletes who have faced their own mental health challenges. The event aimed to promote honesty and empowerment in tackling mental health issues. City and community leaders joined the diverse audience of students to hear personal stories from the athletes.
The panel included notable NFL figures such as Solomon Thomas, co-founder of The Defensive Line and New York Jets player; Brandon Bolden, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots; Darren Waller of the New York Giants; Carl Nassib, retired NFL player; Alec Ingold of the Miami Dolphins; Cedric Tillman of the Cleveland Browns; and Marcus Smith, retired NFL player.
Each athlete shared their journey, highlighting the importance of addressing mental health openly. Solomon Thomas, reflecting on his own experiences, emphasized the need to redefine traditional notions of toughness. “We have been defined as men that we have to be tough, and that we define strength in the entirely wrong way,” Thomas said. “But through my journey of grief, my own mental health journey, and everything I have been in, I have learned that being tough is not strength. Strength is being vulnerable.”
The Defensive Line’s mission extends beyond this event, focusing on suicide prevention nationwide, particularly among Black youth. Statistics show a 182 percent increase in suicide risk for Black females between 2001 and 2017. Black men also face heightened risks, with 80 percent of suicides in this group being male, predominantly in their early 20s.
By sharing their stories, these NFL pros hope to break the stigma surrounding mental health and encourage young people to seek help. The event reinforced the message that true strength lies in vulnerability and seeking support, an essential step in improving mental health and preventing suicide.
