Last month, former NFL offensive tackle Jonathan Martin decided to step away from the gridiron once and for all. Having only spent 3 years playing in the NFL, Martin had had a rocky career to say the least. As a rookie, he struggled to adjust to the pace of professional football. He bounced around between three different teams from the time he was drafted by the Dolphins in 2012 to when he was picked up by the Panthers in March of 2015. Finally, he decided to retire this past summer after suffering a back injury that would have kept him out for the entire 2015 season. However, what stood out most about his volatile time in the NFL was not related to what Martin went through on the field, but what he suffered behind closed doors.
Martin first made national headlines in 2013 when news surfaced that his teammate, former Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito, as well as a few other players, had threatened and harassed him mercilessly since his rookie year. During his time with the Dolphins, Martin suffered a lot of emotional distress from the constant bullying combined with his own insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. It was during this period of his life that he suffered from severe depression and even went as far as attempting to take his own life. As a result, Martin decided to leave the team halfway through the 2013 season to deal with these issues. He later moved on from the Dolphins and started a new chapter of his life with the San Francisco 49ers, leaving all the drama with his old teammates behind.
In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Martin decided to publicly share the struggles he has faced throughout his life and throughout his NFL career that drove him to attempt suicide on multiple occasions. Among other things, he talks about his upbringing and never feeling like he fit in, the constant torment and disrespect he endured from his teammates when he reached the NFL, his battle with depression, how he was finally able to find peace, and what keeps him going today. You can read the full post below:
Depression is very real and extremely hard to escape. It’s so fortunate that Jonathan’s still alive to tell his story today. It seems like life after football has been treating him well and that he’s in a much better place nowadays. Hopefully, his positive message can now help someone else out there who is going through the same trials and tribulations and possibly even save a life.
