Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday praised fellow quarterback Dak Prescott for opening up about his depression and anxiety.
In an interview published earlier this month, Prescott admitted he felt anxious and depressed early in the quarantine period.
Prescott’s admission led to criticism from one pundit who felt the Dallas Cowboys quarterback’s words could hurt him on the field.
Rodgers was asked during a Wednesday press conference about Prescott and shared his thoughts.
“I think it’s great. I saw what Dak said, I applaud him,” Rodgers said. “I think it’s phenomenal, him speaking out, because that’s true courage and that’s true strength. It’s not a weakness at all. And anybody who attacks it … other people’s opinions of ourselves have rnothing to do with us. And other people’s opinions of Dak have nothing to do with him. Those are their own insecurities to deal with their own s–t, probably.”
Rodgers seemed to be taking a shot at a certain FS1 personality with the remark.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback talked about the stigma surrounding mental health discussions.
“There’s a weird stigma around it — weakness — to either ask for help or admit you’re struggling with things, or admit negative thoughts about yourself,” Rodgers said. “I think the strength is taking care of yourself and taking care of your mind and understanding how important your thoughts are because they become things … and understanding how important positivity is, and your attitude, and waking up each day with the right focus and the right mindset. Taking time to be quiet during the day, allow your brain to rewire itself.”
Rodgers isn’t the only NFL player who appreciated Prescott’s candor. After the Cowboys’ Week 2 game, an opponent approached Prescott to talk about it.
Below is a video of Rodgers sharing his thoughts.
Thought I’d ask Aaron Rodgers today about mental health, specifically what he thinks the value of people like him and Dak Prescott talking about their headspace, happiness and mental well-being has in destigmatizing talking about that stuff.
His full answer: pic.twitter.com/OtZ4kN1915
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 23, 2020
