Why AJ Brown Was Already A Champion Before Winning the Super Bowl

It was Super Bowl Sunday. I surprised myself, as a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan, by deciding to cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles.

While I love the incredible stories of resilience of the Kansas City Chief’s Head Coach, Andy Reid, and the Philly quarterback, Jalen Hurts, it’s the Eagles' A.J. Brown who has been my favorite NFL player since 2021. Why? That’s when I saw the video of A.J. Brown talking to the media and sharing his struggles with depression and that he contemplated suicide in 2020.  A.J. was a rising star in the NFL who had his first All-Pro season and he chose to use his platform to help break the stigma of mental health difficulties and normalize going to therapy. 

Fast forward to a week before the Super Bowl. What message did A.J. Brown share on media day? He again encouraged people to seek help for mental health challenges because someone was there for him and that ultimately saved his life. 

While AJ had a touchdown catch and helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl, he’s already been a champion to me since 2021. 

Remember, you don’t have to be a professional athlete or entertainer - like Taylor Swift helping Travis Kelce  - to support someone who’s struggling. Today, be like A.J. and support and encourage one friend as you might not know how much they need it. 

Listen to Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver A.J. Brown’s Superbowl media day message to prioritize your mental health. A.J. shares how the support of good friends and psychotherapy have helped him work through his depression and improved his mental health.

“A problem shared is a problem halved.” - Dorothy L. Sayers

When we struggle with mental health, we often feel defective and keep it to ourselves. This leads us to feeling more isolated and alone - intensifying our difficulties.

Instead, find one person you trust and share your mental health challenges. This will help you feel more connected and less overwhelmed.

For support, you can also call the 24/7 National Crisis Line at 988 or text MHA to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.