NFL SPEAKStm



The Big Picture


  • Only 47% of adults in the United States with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year. 

  • Among  adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year. 

  • African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans each use mental health services at about one-half the rate of Caucasion-Americans, and Asian-Americans, about one-third.  

  • The suicide rate among American men is about four times higher than among women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.* 

  • Over 6 million men suffer from depression per year. 

  • Male depression often goes undiagnosed. Men are more likely to report fatigue, irritability or loss of interest in work or hobbies rather than feelings of sadness or worthlessness. 

  • Male suicides have been on the rise since 2000.  Suicide is the 7th leading cause of death of American males.  

  • 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, which may affect their cognitive and emotional functioning.*  
* These statistics come from NAMI, The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, MHA, The Mental Health Association, and the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

What NFL Speaks is Doing

NFL Speaks is engaging with players to change the culture of mental health with a focus on mental health as being part of one's overall wellness. 

NFL Speaks encourages players and their families to start to have conversations on mental health wellness and acknowledging that connecting with your emotions is a source of real strength. 

Retiring from professional sports can be seen as a life transition, and this life transition can cause emotional stress. 

NFL Speaks aims to raise awareness about mental health and promote a culture where players are encouraged to seek support.  

NFL Speaks offers a speakers bureau as a vehicle to have a public conversation about men's mental health wellness.  
 
NFL Speaks acknowledges that often players are vulnerable but do not know how to ask for help.  Therefore skilled navigators are key to our model of engagement with players. 

NFL Speaks hopes to engage with athletes unprepared for retirement, particularly without a plan for what comes next, both financially and emotionally.