Former NFL player Kyle Long is taking significant steps to raise awareness around men’s mental health, sharing his own struggles with anxiety and depression throughout his career. The retired Chicago Bears guard believes it is critical for men to open up about their mental well-being and not simply accept being “fine.”
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Long, now 37, reflects on how his mental health challenges began in his youth, a time when he struggled to express his feelings. He describes his inability to articulate his emotions as a childhood norm, which changed dramatically when he entered the fast-paced world of professional football. Playing seven seasons in the NFL, Long faced immense pressure, particularly during his time with the Bears, and it wasn’t long before the weight of expectations began to take its toll on his mental health.
During his career, the stress and anxiety of competing at the highest level became palpable for Long, leading to depressive episodes. “That’s when it became tangible stress, fear and anxiety,” he states. As losses piled up, so did his feelings of isolation. “In that moment, it feels like you’re the only person on the planet who’s dealing with it,” he adds.
To navigate these turbulent emotions, Long sought comfort from those closest to him. His father, Howie Long, an NFL Hall of Famer, and his brother, Chris Long, who also played in the league, provided guidance and support. Despite this familial backup, Long believed that managing his mental health was something he had to handle alone, leading him to routinely respond to inquiries about his well-being with a simple, “I’m fine.”
However, the façade of being “fine” proved insufficient when Long faced his lowest point during the 2015-16 preseason. Overwhelmed by injuries and responsibilities as a veteran player, he experienced a debilitating moment where he felt immobilised on a bus after practice. “It just felt like I had a truck on top of me and I couldn’t move,” he recalls.
In that challenging episode, he had an eye-opening realisation: many of his teammates were likely facing similar struggles. This moment acted as a turning point, prompting Long to recognise that he was not alone in his mental health challenges. “I was instructed to go into the locker room and take a look around,” he explains. “When I did, it was like, holy s—, there are 52 other guys that are going through a plethora of things.”
Today, Long is grateful for the personal growth he has achieved since that pivotal moment. Embracing therapy and maintaining transparency about his mental health with those around him have been crucial steps in his journey toward recovery. “I am in a constant ‘working on it’ phase,” he states. He emphasises that proactive measures, such as speaking to mental health professionals, form an essential part of overall wellness.
In collaboration with Johnson & Johnson, Long is now part of the “Generation Fine” campaign, which aims to redefine societal perceptions of emotional well-being and encourage more men to take their mental health seriously. He explains that the initiative has motivated him to tackle the stigma surrounding male vulnerability and mental health conversations. “At this point in the year, we’re checking our fantasy lineups, we’re checking the school calendar for our kids… How about a mental health check-in?” he urges.
Long believes that it is crucial for individuals to prioritise their mental health, treating it with the same diligence as they do their physical health. He advocates for regular discussions about mental well-being, viewing communication as a valuable skill that requires practice. “These conversations are never easy,” he admits, but he hopes sharing his journey will inspire others to open up about their own mental health challenges.
As he continues his work as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports, Kyle Long remains committed to supporting the mental well-being of others. With his emphasis on prioritising mental health, he aims to foster a culture where men feel empowered to express themselves and seek help, ultimately rejecting the notion that being merely “fine” is the satisfactory threshold for emotional health.