Today I mark one full year of sobriety.
It took me longer to get here than it took to get drafted into the NFL. But I am here. And for the first time in a long time, I am truly proud of the man I am becoming.
Sobriety is bigger than being drafted. Bigger than any contract. Bigger than the crowd.
I think about the young men we lost far too soon.
Marshawn Kneeland of the Dallas Cowboys, only 24.
Rondale Moore, who wore the Purple for the Minnesota Vikings, just 25.
Both made it to the highest level. Both are gone.
In 2017, I nearly joined them. I was involved in a shooting and almost lost my life. I came closer to death than most people will ever know. The fact that I am still standing is not lost on me. I was given another chance that others did not receive.
I carried weight from childhood long before the NFL. I made it to the league but almost lost everything to mental health struggles, addiction, and choices I fully own. I take complete responsibility.
God kept me here when I did not ...
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