Retired NFL Player Le'Ron McClain Says His 'Head Is Crazy' from Football, Pleads for Help from NFL
Former Baltimore Ravens player Le’Ron McClain says that playing football has led to some serious brain issues, and he is pleading with the NFL for help.
McClain, 34, played for seven years in the league, with the majority of his career spent on the Ravens before shorter stints on the Kansas City Chiefs and the then-San Diego Chargers. He was released from the Chargers in 2014.
In a series of (at times, alarming) tweets over the weekend, McClain revealed that he has been struggling with “dark times.”
“I have to get my head checked. Playing fullback since high school. Its takes too f—— much to do anything. My brain is f—— tired…. @NFL i need some help with this shyt. Dark times and its showing. F—— help me please!! They dont care I had to get lawyers man!” he said in a tweet on Saturday.
“Need to tell my story of how my head is crazy and how football did it…. Please someone help me get this out the @NFL puts paperwork in out faces and thats it. Yes its programs f— all that I need help now I need a plan….. F— Man. They dont f—— get it man,” he said in another tweet.
In yet another tweet, McClain said that he thought he’d get help if he played quarterback instead of fullback.
“Watch how fast they come to aid if I was som3 QB or anything but no I was f—— fullback that did it all. @NFL I need help and i need the process to speed the f— up Im about to crash out and its paperwork I dont wanna hear it. F— man im done…. Im out” he wrote.
He continued on the tweet spree, before sending out another tweet that read, “Man had a moment but just know Imma fight this thing and block it like im blocking 60 Pwr on the goaline. We gonna score!!!! I got this. Its just LiFE. #AlphaMental…. Thank you to my biscuit lol. Control what I control.”
Two days later, he returned to Twitter for another string of tweets, saying that he was feeling anxious and having difficulty sleeping.
“Nights like this are the worst….. I cannot sleep… My anxiety is up… real talk im a f—— mess. Like whats wrong with me man. Come on bro!!!! Smh…… Please just Pray for me! GodWinz GodWinz!!!!!!!” he said.
Then early Tuesday morning, he said that he’s trying to stay positive despite his struggles.
“Another sleepless night. Another day Another Opportunity tho. Staying positive Kings and Queens. Its hard no lie and im scared. Look at me talked all that on the field. I was A BEAST and now im a mess man in tears now but swear imma fight this peeps. Keeping this #AlphaMental” he wrote.
“Getting my story out peeps just in case something happens to me I want everyone to know whats going on a daily for 24 hours. The darkest shyt ever. Its no joke peeps. My life is no joke man be in my shoes for a few hours smh some people are sad smh. Im not looking for sympathy,” he said. A rep for the NFL did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
While McClain did not specify what type of brain injury he believes he has, he could be alluding to CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a progressive degenerative brain condition likely caused by repeated head traumas, according to the Mayo Clinic.
CTE symptoms include difficulty thinking, depression, impulsive behavior, short-term memory loss and emotional instability, among other things.
There is currently no treatment for CTE, and it is only able to be diagnosed after death.
A 2017 study from Boston University showed that of 111 former NFL players, 110 of them had CTE.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org