Former Eagles first-round draft pick Marcus Smith using his mental health experiences to help others overcome struggles
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After the Birds won on Sunday, Jalen Hurts said "rain, sleet or snow the Eagles train to go." It's a great slogan made for t-shirts.
It speaks to their toughness in a sport built for gladiators, but toughness comes in all different forms.
It's Mental Health Awareness week and former Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith has a story you need to hear.
In 2014, Marcus Smith was seemingly on top of the world. A first-round pick out of Louisville with millions scheduled to come his way, but money can't buy your mental health.
"I've been dealing with anxiety since I was about 8 years old," Smith said. "And when I go back and I was having anxiety attacks and I couldn't breathe and my chest felt like it was caving in."
Smith also silently dealt with depression and weight loss.
"You don't want to talk about those things in the locker room because you would be afraid of what your peers may think," Smith said.
He traces his mental health struggles back to his childhood and watching his parents go through a divorce, but the game itself has left a mark.
"People don't understand or really know the different trauma we face on the field," Smith said.
Smith only played 37 games with the Eagles before being released. After landing with the Seahawks, an aborted suicide attempt led him to professional help.
At the time, his wife was seven months pregnant.
"It was a time where I was so far gone, where I didn't think about my wife, I didn't think about my daughter at the time she was unborn," Smith said. "I would of definitely missed out on a human being that's a part of me."
That experience is what motivates him to help others, especially athletes.
Marcus is just 30 years old and he's definitely found his purpose. He has a foundation and podcast both called Circle of M. That's "M" as in Marcus.
He uses both entities as a form of mental health care advocacy.
CBS3's Don Bell reported on this story.
