AJ Brown opens up about personal mental health struggles

Following an emotional Instagram post Friday, Titans receiver AJ Brown opened up to the media about his mental health. The third-year pro talked about the hardest period of his life, how he is improving and why it’s important to take these issues seriously.

“I’m sure everybody saw the video I posted on Friday,” he said. “That was a dark time in my life. Nobody really knows. I posted it because I wanted to encourage others to seek (help) whenever they are down. I didn’t know. I really didn’t take into consideration what depression really was. I always just brushed it off. I just brushed off my feelings and it got the best of me. I wanted to put out a positive message that I’m still here.

“I’m still growing. I’m still learning. I have a lot of things to be grateful for. Someone was there for me, so reach out to your loved ones. Ask them how they’re doing and listen to them because it’s important.”

A.J. Brown opened up about his message that he posted on social media about depression and how he contemplated suicide last year. #Titans pic.twitter.com/h3JXiPRSE5

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) November 18, 2021

In the Instagram post, Brown explained that at this point last year, he was contemplating suicide. On one of his most difficult days, it was the kindness of a close friend that saved him.

“I had no more hope for better days and everything was just going wrong for me,” Brown said in the post. “God told him all the right things to say to me that night. Take depression seriously. Take how you feel and how you handle situations seriously. Life happens to all of us but you’re not too tough to talk to someone and get things off your chest. Life is a beautiful thing and everyone should be able to live it to the fullest.”

This season, Brown is the leading receiver for a Titans teams that is 8-2 and in first place in the AFC South. He has compiled 41 catches for 567 yards and three touchdowns thus far.

Despite his mental health struggles last season, AJ Brown posted the best numbers of his NFL career. He finished the year with 70 receptions for 1,075 yards and 11 touchdowns, all career highs. It’s a reminder that even if things look great on the outside, that isn’t always the case within.

Thankfully, by his own account, Brown is doing much better now. He didn’t have to share his story, but he chose to in hopes that others could relate.

Brown and the Titans will next face divisional foe Houston at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday in Tennessee.