Former Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain begged for help on Twitter in a lengthy thread about his mental health and the NFL's treatment of former players.
I have to get my head checked. Playing fullback since high school. Its takes too fucking much to do anything. My brain is fucking tired…. @NFL i need some help with this shyt. Dark times and its showing. Fucking help me please!! They dont care I had to get lawyers man!
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
Need help and but more paperwork……
Fuck man— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
No fam…. its alot https://t.co/VcC6XPoSh2
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
Like im mad im pissed im crying im upset im a fucking mess!!!! Please man
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
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 fuck all that I need help now I need a plan….. Fuck Man. They dont fucking get it man
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
The 34-year-old was drafted out of Alabama by the Baltimore Ravens in 2007 and played seven seasons before retiring.
McClain's tweets became national news partially because perennial MVP candidate Andrew Luck shocked the country on Sunday announcing his retirement from the NFL at 29 years old.
Luck spoke passionately about the pain he was in and the never-ending cycle of injury and rehab that comes with playing football.
"This is the hardest decision of my life."@Colts QB Andrew Luck announces his retirement from the NFL. pic.twitter.com/Y5QTi4sCeW
— NFL (@NFL) August 25, 2019
His decision was shocking because quarterbacks are the most protected players on the field and routinely play for decades.
Luck's decision has become a watershed moment for the NFL as the sport grapples with the reality that football leaves players permanently broken and severely injured.
The NFL reached a $1 billion settlement with current and former players in 2013. As part of the settlement, the NFL created a 65-year fund for 20,000 players to receive, "baseline testing and compensation of up to $5 million for the most serious illnesses linked to football concussions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and deaths involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE."
Players have gotten more than $500 million in payouts from the NFL in the last two years.
A federal judge forcibly removed three of the four lawyers working on the case in May while players continued to lodge complaints about the rules of the program.
Much of what McClain mentioned, including red tape and lawyers, is what many other players experienced.
Like McClain, they were in need of urgent physical and mental help and were only met with lawyers and red tape.
“They had bad experiences with the NFL benefit program, both during their playing time and after their playing time, when they felt they were used and abused,” Philadelphia lawyer Gene Locks told the Associated Press in May. Locks represents 1,100 players in the settlement.
McClain continued to tweet on Sunday evening and Monday, even referencing Luck's decision to leave and commenting on the idea that people only care about the health of quarterbacks.
Watch how fast they come to aid if I was som3 QB or anything but no I was fucking fullback that did it all. @NFL I need help and i need the process to speed the fuck up Im about to crash out and its paperwork I dont wanna hear it. Fuck man im done…. Im out
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 24, 2019
Great career Luck I pray you don't have to go thru shyt on your mental like me now. I swear if you called and I answered cool but if I aint answered stop fucking calling me please. Yall dont care!!!!!! Leave me alone got damn it. Imma handle this the best way I can….
— LeRon McClain (@LeRon_McClain33) August 26, 2019
He tweeted more positive messages as the day went on, writing, "Another Day Another Opportunity All positive King All Positive."
McClain went to the Pro Bowl two out of the four seasons he spent with the Ravens before moving to the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.