“Money cannot buy happiness,” is a classic proverb that some use to express the idea that money can provide security and access to experiences, but it isn’t a guarantee of true contentment and emotional stability. People who work in office buildings, retail, and corporations, as well as professional athletes, work to earn not just publicity but financial stability and success.
Unlike people who work the typical nine-to-five, a “bad day” at the office for an athlete is often analyzed by people on sports networks and scrutinized by millions of people who have access to their game or social media.
Miami Heat Forward Kevin Love, in collaboration with The Players’ Tribune, explains that people on the “outside don’t always understand that it takes all of your strength and willpower just to exist.”
“When you’re in a dark place, everyone around you, all your friends and family, they just want to see you doing what you love again, being happy, being the old you,” Love said. “It feels like the world is looking at you saying. Come on, man, just get over it.”
Trying to balance the strength to wake up for practice and games, injuries often play a huge role in the sense of poor mental health.
According to Matthew Smith of Irwin Mitchell, long-term injuries have been the topic of conversation when discussing mental health status with athletes, explaining that season or career-ending injuries not only steal physical traits but also impact mental performance.
“Career-ending injuries not only steal the physical abilities from athletes but also deeply impact their mental well-being,” Smith said. On February 26, Minnesota Vikings receiver Rondale Moore sadly passed away due to self-action. Moore suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2024 and 2025.
According to The Associated Press, when Moore learned of the severity of his injury in 2025, the receiver slammed his hand down on a cart so loud the sound was audible throughout U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke out regarding the tragedy, mentioning the humility and the traits of Moore.
“As a player, he was disciplined, dedicated and resilient despite facing adversity multiple times as injuries sidelined him throughout his career,” O’Connell said.
Even athletes who achieved the highest accomplishments in their sport, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, during his 2012 gold medal run dealt with a series of depression and anxiety.
With therapy and help from professionals, Phelps changed the way he viewed his problems and set off a trigger to start taking better care of his mental health. Also inspiring Phelps to begin the Michael Phelps Foundation to promote awareness.
“I can’t expect to have every answer today, but I also have to give myself forgiveness because I’m still learning and at times that is hard,” Phelps said.
In a 2021 interview, Eagles’ receiver A.J. Brown explained how being checked up on helped with his journey to recovery. “A lot of guys on my team have sat down and talked to me one-on-one about their struggles,” Brown said, “which we need to do more often. We need to look out for one another.