Being a professional athlete in any sport or league comes with countless challenges. But perhaps the toughest challenge is never getting the chance to truly thrive. The reality is, most athletic careers are short-lived. Only a small percentage become multimillionaires, and some even go broke shortly after their playing days are over.
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With these difficulties comes a lot of pressure and worry, especially for athletes who are practice squad players or backups, those who rarely have a shot at big contracts. This can take a mental toll on anyone. Athletes also train hard, and while doing so, hurt their bodies. Some suffer serious injuries too, be it concussions, ACL tears, or Achilles injuries — and those stay with you forever.
Joining The Pivot Podcast during Men’s Mental Health Month, former NFL wide receiver Trent Shelton opened up about those struggles and his own battle with mental health. He did face quite a bit of rejection, even after making it to the pros.
Shelton played college football at Baylor, and like many college prospects, he had dreams of becoming a successful NFL player. He was luckily signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2007 as an undrafted free agent, then joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2008 and the Washington Redskins in 2009.
Shelton never saw the NFL field, though. He remained a practice squad member on all three teams. He did play for the Tulsa Talons (of the AFL) in 2011, recording 43 receptions for 602 yards and nine touchdowns. But that was the extent of his football career. And while navigating it, he wanted to give up one too many times. However, he realized that doing so would mean letting down and giving up on his loved ones.
“There was a time where I was like, ‘Man, you know what, maybe it’s just better if I gave up,’” Shelton said. “Then I looked down and saw the tattoo of Tristan, my son. And I knew if I gave up on me, I’d be giving up on him.”
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While Shelton never had the successful NFL career he had hoped for, he found success afterwards. Today, Shelton is a performance and purpose coach. His mission is to inspire people to reach their full potential by recognizing their greatness and becoming the best versions of themselves. He currently has 28.8 million followers on Instagram.
His website can be found at trentshelton.com.
