Former NFL offensive lineman Kyle Turley, 37, is suffering from severe mental problems and has considered suicide. During his NFL career Turley was diagnosed with two concussions but he believes he suffered more that were undiagnosed.
“No one in my family has ever gone crazy and killed themselves or thought about that. I have,” Turley said during a phone interview with U-T San Diego. “It’s not a thought that is fleeting. It’s a thought that goes away when I’m on my medication, and the thought of doing a lot of crazy things as well and making unbelievable decisions.” Turley told U-T San Diego.
Turley told the paper that the medication, Depakote, “stops me from doing a lot of things my brain wants me to do in destructive ways.”
During his NFL career, Turley appeared in 109 games for the Saints, Rams and Chiefs and may best be remembered for this helmet toss.
Turley has agreed to have his brain donated to medical research upon his death and has donated money to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.
“I’ve got as good of a chance as anybody of going down that road into crazy land or into super crazy disease land,” Turley told the paper. “I’ve got every opportunity to probably be in the same boat in the future, and I don’t know how far in the future. It’s very, very disturbing, very frustrating, very stressful to deal with, especially having children.”
Turley called the NFL Life Line after the suicide of former player Junior Seau saying it was something he felt he had to do.
