Getty Hayden Hurst celebrates a big play.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst has been a superstar athlete for much of his life, and while that remains true to this day, he wants to use his standing to make a broader impact on the world.
Recently, Hurst revealed personal stories regarding his struggles with depression and mental illness. Hurst nearly committed suicide and has battled addiction issues previously. Fortunately, he’s gotten the help he has needed and while things aren’t perfect, is trying to come out the other side better.
In a piece with Chris Porter of First Cost News in Jacksonville, Hurst explained in detail what he’s gone through, and the lesson he hopes to impart to others now in the hopes that everyone has the confidence to deal with the everyday struggles they face.
Here’s a look at what he told Porter in the piece regarding what he hopes for the future:
“I want to use my platform to help people,” he said. “For some reason, people equate mental illness with having to be ashamed. It’s something you shouldn’t talk about. I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of. Everybody goes through something. The best thing my parents ever did was just being available. There’s not really a right or wrong thing you can say or an answer that can change everything but just making sure you’re available and you’re understanding. If my story is going to change the narrative on this and people are going to talk about it more, then so be it.”
Hurst also says to remember you’re not alone but he admits he still has his struggles.
“I don’t have the answers to fix all of this,” he said. “It’s still a trial and error to this day, but I will say I have much more good days than I do bad days. I’m not this superhero that’s portrayed on TV. I’m a regular person. I struggle with depression, anxiety and things like that.”
Now, Hurst is hosting a golf tournament on February 24 in Jacksonville in order to benefit the Youth Crisis Center in that city. It’s a great show from Hurst to put his time and efforts toward such a great cause which is near and dear to his heart.
In a day in age when players can make headlines for all the wrong reasons, it’s nice to see Hurst getting his name in the media for becoming a positive force of change in the world and help for others.
Hayden Hurst Stats
While Hurst might describe himself as an ordinary guy, it’s clear since he was selected in the first round of the 201 NFL Draft that he has designs on making a big impact. So far, after a pair of seasons in the league, Hurst has put up 512 yards and 3 touchdowns at tight end.
Along with Mark Andrews and Lamar Jackson, it’s tough to imagine Hurst not continuing to put up solid numbers and remain a major player for the Ravens into the future.
Ravens Roster Full With Young Upside
It’s easy to see Hurst continuing to be a leader and fit in with the Ravens given his age and talent level. Even in spite of some playoff shortcomings, the Ravens are still set up well to perform next season and beyond. A great tweet from Kevin Oestreicher shows that the reason for that has everything to do with age.
The core of Baltimore’s roster remains intact, and will be in their prime for a long time considering everyone’s age.
Age for some key players on the Ravens:
Marquise Brown: 22
Lamar Jackson: 23
Marlon Humphrey: 23
Orlando Brown Jr: 23
Mark Andrews: 24
Chuck Clark: 24
Gus Edwards: 24
Ronnie Stanley: 25
Marcus Peters: 27
The future is bright in Baltimore😈
With this considered, it doesn’t seem wise to think that the Ravens are going to go anywhere as a team that’s a league force. They’ve got a bevy of skill position players and guys at key spots who are young and ready to take the next steps in their career.
Hurst, after confronting his demons, is one such player, and it’s excellent to see him going public with his story and trying to make a huge difference.
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