Autism spectrum, mental health and football

[Housh]

I’m not saying i think anyone who played has autism I’m just posing a question.



If it was discovered that guys like Antonio Brown and Vontaze Burfict were autistic, would their league wide perception change at all?


My job and family has allowed me to come in close contact with autistic people and Iv learned ALOT about the condition over the last fees years and I’m starting to think a lot of autism is undiagnosed.


This isn’t a joke thread either. I’m not picking wild players and cracking on them. I think we all forget sometimes that these ppl are humans with actual human issues. Football is just simple enough to where i believe someone dealing with a mental or developmental issue could get really really good at it.

I had a friend in high school who was a linebacker who looking back HAD to have something wrong with him.

I just wonder if any of our favorites maybe deal with this and we don’t know.

[CKwi88]

Wouldn't be surprising to me. Ever since my son's diagnosis I can't help but wonder about myself and some of my behavior growing up and to this day. That said, there are tons of factors. Socio-economic factors, the player's up-bringing and repeated blunt force trauma to the head spanning potentially decades.

But I do not think it is a stretch that some of these players go through life with undiagnosed mental health issues. And sudden massive wealth does not solve all of one's problems.

[Bengalzona]

(10-31-2022, 03:28 PM)CKwi88 Wrote: But I do not think it is a stretch that some of these players go through life with undiagnosed mental health issues. And sudden massive wealth does not solve all of one's problems.

Cases in point, Aaron Hernandez, Junior Seau or Rae Carruth. Fortunately, most mental health problems to not lead to such fatal and dramatic conclusions as those three.

[jfkbengals]

Brandon Marshall was a loose cannon before his mental health diagnosis helped him to get the help he needed. He then became a completely different person.

[TecmoBengals]

I'd not be shocked if many professionals, from many fields, have undiagnosed learning differences.