CHARLOTTE — A new report regarding mental health has become a shocking wake-up call for amateur athletes.
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suicide is now the second most common cause of death among college athletes in the United States, with car accidents topping the list.
Channel 9’s Scott Wickersham spoke with a former college football player about why this could be concerning to coaches, as well as parents.
Wes Bryant said he spent years wearing a football helmet at Vance High School before continuing to play at Wake Forest University. He is now the co-host of the Wes and Walker show on sports radio station WFNZ.
Though Wes played in the pre-name, image, and likeness money-making days, he still saw the pressure most athletes felt to go pro.
“They’re like, ‘I’m it. If I don’t make it, my family won’t get out of the projects, and we will still be struggling,’” Wes explained.
Now, athletes are making million-dollar NIL deals in high school, just for that fame and fortune to suddenly end.
“Some kids have t-shirts talking about their brand. Then they got to college, where there is no brand because you’re fourth on the depth chart. And not playing with no prospects of playing,” said Wes.
Wes’ mother, Fonda, has been a mental health advocate and educator for decades.
Fonda has faced her own struggles and even attempted suicide early in life. She now travels around the country to speak with athletes and coaches about prioritizing their mental health.
She said some athletes self-medicate with drugs, like marijuana.
“If they don’t take care of child mental health, it could lead to substance abuse and getting in trouble; it can also ruin their life to the point they end up dying by suicide,” said Fonda.
Fonda went on to say that sometimes the athlete’s parents can be a part of the problem.
“If they feel like their child is athletic and they might make some money, they’re going to overlook their mental health,” Fonda explained. “And in college, the kid thinks they might make the league, and they suppress that mental health. They worry about losing their scholarship, losing their playing time, and they keep it inside.”
Wes, now in his 40s, said he has seen progress, and discussions about mental health are becoming much more common.
He said problematic players aren’t bad people, maybe just people who need help.
“Before, you would have said that’s just a bad player. Now, with what you know about mental health. You said maybe he is undiagnosed bipolar and not taking medicine for it,” said Wes.
In February, the National Collegiate Athletic Association on Competitive Safeguards approved new resources to support athletes’ mental health.
They acknowledge the new pressures NIL money can bring to student-athletes’ lives. It includes therapy, social media harassment monitoring, mental health services at major sporting events, and substance abuse counseling.
VIDEO: NC bill would add 988 Crisis Lifeline to student IDs to help teens in mental health crisis
©2025 Cox Media Group