TAMPA, Fla. — You might know Jamel Dean as a stand-out cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but just a few years ago he had reached his breaking point and wanted to give up on football.
Thankfully, he had the support from trusted friends and family to overcome his mental distress, caused by repeat injuries and setbacks on the field, to keep going.
The rehab, perseverance and focus on mental wellness paid off. Dean was drafted by the Bucs in 2019 and was a key player in their Super Bowl LV victory.
Dean shared his story with reporters Friday as part of the Buccaneers new initiative, "Take a Time Out for Mental Health", a partnership with Sunshine Health, to share the importance of mental healthcare.
"I try to find things that bring me peace and I try to talk to our therapist once a week, he asks me how I’m doing. That’s my opportunity to get out anything I might be going through," said Dean.
Removing the stigma is one of the initiative's key goals while emphasizing that mental health requires the same awareness and support as physical health.
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Along with Dean, representatives from mental health organizations in the Tampa Bay area and Florida State Representative Traci Koster will be in attendance.