Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin knows a lot about what recently-suspended New England Patriots receiver Josh Gordon is going through.
Appearing on WEEI’s “Dale & Keefe” on Friday with Rob Bradford and Steve DeOssie, Irvin said he was sad when he heard the news that Gordon was stepping away from football to work on issues involving his mental health, and related to the 27-year old’s struggles with substance abuse while reflecting on his own personal battles.
“Each day you have to find a reason ahead of it,” Irvin said, via WEEI. “You have to find something in your tomorrow that keeps you away from your yesterday.”
Irvin dug deeper into his own problems.
“I can’t tell you the amount of regret I live with thinking about some of the decisions I made,” he added. “Every day of my life I think about it … I had a great career even though I have those issues. The regret I live with is insurmountable. If I live with the kind of regret I live with and still was able to accomplish those things, I’m so worried about (Gordon’s) future.
“You need something to continue to pull you out,” Irvin said, adding that Gordon “won’t have anything” without football.
“It’s a life-saver for so many people. It was a life-saver for me. We’ve got to use the game to save lives,” he said. “I hope he has somebody around him to keep him from doing more harm to himself. And keep him around, seriously, on Earth.”
Gordon’s playing days may be over, but it seems that most people around the game have their hearts and thoughts in the right place, which is with Gordon’s mental health.
