After being drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, offensive lineman Cole Madison never reported to Training Camp.
Madison told reporters on Tuesday at the Green Bay Packers voluntary minicamp that his absence was necessary to focus on “mental health” without the distraction of football.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Madison said. “I love football, but at that point it was my health, and my life was on the line. I had to go help myself before my football career.”
It had been widely reported that Madison’s mental healthy issues had to do with former Washington State quarterback and teammate Tyler Hilinski’s suicide in January of 2018. But Madison said his mental health concerns started before his teammates death.
Madison said he didn’t think about football for much of last year. He didn’t even watch games. [Read more…]