A happy face does not always show the pain someone carries inside. Jay Glazer, a longtime NFL insider with FOX Sports, spent years hiding his struggles behind his public personality. When he finally opened up about depression and anxiety, the backlash made things harder. Yet he continues to use his experience to motivate others.
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“Was hesitant to post bc last time I did on X I got trashed with the worst comments and content was too sensitive to bother dealing with that s–t again,” Jay Glazer said on X. “However, I think on a day like today I will take the insults if it helps anybody. I am posting this on World Suicide Prevention Day with the chance it can help.
“It’s a battle a lot of us deal with and a having a daily battle between my ears is not something I signed up for. But with that said, years ago I made a DECISION to CHOOSE life and promise I will choose to make this same decision every day moving forward. Instead of being angry and resentful about my pain I now look at it as a way to be of service to others. It’s now my honor!”
Glazer has spoken openly about his mental-health struggles before. He has said he deals with depression, anxiety, ADHD and bipolar disorder, which he has referred to as “The Gray.”
In a November 2025 interview with The New York Post’s Steve Serby, Jay Glazer explained that his depression and anxiety started when he was around four years old. He said he struggled every day, both when going to sleep and when waking up.
His parents understood his needs and put him in therapy at just five years old. But even then, to hide that pain, he developed a very outgoing personality, which eventually became part of his public image and career.
But he wasn’t alone. Glazer’s wife, Rosie, has been a rock for him during his toughest moments, especially because she was the first person to simply ask what he needed.
He has also found support in Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who has faced similar mental-health struggles. The two understand what each other is going through and help keep each other going when times get tough.
“Michael Phelps and I will FaceTime each other when we’re having these moments. He does a similar thing. And we stop each other; it’s because we’re now these voices that can open up,” Glazer said on The Mental Game. “This used to be my friend, but that’s my brother.”
Beyond his own experiences, Glazer has also spoken about why many men struggle to open up about their mental health. During his 2022 interview with Men’s Health, he explained that many men may avoid talking about their mental health because they fear being seen as weak or “unmanly.” They may also worry that they are putting their problems on others.
Glazer also mentioned that he has opened up about his mental-health struggles to close friends, including Michael Strahan and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Instead of judging him, his friends listened and supported him.
“Nobody has told me I’m a wuss,” Glazer said. “Nobody has told me to s–k it up.”
The struggles did push him to suicidal thoughts, but he made sure he never harmed himself.
“You only have a couple of times in life you really get to find out who you are,” Glazer said. “But I made the commitment to the universe and to God, I’m not going to kill myself. I can’t now. Like, I’m not going to do it. Because if there’s anything I can do, I can take on pain, and I won’t do that to anybody else.”
With his own experiences shaping his outlook, Glazer is now using his efforts to help others. Glazer uses his book and podcast (both titled ‘Unbreakable’) to help people understand that they do not have to hide their mental-health struggles. In Unbreakable, he shares his own experiences with depression, anxiety, and other challenges, while his podcast lets him have conversations with athletes, experts, and other guests about mental health and ways to cope with difficult moments.
He has spent most of his career covering the NFL, but he has made sure his voice is heard.
Suicide Helpline: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, or call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.
You can also call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 at the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline. Trained crisis workers will listen to you and direct you to the resources you need.