2025 was a tough year for the league with the passing of Dallas Cowboys‘ Marshawn Kneeland. Kneeland’s death (of a self-inflicted gunshot wound) came after a 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and shows how tough it can be mentally to survive the league. Recently, a former Seahawks player also confessed to the health struggles he faced, as one bad game forced his retirement despite starting 87 of the 88 games for the franchise in six seasons.

“We tied,” said Justin Britt on The Victory Degree Podcast, via Nik Atanackovic on Instagram. “I didn’t feel bad that we tied. Who cares? But, um, yeah, we played Sunday. We had Monday off. I went to work Tuesday. Um, and I have notes from film that we watched, but I remember that I can see the coach yelling at me, but everything else, I don’t remember the day at all.”

During the 2022 season, the Houston Texans faced the Indianapolis Colts in their season opener. They tied the game 20-20 in overtime, with center Justin Britt noting he was “a little out of control.” The outcome of the game took a toll on his mental health, pushing him to step away from the game as he was dealing with anxiety and depression.

Top Stories

NFL

Cowboys Star, Who Received Three-Year Extension, Faces Felony Charges After Arrest

11 hrs ago

NFL

Dianna Russini Gets Benched as New York Times Investigates Links With Mike Vrabel, Per Page Six

16 hrs ago

NFL

Former Jets QB & Fiesta Bowl MVP, Passes Away at 57 After Cancer Battle

1 day ago

NFL

Jon Gruden Accused of Rigging Draft Picks by ‘Killing Tapes’ at Raiders

1 day ago

NFL

Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift’s Wedding Date & Location Reportedly Changes As New Details Emerge

1 day ago

Where Do the Texans Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

QB

RB

FB

WR

TE

C

CB

DE

DT

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

S

T

View Tony’s Picks

Britt was also coming off a season-ending ACL injury in 2019, sidelining him for the entire 2020 season. Following that, he was once again placed on IR due to a knee injury in 2021 and continued to struggle with the same knee (80% cartilage tear) in 2022 as well.

The recurring injury issues, along with the mental pressure from the game against the Colts, led to him stepping away from the NFL eventually.

“I talked to the PA and then ultimately called the team,” said Britt. “And I was like, I’m not mentally fit to come to work. Like my mind broke, and they say the NFL is not prolonged. So it was kind of like, after I kind of clawed my way out of the hole, I was like, well, my time’s over.”

Britt revealed that there were some communication errors during the game as the offensive line allowed three sacks. Even the run game suffered because of the poor performance. Compared to the Colts‘ 177 rushing yards, the Texans covered only 77 rushing yards. But ultimately, it was Britt’s action that helped the Colts tie the game in overtime.

The center committed a false start penalty, and his late snap in overtime disrupted the offense’s momentum. During a crucial 3rd-on-1 in overtime, the defense stuffed a run behind his gap for a loss, leading to a punt and the tie.

From there on, things quickly escalated as he went into severe anxiety and depression. Subsequently, he was ruled out for the next road game against the Denver Broncos. Backup center Scott Quessenberry replaced him. 

Britt was picked by the Seahawks during the 2014 draft. In his first three years, he played at three different positions, starting with right tackle as a rookie. Next year, he was a guard, and finally, in 2016, he found his place as the starting center.

Britt has played 99 regular-season games and 7 playoff games in his 9-year-long NFL career before he decided to pull the plug on his journey. 

“I was in the business for 9 years, and I stepped away after week one because of sudden depression and anxiety, and went from the highest of highs to the lowest lows really rapidly,” Britt said on the podcast.

“Ultimately, I made the decision to save myself by removing myself from football, from what I thought was causing the issue.”

Talking about his post-retirement journey, day by day, he worked hard to build the courage needed to help him get better and eventually found another sport that helped him stay active.

“I slowly started to climb my way out and it led me to wanting to keep moving, you know, being active and that ultimately led me to running,” said Justin Britt while pointing to running.

Justin Britt takes up another sport to stay fit mentally and physically

At 31, Justin Britt’s retirement came as an abrupt decision, even to the former NFL player. From almost winning the Super Bowl in his rookie season to ending his career without a goodbye, Britt’s journey highlights how unpredictable the NFL journey can look for many.

Although he had retired from the NFL, he found his passion in another sport: marathon running.

“I call it the accidental love story, and I mean, who would have thought like a NFL center would be out here running half marathons, training for a marathon, and not just doing it at a slow pace,” added Justin Britt.

After hanging up his cleats in March 2023, Britt went for a run that summer. Despite being an athlete, every step felt heavy, as he could not even complete one full mile.

“My first run demolished me,” said Justin Britt, via the Seattle Times. “I didn’t even make it a full mile before I tapped out.”

Following that, he stopped running for the next nine months. While he does not exactly remember when, he gave running another shot. This time, he covered a little over two miles.

From then on, he ran every day until 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) became a routine for him. To date, the Missouri alum has more than a  dozen races under his belt.

He ran his first marathon in October 2025 in Chicago. He finished the race in 3 hours, 35 minutes, 51 seconds. In the first week of December, he took part in a Seattle Marathon.

While Britt found a way and support to recover from his mental health struggles, there are other players whose struggles go unnoticed. There is awareness in the league, but it is yet to reach a level where it can be a better help.