Walker Says His Mental Illness Is Healed. Experts Say It’s Not So Simple.
January 26, 2018 · 6:48 AM ET
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid might not want to admit it, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes is as healthy as he has been all season. In fact, Reid believes that Mahomes’ mental illness is in the process of being cured, and the Chiefs’ star has talked about how he came to understand the condition in ways that have helped him deal with it.
Patrick Mahomes is on the mend. His mental illness is in the process of being cured.
Last season, Mahomes experienced a rare, but not uncommon, mental illness called schizophrenia. As a condition, it requires a high level of engagement and connection with others. Mahomes struggled to engage with people, at times disconcerting teammates and coaches with his erratic behavior, which culminated in him being benched for a game in favor of backup Cody Latimer.
Through it all, Mahomes carried himself with the same positive attitude. He kept working hard, remained optimistic and showed a great deal of resilience, which is perhaps why he was able to bounce back and even take another significant step in his recovery this season starting before Week 4.
“I think our conversation was we need to get through this. I think that’s a common thing we hear,” Reid told reporters in Kansas City late last month after the Chiefs’ 27-26 win over the New Orleans Saints. “And I think one reason we hear it, and that’s probably because people are seeing the way he carries himself: He looks up, and he looks through it, and he knows he can get through it.”
Mahomes has seen his mental illness in a new light and is working hard to keep his recovery process going.
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