Ravens TE Hayden Hurst Has a Personal Journey of Struggle and Perseverance We Can All Root for

In the NFL postseason, it's pretty easy to learn to dislike your favorite team's opponent, especially if they're the top seed like the Baltimore Ravens. That's just football. It's the way of things.

But sometimes, we can come together in support of a special kind of player no matter which jersey he's wearing. Such is the case with Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst, who has overcome mental health problems, substance abuse, and a what nearly became a suicide attempt to be where he is today.

Prior to his NFL career, Hurst struggled with alcoholism. At one point, he had gotten drunk and taken far too many pills, and had his girlfriend not called 911, he might have died.

Hurst came close to deciding to take his own life, and if he had had access to a gun, there's no telling what might have happened. Fortunately, he was instead able to get the help that he needed.

His issues stemmed from anxiety and depression, things that he still deals with today. Hurst has overcome his fair share of battles with mental health to get to this point, and he's done plenty of work to help children struggling with mental health issues as well.

For that, he deserves all of the credit in the world.

When the Ravens are out on the gridiron and Hurst is lining up at the line of scrimmage, take a moment to appreciate the trials and tribulations he has overcome.

He persevered in the face of daunting odds, and that's something that we can all cheer for.