4 days ago
Throwback: David Montgomery opens up about suicidal struggles fueled by fantasy football criticism
Photo byDetroit Lions running back David Montgomery is pulling back the curtain on the painful reality behind professional football. In a raw, revealing conversation, he describes how relentless fantasy football criticism during his rookie NFL season pushed him to the brink of suicide.
Beyond stats and highlight reels, his story exposes the crushing pressure players face and the human cost of being treated like fantasy assets. From a moment of despair to the phone call that saved him, Montgomery's journey is a reminder that athletes are people first, battling struggles few see—and that fans' words can cut deeper than they know.
David Montgomery on the mental health impact of fantasy football backlash
Detroit Lions running back
David Montgomery
is sharing a raw and personal look at the hidden toll professional football can take, revealing that relentless criticism from fantasy football fans once drove him to suicidal thoughts early in his NFL career.
During an emotional appearance on Sports Illustrated's Fantasy Dirt podcast with Michael Fabiano and Lindsay Rhodes, Montgomery described the overwhelming pressure he faced during his 2019 rookie season with the Chicago Bears.
'When I was a rookie, I had a real, real stressful time in the league,' he said. 'I was at a point where I would have this suicidal thought and it was just a depressing and scary year for me.'
Montgomery explained that the volume and intensity of criticism from fantasy football owners didn't just hurt—it deepened his mental health struggles.
'Unfortunately, the people in fantasy were kind of helping—they were helping me kind of be aided to feeling that way. I was at a point where I was scared to live.'
Inside the relentless scrutiny NFL players face from fantasy football fans
As fantasy football has exploded in popularity, many fans treat players like numbers on a screen, measuring them purely by weekly statistical output. For real athletes already dealing with injuries, performance expectations, and the physical brutality of the game, that extra layer of public scrutiny can be suffocating.
Montgomery knows that firsthand. Despite solid on-field production in his rookie year—889 rushing yards, six touchdowns, plus 25 receptions for 185 yards and a receiving score—he found himself the target of relentless online abuse from disappointed fantasy owners.
How one phone call helped David Montgomery fight back from the brink
David Montgomery recounted reaching a terrifying breaking point, describing how he was on the verge of doing something irreversible when his nephew unexpectedly called.
'I went through all of that stuff and one person who saved my life was my nephew,' he shared. 'I was in a situation to where I was this close to doing something that I knew I shouldn't have done, that would have changed the trajectory of my life or changed the trajectory of everybody else around me in my life.'
That moment of connection was profoundly human—and life-saving.
'He didn't say anything about football. He didn't say anything about how fast I was.
He just said, 'Uncle Dave, I miss you. How are you doing?' And my nephew, it meant so much to me because my nephew, he has leukemia.'
Montgomery says that after that crisis point, he realized he needed help. He credits therapy with helping him process his emotions, navigate the expectations of professional football, and understand his own worth.
'Yeah, it was scary, but I got a really good therapist,' he said. 'I've been working with a therapist for five years now, and being able to regulate and express my emotions and being able to allow myself to know that I am enough.'
David Montgomery's NFL career: overcoming criticism with standout stats
Despite the early challenges, Montgomery has delivered steady, often exceptional performances over his NFL career.
Drafted in the third round (73rd overall) by the Chicago Bears in 2019, Montgomery quickly became their featured back. He capped his rookie season with nearly 900 rushing yards and six touchdowns. In 2020, he broke the 1,000-yard barrier (1,070 yards, eight rushing touchdowns), adding 438 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, ranking fifth in the NFL in rushing yards that season.
In 2021, even after a knee sprain sidelined him for part of the year, he totaled 849 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, along with 301 receiving yards. He continued to produce for Chicago in 2022 with 801 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, and over 300 receiving yards.
Montgomery signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Detroit Lions in March 2023 and immediately made an impact. He finished that season with 1,015 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 14 games, helping the Lions reach the NFC Championship Game, where he contributed 113 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in a narrow 34–31 loss to the 49ers.
In 2024, even after battling an MCL injury late in the year, he returned for the playoffs and finished the regular season with 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 14 games. He also signed a two-year extension with Detroit, ensuring his role as a key part of their offense through 2027.
Now 28 years old, Montgomery has spent his career proving himself on the field—even when some fans refused to see beyond the fantasy box scores.
David Montgomery on finding purpose and joy beyond NFL pressure
Today, Montgomery says he's found perspective, joy, and purpose that goes far beyond yards and touchdowns.
'I've been through a lot of places where people don't even know who I am,' he reflected. 'But I get to create that perception for myself, to how I view myself and how my son views me. And, you know, I'm having the best time of my life. And I'm enjoying life for exactly what it is.'
Montgomery's story is a powerful reminder that professional athletes are human beings first—vulnerable to the same pain, fear, and need for connection as anyone else. His openness about mental health challenges stands as a call for compassion from those who cheer, criticize, and often forget that players are far more than just statistics.
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