In a recent article written by himself and published in The Player's Tribune, wide receiver Calvin Ridley opened up about his NFL suspension and much more.

The new member of the Jacksonville Jaguars spoke directly to NFL fans in a powerful and heartfelt message that took readers behind the scenes of his situation. 

In the article, Ridley covered many topics, including how he ended up betting on the Atlanta Falcons, a foot injury he was dealing with behind the scenes, and even context about his life story.

"All I want is for people to understand that, when I made those bets, there was a hell of a lot more going on with me," wrote Ridley in the story published on Wednesday.

"Back then, I was depressed. I was battling anxiety. I didn’t even want to leave my house."

Ridley revealed he played most of the 2020 season, when he caught 90 passes for 1,374 yards, with a broken foot. 

"When I got the MRI, though, the trainer told me it was just a bone bruise. So I kept it pushing. I took Toradol shots every Sunday, and I finished the season," wrote Ridley, also stating that it wasn't until the Falcons' new trainer came in that he learned about his broken foot (following the 2020-2021 firings in Atlanta).

Before the Falcons were supposed to travel to London in 2021, Ridley decided he couldn't go. His home had just been robbed and felt he "couldn't leave" his wife and daughter.

"That’s when I finally broke down and told the team that I needed help," wrote Ridley for The Player's Tribune.

The current Jaguars wide receiver described his experience talking to a therapist and discovering the names of what he was dealing with: Stress, anxiety, and depression. 

Toward the end of the story, Ridley describes how his decision to bet on the Falcons came about: 

"I just f***ed up. Period. In a dark moment, I made a stupid mistake. I wasn’t trying to cheat the game. That’s the thing I want to make clear. At the time, I had been completely away from the team for about a month. I was still just so depressed and angry, and the days were so long. I was looking for anything to take my mind off of things and make the day go by faster. One day, I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone. I deposited like $1,500 total, literally just for something to do. I was going to bet like $200 on some NBA games that night, but then I just added a bunch more games to a parlay. I put the Falcons in on it. I was just doing it to root on my boys, basically. I didn’t have any inside information. I wasn’t even talking to anybody on the team at the time. I was totally off the grid."

Ridley's powerful message is worth the read and you can find the article here.

The story is also a reminder of something Jaguars and NFL fans must never lose sight of. NFL players are human. 

Sure, they seem like indestructible superheroes on the playing field. They do stuff you and I could never dream of doing. But even though they're wearing helmets and shoulder pads while doing all of these incredible feats, they are humans. Period.

They deal with real-life problems just like the rest of us and many of them have very heavy baggage with them. Ridley's story is one of many in sports that prove this. 

So next time they drop a football or miss a read, don't get personal about it. You never know what is going on in their lives. And between you and me, this is something that applies beyond sports. 

"Frankly, there isn't anyone you couldn't learn to love once you've heard their story," children's television host Mr. Rogers used to say.

As for Ridley's career moving forward? He claims to feel better and healthier than ever. Physically and mentally. He even shared a prediction for his 2023 production:

"On my daughter’s name, if I’m healthy? With Trevor Lawrence? I’m giving Jacksonville 1,400 yards a season, period." 

But if you're rooting for Calvin Ridley this season, keep in mind one thing: That 1,400-yard mark he self-imposed is a bonus. 

The newest member of the Jaguars has already won after growing immensely as a person while being away from the game.

If you haven't yet, make sure you read his full article for The Player's Tribune here.