Opponent thanks Dak Prescott for speaking on mental health. Listen to the conversation
Following Dallas’ dramatic win over Atlanta on Sunday, Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst had a message for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott:
“Respect the hell out of you.”
Earlier this month, Prescott made the courageous decision to be open about his struggle with mental health challenges while talking about the death of his brother Jace and COVID-19 in an interview with “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.”
After the Cowboys’ 40-39 win, Hurst jogged up to Prescott to have a quick word with him about something that had nothing to do with the game.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for what you did, came out and talked about,” Hurst said after flagging down and embracing the quarterback. “Me and my mom have a foundation about suicide prevention. Respect the hell out of you for talking about it.”
Prescott became emotional when speaking about his older brother who committed suicide in March during the interview with Bensinger. He also spoke candidly about struggling during the pandemic.
“I’m a people person. I’m somebody that likes to be around people. I like to inspire. I like to put a smile on people’s faces, day in and day out, and I like to lead,” Prescott said. “When that’s taken away from you simply because you’re forced to quarantine and not be around people and get around people as much as you would like to, yeah, it’s tough.”
In February, Hurst revealed that he attempted suicide in 2016 and struggles with anxiety and depression.
“I woke up in the hospital,” Hurst told First Coast News. “I didn’t know what happened. I had to have a friend fill me in. Apparently, I had been drinking and went into my apartment and cut my wrist. My friend found me in a puddle of blood. He called 911.”
During the exchange on Sunday, Prescott offered to “collab one day” in response to Hurst’s gesture.
If you or someone you know is thinking about self harm, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It’s available 24/7.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Opponent thanks Dak Prescott for speaking on mental health. Listen to the conversation."