The Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson credited God with helping him to overcome his sex addiction during a press conference on Monday after he signed a new $76 million deal.
Johnson Sounds Off
The New York Post reported that Johnson, 24, held the press conference to discuss the four-year, $76 million contract he just signed to return to the Bears. He took this opportunity to reflect on his personal battles and open up about seeking therapy for sex addiction.
“It’s bigger than me,” Johnson said. “One, I’m not the only one going through it. Two, it’s OK to go through stuff. It’s OK to not be perfect. I feel like people put us literally on this pedestal to get up here and talk, ‘Oh, well guys are this, guys are that.’”
“Man, we’re human too,” he added. “We go through things. Everybody goes through things. But I feel like people feel like you got to put a mask on, you got to cover it up. No, it’s OK to go through things. It’s OK to seek help. It’s OK to be vulnerable.”
Related: Experts Claim Young Men Are Getting Addicted To Sports Gambling At Rates Never Seen Before
Johnson Thanks God
Johnson went on to credit God with helping him to get clarity on the situation.
“Through my journey with God, it’s like his light shines when you’re in the dark,” Johnson said. “But when you’re trying to be on the pedestal and you’re trying to take all the glory and you’re trying to be something you’re not, that’s when you take away who God really is. You got to go low to really let God’s work shine. That’s when his miracles are done. That’s when his work is done.”
“[Therapy] was harder than anything,” he continued. “Everybody talks about playing football games. That’s easy. Just going to see my therapist on off days, I’m like, damn, that’s where I’m uncomfortable. But just throughout the week, just preparing myself mentally, people talking about contracts, I wasn’t worried about that. I was worried about trying to get myself right.”
“For me, it’s bigger than the contracts,” Johnson concluded. “Me being who I need to be as a man, who I need to be as a father, as a partner, as a future husband, I mean, that’s more important. That’s something that will last way longer than this podium, way longer than this platform.”
Johnson was chosen by the Bears in the second round (No. 50) in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he quickly became one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. Last year, he garnered nods from the All-Pro Second-Team and Pro Bowl after recording four interceptions and 10 pass deflections while allowing only a 50.9 passer rating when targeted in coverage.
Johnson Thanks His Family
Johnson was initially franchise-tagged for 48 hours before he and the Bears agreed last Thursday to a four-year contract extension worth $76 million with $54 million in guaranteed money, according to Yahoo News. During his press conference yesterday, Johnson was accompanied by his mom, dad, stepmom, brother, girlfriend, agent and close friends, and he thanked them all for their support.
“I want to thank my family for pushing me since I was a little boy to be the best man and best player I can be,” Johnson said. “My parents sacrificed more than a lot to make sure I had everything I needed.”
“My dad always taught me about how powerful the mind is,” the cornerback added. “He taught me self-motivation. He taught me how to get my mind right to perform, and I’ve done that since I was a little boy. My mom showed me what strong faith looks like. Even when I didn’t want to hear it, she tells me what the godly thing to do or to say is. She has been a big influence on my relationship with God.”
One can’t help but applaud Johnson for using his platform to show the world how much having a strong relationship with God can help a person overcome something like addiction. May God bless Johnson, and may this talented young man remain strong in his convictions in the years to come!
