Former Patriots Starter Opens Up About Mental Battle Post-Injury

Offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor is set to hit free agency next week, and the former New England Patriots starter is set to earn a big contract on the open market.

But it wasn't always easy for Eluemunor, as he shared to The Athletic's Dan Duggan.

Opening up about his early-career struggles, Eluemunor shared a story about his brief stint with the Patriots. Playing both guard and tackle, Eluemunor (along with a sixth-round pick) was traded to New England in 2019 for a fourth-round pick heading back to the Baltimore Ravens. He didn't play much in his first year with the Patriots. When 2020 hit, he got more run in the starting lineup.

After missing time on IR with a torn ligament in his ankle, he returned to the team -- only to be dealt another blow during practice. A teammate fell on his ankle, leading to more pain.

"My entire leg gave out and I got ran over and I remember crying in the freaking corner and Bill (Belichick) is just looking at me like I’m crazy," Eluemunor told Duggan.

The Patriots Soon Switched Eluemunor's Position

Despite starting the year at right tackle, he was switched to the other side of the line when he was healthy. Struggles persisted for Eluemunor, who remembers opening up in the office of one of the Patriots' trainers.

"I remember crying for 30 to 40 minutes because I just couldn’t handle it," Eluemunor said. "I had so many emotions going on, I had so much going on in my head, I had so many negative thoughts. I was past my breaking point. There’s rock bottom and then there’s something under rock bottom that no one really talks about. There’s a whole other level of depression that I hope people never get to."

Dec 10, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; New England Patriots offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor (72) looks on during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Eluemunor shared he began to take antidepressants, something he admitted he didn't like how they made him feel. Support from his wife, and the trainer Daryl Nelson, helped him regain his mental balance.

But that didn't mean he wasn't drained from the constant negativity he saw about himself online.

"You’re sitting on your couch shelled up, just lifeless," Eluemunor said. "I’m praying for the season to be over because I just don’t want to play football. I had to talk to some mental specialists who asked me every single day, 'Are you thinking about killing yourself?'"

Eluemunor left New England after 2020, having brief stops with the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders. It wasn't until he signed with the Giants that he turned it all around. He's now facing unrestricted free agency, expecting to land a major contract.

He's also got a clearer mind on his journey to get to where he is now.

"It could have taken one bad decision, and God knows what would have happened," Eluemunor said. "I think if maybe one more thing happened, it probably would have pushed me toward that, but luckily I had people in my life that were able to pull me away from that before it got worse."

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