"Incredibly hard"

NFL pro confesses: “I’m a sex addict”

Jaylon Johnson made an intimate confession.(Bild: Associated Press)

NFL professional Jaylon Johnson was supposed to speak at a press conference about his new four-year contract with the Chicago Bears worth 76 million dollars, but instead he made an intimate confession. He is a sex addict and in therapy.

"I want to read something out very briefly," the 24-year-old began his statement. "I underwent therapy for my sex addiction last season. It was incredibly hard for me to tell anyone. It was something no one else knew."

"It's okay to seek help and be vulnerable"
He is aware that he is not the only one who has to go through something like this. "I feel like people think you have to put on a mask and you have to cover everything up. It's okay to go through things, to seek help and be vulnerable," Johnson said.

Jaylon Johnson(Bild: AP)

The cornerback focused on his therapy while his teammates took days off to prepare for upcoming games. "When I go to my therapist, I think to myself, damn, I'm uncomfortable. But all week I've just been preparing mentally. People talk about contracts, I didn't worry about that. I was just worried about getting myself in order."

Here is the video of the press conference:

Only two cornerbacks earn more
However, his new contract with the Bears is impressive. With an average salary of 19 million dollars per year, he is now one of the top three earners at his position. Only two NFL professionals earn more: Jaire Alexander (Green Bay Packers) with an average of 21 million dollars and Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns) with 20.1 million dollars. 

Johnson did not reveal to journalists whether he is still undergoing therapy. Nevertheless, it is a courageous step for which one can only take one's hat off.