Former LSU Football player and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark sat down for a Tiger TV Exclusive.
Clark, hosting the second annual Planting Seeds of Hope event working to bring mental health awareness to the Baton Rouge community, free of charge. In the time of NIL and Social Media, Clark says there’s added stressors for athletes.
“When I was here, I had to focus on being a student athlete,” Clark said. “I didn’t have to understand how to manage my money, so I think that’s an added stressor, to a kid that’s 18 to 21, that they aren’t necessarily prepared for.”
Emma Benoit, a speaker in Wednesday’s panel, who attempted suicide is on the other side to tell her story, but Clark says Wednesday’s event is to help others realize their not alone.
“When you have someone as powerful as a voice like Emma, who’s been with the adversity she’s been through, been through what she’s suffered, it’s her message that’s most important,” Clark said. “The first thing is to allow her to tell her story and then it’s also to give people not only the tools they need but the information if they’re considering harming themselves.”
Clark’s son, Jordan, recently played for Notre Dame in the National Championship game. He says that it was something his family will remember forever but he hated watching the games.
“I’m so used to being at a football game and being the one on the field,” Clark said. “So watching was difficult, but we were so proud it was such an exciting moment for our family. Playing in the Sugar Bowl we had over 40 people there to support him, so it’s something our family will always remember.”
As LSU Football prepares for Spring practice and looks to redevelop their team after key pieces get ready for the NFL, Clark believes that this is one of the problems of a great program.
“I think that’s the good thing about being an amazing program,” Clark said. “Simply look at the rookie class of the NFL, I think that every year it’s about retooling through recruitment and the transfer portal and now it’s about development.”
You can catch Ryan Clark throughout the year on First Take, Sports Center, NFL Live and Get Up.
