Walking Away From Destructive Behavior

Even if you are not a football fan, you have probably read or heard news stories about NFL players being arrested for an assortment of reasons including animal abuse, spousal abuse, armed robbery and even murder. Most of us shake our heads and wonder how a young person given the opportunity to make the type of money that an NFL player commands can be so stupid. Others wonder why the NFL condones such behavior by allowing these players to continue their careers in the NFL.
Baltimore Raven's linebacker Rolando McClain recently retired from the NFL, after three seasons, at the age of twenty-four.  McClain decided to walk away from his NFL career and re-enroll at the University of Alabama because he was concerned about his self-destructive behavior and feared he might eventually do harm to another human being.

McClain told ESPN Magazine that he had dark thoughts. “I felt like Aaron Hernandez,” the former linebacker said in the article. “Like I just wanted to kill somebody.”  According to ESPN, McClain felt overwhelmed by the stresses of the NFL.  He was angry as well.  He told reporters that his friends and relatives asked him for money and that he spent over $600,000 on them after signing his rookie contract.  

McClain's life has not been an easy one.  He was born July 14, 1989 in Decatur, Alabama. He grew up in the projects in Decatur.  At age 15, he had to get a retraining order against his mother, Tonya Malone, after she beat him and threatened him with a knife. She was later arrested after threatening his entire high school which resulted in a lock down. She was later diagnosed as bi-polar. Although McClain's father was awarded custody of Roland, he ended up living with several different families during his high school years.

McClain signed a $40 million dollar contract with the Oakland Raiders in July 2010.   He was released from the Raiders in April 2013 and then signed by the Baltimore Ravens before deciding to retire from football in May 2013.  During his stint in the NFL, McClain was arrested several times.  He was arrested December 1, 2011 for third degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm inside city limits, all misdemeanors, and for a shooting incident the night before. He was found guilty on all counts.  He was arrested again on November 18, 2012 with charges being dropped after the victim agreed to a financial settlement. He was arrested a third time on January 8, 2013 after Decatur police pulled him over for a window tint violation and e gave the police a false name.  He was arrested once again on April 21, 2013 for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. 

McClain has apparently done some soul searching as he decided to walk away from a $700,00 contract with up to $400,000 in incentives after realizing he is full of anger and walking a self-destructive path.  He told ESPN, "I felt like Aaron Hernandez, like I just wanted to kill somebody."

McClain should be applauded for his decision.  How many young men, or people for that matter, possess the self-awareness needed to realize they are headed down the wrong path?  How many are strong enough to walk away from that kind of money and the life style it can buy?  

Watch this video on espn  http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9882568/nfl-former-oakland-raiders-alabama-linebacker-rolando-mcclain-self-imposed-exile