Darren Waller says being out made staying sober more difficult

After lacking 5 weeks with a knee damage and a optimistic COVID-19 take a look at, Raiders tight finish Darren Waller made his return for his staff’s dramatic extra time win over the Chargers in Week 18, which secured Las Vegas’s spot within the postseason. On Wednesday, Waller opened up about how his day without work the sector introduced an added problem in his battle to take care of his sobriety.

“Due to my illness of habit, that may have me pondering all types of loopy issues,” Waller stated Wednesday, per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “So, I’ve obtained to ensure that I’m speaking about these issues when I’ve all that idle time. I’ve obtained my therapist. Keep going to (A.A.) conferences. Stayed within the playbook. Engaged on music. Simply staying strong, preserving my head out of that idle time and simply into issues that I get pleasure from. And keep into the sport of soccer as a lot as I can.”

Waller battled substance abuse points earlier in his profession, which included a season-long suspension in 2017 when he was with the Ravens. He’s the staff’s candidate this 12 months for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Yr Award for his work with serving to younger individuals overcome and keep away from habit to medication and alcohol and assist youth and their households throughout their restoration and remedy journey.