Less than two hours before kick off on Sunday, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was ruled out from his team’s divisional match-up with the Carolina Panthers.
He released a statement explaining why shortly after.
Ridley shared on Sunday afternoon during the Falcons-Panthers game that he’s stepping away from professional football at this time in order to focus on his mental health. He thanked the organization for their support, but didn’t expand much further on his situation,
“These past few weeks have been very challenging and as much as I’d like to be on the field competing with my teammates, I need to step away from football at this time and focus on my mental wellbeing,” Ridley wrote in a statement. “This will help me be the best version of myself now and in the future.
“I want to thank my teammates, the entire Atlanta Falcons organization, our great fans, my friends, and my family for all of their support during this time.”
— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) October 31, 2021
Ridley missed the Falcons Week 5 game in London against the New York Jets, making Sunday the second time that he was absent due to mental health reasons. He returned last weekend after Atlanta’s bye and made four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown.
In five games this season, Ridley, a 2020 second-team All-Pro, has caught 31 passes for 281 yards and two scores.
Obviously Ridley’s physical and mental health comes first, so hopefully the time away will be beneficial. At that point, fans will hope to see him back on the football field.
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