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CHICAGO — Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is opening up.
The Chicago Bears’ fifth-year cornerback signed a four-year extension last week for $76 million and, on Monday, held a press conference. He used the occasion, with family and friends in attendance, to reveal how he battled a sexual addiction last year while also fighting on the field to obtain his new contract.
“I went to therapy last season for sexual addiction,” Johnson said. “That was the hardest thing for me to open up to my therapist about. That is something nobody knew about.”
Johnson said he felt compelled to announce his personal struggles and wanted to bring awareness to the issue.
“It’s like, man, we’re human, too,” Johnson said. “We go through things. Everybody goes through things. But I feel like people (think), like you’ve got to put a mask on, you’ve got to cover it up. Everybody was talking about playing football — that’s easy. I mean, just going out and seeing my therapist on an off day, it’s like, damn, that’s where I’m most uncomfortable.
“It’s bigger than me,. One, I’m not the only one going through it. Two, it’s OK to go through stuff. It’s OK to not be perfect. I feel like people put us literally on this pedestal to get up here and talk, ‘Oh, well guys are this, guys are that.’ Man, we’re human too.”
Johnson labeled what he went through personally as much tougher than what he had to do on Sundays as he became a second-team All-Pro.
“I was worried about trying to get myself right because for me it’s bigger than contracts,” Johnson said. “I mean, me being who I need to be as a man, who I need to be as a father, as a partner, as a future husband, that’s more important.”
The 27-year-old thanked God and family members for helping him overcome his struggles.
The Bears selected Johnson in the second round in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he’s quickly emerged as one of the leagues better corners. He earned All-Pro Second-Team and Pro Bowl nods last year, recording four interceptions.
