Darren Waller Sees Vulnerability as Strength, Not Weakness
He's overcoming the stigmas of silence that professional athletes often face.
By Faith on the Field Staff, June 24, 2022
Darren Waller is one of the top tight ends in the NFL, playing for the Las Vegas Raiders. He played in the 2020 Pro Bowl and has overcome a lot of adversity. One of the greatest realizations he has come to is seeing vulnerability as strength, not weakness. He spoke to Rob Maaddi about that in this week’s Faith on the Field interview.
In the challenges that Waller has faced, he is hoping that these experiences will provide a platform to help others. One of the ways Waller is seeking to be an example is by being transparent.
“I feel like just by being vulnerable (has) resulted in freedom for myself because when I hide certain things or when I mask certain pain, it's always going to be there even if I think it's not. Or try to make myself believe that it's not. It's still there and I'm carrying (it) around with me. So, when I acknowledge it, I take the power from it. And it allows me to be free.”
Listen to the episode here:
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Waller realizes that there have been stigmas in the past with admitting weaknesses, and he wants to end those stereotypes and create environments for him and his teammates where reality is celebrated and there is no fear in admitting you do not have it all together.
“I don't walk around with shame and guilt and things like that. And I just want to try to share that truth with other people. That's why if I go to a conversation, I'll initiate the vulnerability and say like you know I'm struggling with certain things, I’m scared about certain things or I'm or I may be worried.”
Professional athletes can sometimes be viewed as professional humans, who have it all together. Waller recognizes the fallacies of that thinking.
“I mean no matter what I've accomplished or how people view me, I'm still a human being at the end of the day. We all have issues and just kind of let people know that you know you don't have to be perfect or you don't have to. It's OK to feel whatever you're feeling and go through what you're going through.”
“I just don't think it's OK anymore for us to mask that pain and call it strength.”
