Skip to content

Isaiah Renfro humbled by support after opening up about depression

Jennifer Buchanan / USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Renfro revealed his struggles with depression and anxiety over the weekend, and the now-former Washington wideout has been overwhelmed with support.

"It's a bit surreal - people calling me a hero," Renfro said in a Tuesday appearance on "SportsCenter."

"But I don't view myself as that at all. I see it as just telling my story, to see if I could help one or two people. I didn't imagine that it would help all these people."

Renfro, who caught 13 passes for 178 yards as a freshman for the Huskies last season, announced Sunday that he was leaving the team, and the school, to "conquer" his mental health issues.

In announcing his intention to leave Washington, Renfro said he does not plan to continue playing football.

"There's this persona in football that you're never allowed to be hurt, you always have to be strong, you can't cry, you can't have feelings," he said. "But it's okay to be hurt. I was always the strong one. But strong wasn't the right word. It was just me bottling my feelings in and not letting anything out."

The receiver plans to pursue a career in the fashion industry now that his football aspirations have been put to bed.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox