In an emotional statement that is sending shockwaves across the NFL community, the mother of running back Josh Jacobs has broken her silence about her son’s painful upbringing, revealing that the now-star athlete faced serious mental health challenges as a child — struggles that deeply affected his development and nearly kept him from ever stepping onto a football field.

“Please understand my son,” she said in an exclusive interview released earlier today. “He didn’t have an easy start in life. People see the player, the toughness, the stats — but they don’t always see the wounds he had to carry long before he wore a jersey.”

Jacobs, known for his aggressive running style and quiet demeanor, has long been open about his past growing up in poverty and at times experiencing homelessness. But for the first time, his mother has shed light on another side of that story: the emotional and psychological toll that came with it.

According to her, Josh battled deep anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma during his formative years. These struggles often left him emotionally withdrawn, overwhelmed, and in her words, “fighting invisible battles while the world around him expected him to be strong.”

“There were days when he didn’t want to get out of bed. Days when he didn’t believe he’d ever be enough — not for football, not for school, not even for himself,” she said. “He was just a boy trying to survive.”

She went on to explain that football, at first, was not an escape but another source of pressure — one he wasn’t always mentally prepared for. But over time, it became a way to fight back.

“We apologize if he ever seemed distant or inconsistent,” she added. “But my son did his best, every single day. And now we just hope people can understand that. He never wanted pity — just a little compassion.”

The statement has sparked an outpouring of support from fans, mental health advocates, and fellow players. On social media, hashtags like #SupportJoshJacobs and #YouAreNotAlone began trending within the hour.

Raiders fans — and NFL followers in general — have long admired Jacobs for his grit, but this revelation has cast his achievements in an entirely new light. Teammates and coaches are said to have known some details of his past, but many are reportedly just now learning the full extent of what he endured.

Former teammate and NFL safety Eric Weddle tweeted:
“Josh Jacobs is one of the strongest humans I’ve ever met. And not because he runs hard — because he lived hard and made it out. Respect.”

In a league where toughness is measured by broken tackles and hard hits, Jacobs’s story is a reminder that true strength often begins off the field — in the quiet moments of survival, pain, and perseverance.

No statement has yet been made by Jacobs himself, but sources close to him say he’s aware of his mother’s comments and grateful for the support pouring in.

This is a developing story.