Bucs' Howell goes public about bout with depression
By ROGER MILLS
Published June 15, 2003
TAMPA - Clinical depression forced John Howell to miss the first 10 days of training camp last year, the third-year Bucs safety said in this week's ESPN the Magazine.
At the time, it was believed Howell needed to deal with the accidental death of a family friend and the resulting legal ramifications for brother-in-law Craig Norgard back home in Mullen, Neb.
But Howell, 25, said he stayed in Denver for a few days for treatment.
Howell kept the details of the disease and treatment a secret from all but a few members of the coaching staff and a couple teammates.
"When I first was presented with the opportunity to do a story about it, I was a little nervous and pretty hesitant," Howell said Saturday. "It was something that was in the past and it didn't really need to be brought up again.
"But, when I got to thinking about it, the more I remembered how helpless and alone I felt at the time, my agent (Peter Schaffer) put me on the phone with another one of his players who had gone through the same thing. Knowing how much that helped me, it made me think that if I could help one person by telling my story then maybe it's worth it."
Howell said he began taking anti-depressants and was worried about how the Bucs would react. He talked with coach Jon Gruden about his illness and was given the time he needed to recover.
