Former Jackson State football offensive lineman Tyler Brown won’t be suiting up for Colorado this fall.
Brown has been denied an immediate eligibility waver that would have allowed him to play for Colorado – his third program in three years. He posted a long statement on social media announcing the news.
A devastated Brown was hoping for a hardship waiver due to mental health issues that date back to his days at Louisiana, including the loss of a teammate right before his very eyes. He released a video detailing an incident that happened while there that led to his transfer to Jackson State.
“My mental health appeal wasn’t a made up scenario to justify me coming to Colorado to play,” Brown said in his statement. “I’ve struggled with my mental health my entire life. I’ve been going to therapy and on antidepressants as well as anxiety medication since I was 18 years old. It’s nothing I’m ashamed of or hide from.”
It’s a situation that many student-athletes are finding themselves in these days. Former North Carolina Central wide receiver Tez Walker is still waiting on a waiver to play immediately at North Carolina after playing the last two years at Kent State.
Brown was only recently cleared to practice after battling mononucleosis, according to Buffzone.
Tyler Brown spent the first three years of his career at Louisiana before hitting the transfer portal and landing in the lap of Deion Sanders and Jackson State football. He started in all 13 games for JSU as it went 12-1, winning a second-consecutive SWAC title and a Celebration Bowl appearance. Brown was one of several players (as well as coaches) to follow Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado football.
Brown called his request being denied “a call to action.”
“There are some days I don’t even wanna leave my apartment and just isolate,” Brown continued in his statement. “Football has always been the largest tool in helping me through my struggles and not having that hurts. But, I will continue to push through and find a way every single day to be the best Tyler Brown I can be. This is a call to action.”