What is surprising is how TJ's character gets airbrushed in the media, local and national. It's as if he has been exonerated of spousal assault and drug addiction because of his eagerness to "speak out". It's very peculiar. The media are very willing to "enable" his delusion that all his problems are the fault of two concussions. The story has been repeated so often as to become presumed fact. TJ has effectively wiped his character clean by telling his tale. He must feel empowered and elated by the fact he is being treated like a martyred hero instead of a malingering wife-beating drug addict, as most "average" men would be stigmatized with a similar history. Now TJ's on a high of sorts, where he's riding the martyrdom train on every available media outlet. It's a substitute for the sense of fulfillment and fame he had as an NFL player, which he lost upon retirement. I hope those seeking to help the truly righteous ex-NFL players suffering from football-related medical disabilities haven't hitched their wagon to the wrong horse. I hope TJ's story stands up over time to the scrutiny this issue demands, and his actions, past and future, do not wind up embarrassing those truly needy individuals whose cause he claims to champion.
