Former NFL player Stanely Havili (30) opened up about his struggles with drug addiction in an interview with a Utah news agency KSL Sports last week. The former Philadelphia Eagles fullback currently works for a Utah addiction recovery centre called Reflections Recovery Center.

Havili revealed that he developed an addiction after becoming dependent on prescribed Opioids – pain medication often used by Gridiron players.

“When I got to the league I thought I was unique, I thought the opoids and the addiction, if I took it as prescribed it wouldn’t be a problem”, he stated.

“I ended up having a season ending injury against the New England Patriots and I was prescribed a boatload of percesets and that soon, within a month or two, became the answer to all my problems,”

Havili revealed that his drug addiction eventually spiralled out of control, adversely affecting his profession and marriage.

“I couldn’t stop using them so within a year and a half I was kicked out of my house, was kicked out of the NFL, and I was in park city living in a hotel room and I didn’t want anyone to find out.”

“….I ended up trying to kill myself three years ago. I took a 180 pills and I called it a day”, he stated.

Havili’s word of advice to athletes struggling with drug addictions was to take responsibility for their health and seek help.

“Seek out and get help, you guys aren’t the only one, not being able to correct this path only creates more guilt and shame because you got families, people have families who have kids, but they just can’t stop buying dope off the street.”

“I don’t blame anyone for my choices, they were mine and I own them, and that’s part of my recovery is owning my choices.”