Heading into the offseason, many believed the Detroit Lions would sign a big-name free agent wide receiver to a multi-year deal. Instead, the Lions signed former Jacksonville Jaguars WR D.J. Chark to a 1-year deal.
Following a recent practice, Chark spoke to Mike O'Hara of the Detroit Lions and he said that he truly believes that this is exactly where God intends him to be.
“I like it,” Chark said after an offseason practice. “You're never in the wrong circle. If I'm around the defensive backs or the linemen or defensive linemen, it's pretty easy to spark a conversation or be in the conversation, which is cool for me being a new guy.
“It's my first time in a while – new team, learning new names, learning a new city. I truly believe God puts you where you need to be.
“I think this is where I needed to be.”
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D.J. Chark explains why mental health awareness is important
Chark also spoke to O'Hara about how he has dealt with mental health issues and why that topic is so important to him.
“Looking back at it now, I'd worry about so many things that I'd become saddened,” he said. “I'd go inward. You hear about people becoming introverts a lot. I didn't open up to friends.
“I didn't want to meet new friends. I didn't want to meet new people.”
Chark knows that sometimes the “just suck it up” mentality is a roadblock to many athletes speaking up about mental health issues they may be having.
“It's one of the things that's definitely in sports, but also in life,” Chark said. “You have the ‘just suck it up' mentality. I feel like it's not spoken about enough.
“There's a little truth to that, in picking yourself up by the boot straps. There are also different practices or things that can help you with your mental health that will take you a long way.”
To read the rest of what D.J. Chark had to say to Mike O'Hara, including having to come back from an injury he suffered in Week 4 of the 2021 season, please click here.
