"Some help. Some therapy" - Richard Sherman recalls how he overcame off-field struggles to return to the NFL

Cornerback Richard Sherman was merely responding to a Tom Brady audible, in a sense.

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needing help in the secondary, the quarterback called Sherman to make the trip across the country and down to Tampa. Less than three months removed from the worst moment in his personal life, the free-agent cornerback talked with the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers about resuming his career.

Afterwards, he received a call from Brady. Sherman had this to say about the call:

"Once he calls. It's like you better come, or you're going to regret not coming."

Sherman understands the word regret. Since being arrested for an incident at the home of his wife's parents in Redmond, Washington, in July, he has been undergoing counseling.

He pleaded not guilty to these misdemeanours:

• Second-degree criminal trespass
• Malicious mischief in the third degree
• Resisting arrest
• Driving while under the influence and reckless endangerment of roadway workers.

During the incident, in a 911 call, Ashley Moss, Sherman's wife, told authorities he was drunk and threatening suicide.

It was a stunning development for a former face-of-the-franchise player from Dominguez High in Compton, California, who made the unlikely rise to prominence as a fifth-round pick out of Stanford in 2011.

Although occasionally controversial and bombastic, Sherman was previously regarded as an excellent guy that was involved in the community, which madehis meltdown even more surprising.

Sherman opens up about his mental issues

Sherman has begun the arduous process of addressing his issues and piecing his life back together, as he told reporters this week.

"There's always a silver lining to everything. Obviously, it was an unfortunate situation and regrettable. But it led to some really positive changes. Some help. Some therapy. Some tools that I didn't have before to address some things that you kind of let stack up in your mind."

"You never have time to address them. It's not the right moment. It's not the right place in your life to deal with these emotions and feelings. It really forced me to step back and go ask for help and get the help I need, and not be afraid and be [too] proud to ask."

Sherman said people, including players, flooded his phone with texts and messages confessing they are currently dealing with similar issues. However, he declined to go into specifics about the problems and the players.

"You always feel like you're alone. You always feel like, 'Hey, man, I'm the only one dealing with this. I don't want to burden anybody else…' In the Black community, it's one of those things that you're never taught to do, taught to seek counsel, to seek help. You always feel like, 'Hey, man, I'll deal with it. Tough it out. Let's get on to the next play.'"

Sherman credits his wife with keeping him moving forward personally and professionally by staying on track to resume his playing career.

"She's been a huge part. Her support with the kids has been monumental. Just my process and my growth and healing, and also my preparation for this moment, and even the ability for me to fly across the country on this journey with this team [Buccaneers]."

"My wife was the one who would get me out of the bed when I didn't feel like getting up, didn't feel like going to work out, or go run, or going to see the therapist, or going to treatment. She'd be the one who said, 'Get your butt up. Get out of the house.'"

Sherman seems like a new person, or at least someone willing to acknowledge and face his problems. As he moves forward, he aims to be a better person for himself and his family.

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