In May, the NFL announced a new agreement with its players’ association to put a renewed emphasis on mental health.
“Part of that new agreement is every one of our 32 clubs has been required to hire a consultant who is at the team facility between eight and 12 hours per week, available to all players and has full access to the entire facility,” explained Sills.
“We have put a renewed emphasis on education, and we also recognise how important confidentiality is so have put in some very strict measures around that.
“This is an area we have put a tremendous amount of focus on this year and we think it is something we will continue to emphasise.”
It has been well received, with the league keen to promote “a climate of mental wellness” for players and staff.
“A lot of what has driven that is our colleges and universities have been doing it for a couple of years,” added Sills.
“Newer players are a little bit more accustomed to it; players who have been around a little time perhaps still have some adjustment.
“Around sports there is sometimes stigma, particularly in football, to be tough and play through injury.
“We spend a lot of time talking about preventing, say, ankle injuries or knee injuries, but there are strategies one can employ to prevent behavioural or mental health issues, so we would like to talk about that rather than mental illness – talk about mental wellness.”