Why NFL is expanding mental health services after deaths of Marshawn Kneeland, Rondale Moore

Mental health has been a hot topic in the NFL and across the sports world. 

This ranges from mental health care while players are in their careers, and after. In 2019, the NFL began addressing the issue by requiring every team to hire a part-time mental health clinician who could be available at the team's facility. 

At the 2026 spring owners' meetings, franchise owners approved a new rule requiring each team to have a full-time mental health clinician available at its team facility. 

Here is more on the NFL's approval of an expansion that requires each team to have a full-time mental health staff member beginning in 2026. 

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NFL expands mental health services

NFL owners approved an expansion of their mental health services. In 2019, the league's mental health program was instituted with a mandated part-time mental health clinician at every facility. That has now been updated, and the mental health clinician must be full-time, per Judy Battista. 

The hope with this expansion is that it will help further prevent player crises. Per Battista, "The NFL wants to address the entire continuum of mental health, just as it does physical wellbeing. There will also be an emphasis on helping vulnerable players who are separated from the teams, like those on IR." 

What is the NFL mental health policy?

The league does not have a specific mental health policy, but here is a statement that is on the league's mental health website:

"In collaboration with the NFLPA, the NFL is committed to helping build a positive culture around mental health by providing players and the NFL family with comprehensive mental health and wellness resources and equipping them with the tools to succeed, on and off the field, over the course of their lives." The league also states on the website, "In service of the NFL's commitment to players' long-term health and well-being on and off the field, the league provides collectively bargained mental wellness benefits and resources to current and former players." 

The change from owner's meetings just means there is a full-time mental health clinician on hand, and there is now an increased effort to reach players who are away from the team, on IR and recovering from injury. 

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Marshawn Kneeland, Rondale Moore mental health 

There was a big push to advance the league's mental health offerings because of the deaths of Marshawn Kneeland and Rondale Moore during the 2026 season. 

Kneeland died on November 6, 2025. Reports of his death included that he had been traveling at 160 mph and did not stop for a traffic violation. His girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, said that he was armed and had a history of mental illness. Officers performed a wellness check at his home, but he wasn't there. Kneeland was later found near his crashed vehicle, and responding officers ruled his death a possible suicide.

Moore was found dead in his home on February 21, 2026. His cause of death was confirmed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound by police chief Todd Bailey. The wide receiver had missed both the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons from separate season-ending injuries suffered in the preseason. 

Former NFL player Breiden Fehoko was outspoken after Moore's death about the NFL's problems with mental health. He said on his personal X account, "I don’t care, I’m retired I’ll say what I want. These NFL teams come out here and post these mental health awareness posts talking about they care about players ‘don’t be afraid to reach out’ etc. All they care about is what you bring to the table when it’s game day. Most players don’t wanna get help inside the building of an NFL organization because they know you’ll get looked at differently. You go to a staff member tell em you struggling watch how different they start treating and looking at you. I seen it first hand."