Bears CB Jaylon Johnson reveals sexual addiction, therapy and growth

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson walked up to the Halas Hall podium Monday and took out a piece of paper. Before he could read off a list of thank-yous — to his dad and mom, his brother and girlfriend — he revealed something he’d never said publicly: that he went to therapy last year for sexual addiction.

“That was the hardest thing for me to open up to my therapist about, as that is something nobody knew about,” he said. “As I’m shining on the field on Sundays, I’m battling myself to grow throughout the week.”

Johnson had the best season of his life, earning a four-year contract worth $76 million that he agreed to Thursday. Asked why he wanted to reveal his treatment for sexual addiction, Johnson said that it was important for people to know that they’re not alone.

“In that place of vulnerability, I had a breakthrough,” he said. “I had a breakthrough with myself and I had a breakthrough on the football field. I wouldn’t say it affected me [negatively]. If anything it boosted me to be who I know I am.”

Johnson said he went to therapy to try to become a better person.

“I was worried about trying to get myself right because for me it’s bigger than contracts,” he said. “I mean me being who I need to be as a man, who I need to be as a father, as a partner, as a future husband, that’s more important. That’s something that lasts way longer than this podium, lasts way longer than this platform. So just for me looking myself in the mirror and knowing who I want to be, I think that was more important than contracts, contracts, contracts, football, football, football. Like man, football is the easiest thing for me to do.”

Going to therapy, he said, was harder than playing football.

“I mean just going out and seeing my therapist on an off day, it’s like, ‘Damn — that’s where I’m most uncomfortable,’” he said.

He leaned on his faith, too.

“For me to get up here and share, I want people to get up and really share and get on their knees, be at God’s feet to let them really shine in their life,” he said. “And help them in many ways that he has helped me.”