In an interview May 3 at the Eagles’ minicamp, the 6-foot-5, 330-pound Shawn Andrews did something that athletes almost never do — especially offensive linemen in theN.F.L. who are shielded by helmets, pads and a macho culture that discourages any acknowledgment of vulnerability. He spoke at length about his struggles with depression, which he revealed last summer after holding out from training camp.
Andrews weighed 230 pounds by age 12 and said he had wrestled with his self-image for years, having been picked on because of his size and because he grew up poor in Camden, Ark. He said he received word before his rookie season in 2004 that a childhood friend was planning to have him killed over money. He said he had come to regret spending lavishly on expensive cars and other baubles that he now considered frivolous.
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