Amid a frustrating season, Brandon Marshall is still finding a way to make an impact off the gridiron.
Marshall hosted his Third Annual Celebrity Ping-Pong Challenge at SPiN New York on East 23rd street Friday night as part of his “Project 375,” inviting fans and fellow teammates to face off in ping-pong matches and donating the proceeds from the event to children struggling with mental health disorders.
This is the second year Marshall has held the event in New York since MetLife became his home field in 2015 – first with the Jets. He’s made a name for himself outside of football while in New York with both the ping-pong events and his appearances on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” as a TV panelist, which he stepped away from temporarily after joining the Giants this offseason.
“I’d love to win a Super Bowl. I’d love to continue to have monster years,” Marshall said, “but when I walk away from the NFL I want my legacy to be that I changed the way we approach mental health.”
In 2011, Marshall’s admitting to Borderline Personality Disorder which later sparked his Project 375 initiative. His organization aims to raise awareness about the need for mental health care for children.
Marshall has been inconsistent on the field since then, but has made big strides in mental health treatment.
He said he’s seen his goal for his legacy come to life in recent years with fellow players reaching out to him and opening up about problems.
“It’s come a long way,” Marshall said of NFL players dealing with mental health. “We’re 0-4 right now, and I have guys coming up to me in the locker room asking me how to handle adversity. I think that’s a testament to (Project 375’s) journey, and in those moments, to have guys looking at you, you can’t ask for anything better.”
Although expectations were high for the now-winless Giants when Marshall teamed up with Odell Beckham this year, Marshall’s staying in New York could prove helpful to him for future charity events and a potential broadcast career in the future.
“Right now, our platform is here in New York,” said Marshall’s wife Michi said of the charity efforts. “Hopefully one day we’ll be in every city.”
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Article source: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/brandon-marshall-wins-passion-mental-health-article-1.3548026