Former Dallas Cowboy and UTSA track and field star, Teddy Williams, has pledged to raise between $500,000 and $1,000,000 to develop a mental health program for UTSA’s athletes. The surprise announcement came late Oct. 18 at Pedrotti’s Ranch during UTSA Athletics’ second hall of fame induction ceremony. During his acceptance speech, Williams cited his own mental health struggles as a major contributor to this decision.

“I was once an athlete here, and I didn’t have a place to go. I didn’t know where to turn to get the help that I needed,” Williams said.

Williams is not alone in this sentiment, as a 2019 study found that 35% of elite athletes struggle with mental health, particularly feelings of anxiety, burnout and depression. To combat this, Williams hopes the funds are used to develop areas where athletes can decompress and feel comfortable seeking help and expressing vulnerabilities.

“If you can create a safe space where people can go and actually be able to dial down and feel their emotions, and be able to do what they do to get the best out of themselves, I want to create that space. I want to be able to bring that to UTSA,” Williams said.

Hailing from Tyler, the UTSA alum was a four-time Track and Field All-American, setting a world record in 2009 for the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.90 seconds at the UTEP invitational. After graduating from UTSA, Williams went on to be the first UTSA athlete to enter the NFL. Despite never setting foot on the field during his four years as a roadrunner, he went on to play for nine seasons.

Alongside Williams, four other alumni were inducted into the UTSA Hall of Fame: Derrick Gervin who played men’s basketball, Monica Gibbs who played women’s basketball, Michael Rockett who played baseball and Starlite Williams who played women’s basketball and ran track.

For those struggling with mental health, UTSA offers a wide array of services that can be found on utsa.edu/students/wellbeing/ or by contacting a Wellness 360 health provider at 210-458-4142.