Skip Bayless criticized over comments he made about Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's mental health

DALLAS - Sports commentator Skip Bayless is facing criticism over remarks he made about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's mental health.               

Prescott recently opened up about his experience with depression. His brother, Jace, died by suicide in April.

RELATED: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott says his older brother, Jace, died of suicide

But Bayless went on TV and ripped Prescott for being honest about his mental health.

Of all days, this story grabbed headlines on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Thursday afternoon, Prescott talked at length about his experience and the importance of talking about mental health, and while one guy might have ripped him, he's getting a lot of praise from people in the community.

It was on his FS1 show where Bayless criticized Prescott for going public to discuss his experience with depression.

“You’re commanding a lot of young men, and some older men. And they are looking at you to be their CEO, to be in charge of the football team. Because of all that, I don’t have sympathy for him going public with ‘I got depressed. I got depressed early in COVID to the point I couldn’t even go workout,’” he said.

The comments drew instant condemnation across the sports world.

Former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant tweeted:    

“I get on twitter to laugh joke & spit real life **** with people but I’m being very clear with you skip bayless... **** YOU....I pray you never have to face mental illness or anything close to what people face with when they have mental health concerns.. you’ll fold like a *****”

Veteran NFL Network host Rich Eisen tweeted:

“Going after @dak for sharing mental depression and doubt publicly and how it affects his ability to effectively lead others says way more about the person who goes after him than it does about Dak….It's so serious a subject that I broke my rule about tweeting about what this person says because he's the personification of what's wrong with my business: being heard and discussed is more important than being accurate or, in this case, responsible.”

In a media availability Thursday, reporters asked Prescott about his experience with mental health.

Prescott first talked about it in a soon-to-air interview, in which he also discussed losing his brother, Jace, to suicide in April.

Prescott said it was tough being in isolation in the early days of the pandemic.

“It creates new emotions, emotions that I've never felt before but obviously dealt with and I've obviously gotten the help that I needed and was very open about it. But I think that's why I was fortunate enough to get over it as not all of us are,” he said.

Prescott was asked if he sees any vulnerability in sharing about his mental well-being, as a team leader.

"No I think that's a fake leader. I think being a leader is about being genuine and being real. And as I said, if I wouldn't have talked about those things to the people I did, I wouldn't realize that my friends and a lot more people go through them and that they are as common as they are,” Prescott responded.

“He’s a role model for all of those people who could be suffering and not realize that there is help out there, and they don’t know how to ask for it,” said Dr. Athena Trentin.

Dr. Trentin is executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness — or NAMI — of North Texas.

She said comments like Bayless’ are harmful and bolster stigma that so often makes people hesitant to seek help.

“It’s very hurtful, and that’s why a lot of people don’t speak up, won’t admit it. People like me who thought I was weak and I wasn’t strong enough and I just had to push through it all,” she said.

NAMI North Texas has resources for those seeking help at https://www.naminorthtexas.org/.

There is also a national suicide prevention hotline people can call at any time: 800-273-8255.