Rashard Mendenhall was a talented football player. But that talent couldn't hide the pain the former Steelers and Cardinals running back felt during his career, a career that he ended after just six seasons.

On Tuesday, Mendenhall wrote a story detailing the struggles he dealt with during his playing days. Most notably, he states that he suffered emotional and verbal abuse by coaches and fans that continues to affect him.

"In my life I was so used to being berated by coaches and fans, who would then turn around and expect me to score the game-winning touchdown, that I became conditioned to withstand what I later learned was emotional abuse," Mendenhall wrote. "I never took into account that not everyone is conditioned to be calloused. I struggle everyday to learn how to communicate in a way that inspires change, without destroying confidence."

A first round pick in 2008, Mendenhall enjoyed success in Pittsburgh, rushing for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2009 and 2010. But he received criticism throughout his career, criticism that reached a frenzied pitch when he made a critical fumble in Super Bowl XLV. Following the 2011 season, Mendenhall needed a change, and said that his final season, spent as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, was his most memorable season in the NFL.

Mendenhall also touched on the hardships he's endured as he's adjusted to life after football. He says that he feels forgotten by the fans that once cheered him, and admits that several of the people he considered friends during his playing days are now out of the picture.

"Everything you do professionally is forgotten when your career ends," he wrote. "After being praised for your ability since little league, it’s tough to find self-worth when you’re no longer 'the man'. Many people you thought were friends disappear when the home games and parties end."

Mendenhall said that, after talking with a friend of the late Junior Seau, it was the depression that many former football players endure is what had more to do with Seau's death than injuries he sustained from the game.

"In a conversation with a friend of Junior Seau, he said Junior was a guy who enjoyed the shine," Mendenhall wrote. "He took care of the people around him and fueled off the love he got from ball. When he retired after 20 seasons and the acclaim was no more, he no longer had an identity. He believes the resulting depression had more to do with Junior’s passing than anything else. Through my own experience with the drastic change, I solemnly understood."

While Mendenhall paints a pretty dark picture of his life, he says he's in a good place now despite the negative impacts that remain from his time as a football player.

"I’m happier now than I ever was playing in the NFL," he wrote. "I’ve learned it’s okay to ask for help. My life coach has taken me further than I could’ve ever gotten on my own. To the players that have struggled to find a fulfilling life apart from the game, keep fighting. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. The struggle is real for each one of us. But just like on that field, we’ll find a way. We always have. We always do."