Charles Haley has one of the most unique stories in the history of professional sports. For starters, no other NFL player owns five Super Bowl Rings. But to accomplish such a feat while balancing life with bipolar disorder? It's hard to fathom that it was even possible.
The San Francisco 49ers legend and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame recently published his new book that details his trials and tribulations on his way to NFL stardom.
"Fear No Evil: Tackling Quarterbacks and Demons on My Way to the Hall of Fame" is the book where Haley opens up about the sacrifices he made throughout his career and how he hopes his story will empower others suffering from bipolar disorder.
How'd he land on the name? Haley revealed that and more in an exclusive Q&A with 49ers.com. Head on over to triumphbooks.com to get yourself a copy.
49ers.com: What inspired you to write the book?
Haley: "It's about education. It's not about my accomplishments. It's about the journey and how I turned my failures into success and how my mental illness affected my relationships with people."
49ers.com: Why was "Fear no Evil" selected as the title?
Haley: "That's my mantra, that I don't fear anything. I got that from Ronnie Lott. I used to follow him around because I wanted to know what made him great. I asked him, I said, 'Ronnie, what makes you great?' And he goes, 'I play without fear.'"
49ers.com: What was the most important thing you learned outside the game of football?
Haley: "I learned how to be a friend. I didn't know how to be a friend. Now, I've got relationships, and they blossom all the time. And I get to make more."
49ers.com: What do you want readers to take away from this book?
Haley: "I want people to understand one thing: I got my life back. I got my family back. I've got friendships back. I've shaken the devil loose. That's only because I accepted responsibility for my past failures. I sought help, and I got help. I don't care about Charles the player, I want people to understand Charles the person – the agony and pain that I went through. The little kid inside of me screaming for help for years and never got it. That's what I want them to take away from it."
