Former NFL running back Willis McGahee opened up about the suicidal thoughts he had after his playing career ended.

Speaking to The Athletic's Tashan Reed, McGahee admitted suicide "crossed my mind a couple of times" in the period after he left the NFL.

"When it's gone, you really have nothing to fall back on," he said. "It's just a lot coming at you, man, and it gets mentally tough."

The topic was part of a larger discussion McGahee had with Reed about trying to improve the NFL's disability plan for former players who are either unable to work or limited in what they can do because of a disability or neurocognitive impairment:

"In his second year out of the NFL, McGahee sought benefits through the NFL Disability Plan. Three potential benefits provide monthly payments through the plan: Total & Permanent Disability benefits, which are for former players who are unable to work due to disability; Line of Duty Disability benefits, which are for players who have a substantial disablement due to NFL activities; and Neurocognitive Disability benefits, which are for players with mild or moderate neurocognitive impairment.

"To receive benefits, former players must complete an online application, provide supporting documents and attend at least one medical examination by what's described as a "neutral physician" chosen by the NFL Disability Board. (Commissioner Roger Goodell is the chairman of the board, which is composed of three voting members selected by the NFLPA and three voting members selected by the NFL.) From there, the board makes a decision."

Reed noted that McGahee received the Line of Duty benefits, but his application for Total and Permanent benefits has been denied every year he has applied for it because "the doctor he went to see didn't actually look at his records supporting his impairments and deemed he was still capable of working based solely on a physical observation."

McGahee was one of 10 former players who filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL over disability pay in February. The players state in the lawsuit they have "powerful statistical evidence" to show that physicians have a "high rate of rendering opinions adverse to benefits applicants" based on how much money they are being paid by the board.

Reed noted McGahee deals with numerous physical ailments from his football career, including a slipped disc in his back that can make getting out of bed difficult, knee pain, stiff joints, numbness in his feet and neurological issues that McGahee attributes to concussions.

"It sucks," McGahee said. "It hasn't gotten better. Nothing has gotten better. Everything, as time goes along, gets worse. That's where I'm at right now. I'm just trying to figure it out. It's very emotionally stressful. It takes a toll on the mind and the body. Because every day you're trying to figure out, 'What's next? How am I gonna get over this hump?'"

McGahee had an 11-year NFL career with four different teams from 2003 to '13. He was a first-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2003, but missed his rookie season recovering from the knee injury he suffered in Miami's loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.

After making his professional debut, McGahee ran for more than 1,000 yards in three of his first four seasons. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice and finished his career with 8,474 rushing yards and 65 touchdowns in 142 games.