The longer Philadelphia Eagles guard Shawn Andrews was missing from training camp, the more suspicious some fans grew as to the reasons why.  

He’s probably on drugs, some diehards speculated in the blogosphere. He’s holding out for more money, others wrote on the Philadelphia newspapers Web pages. He’s fat, lazy and just doesn’t want to get hurt in football contact drills, still others opined.

The Eagles put Andrews on the “unexcused absence list” and fined him $15,000 for every day he wasn’t in camp.

But the 6-foot-5, 335 pound two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman ended the mystery earlier this week, shocking reporters and fans by revealing that he was battling depression.

“I’m willing to admit that I’ve been going through a very bad time with depression,” the usually happy-go-lucky Andrews told The Philadelphia Daily News’ Les Bowen. “I’m on medication…trying to get better.”

An estimated 19 million Americans suffer from depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While more and more people are being treated for what can be a debilitating disease, athletes – from the college ranks to the pros – remain reluctant to talk about or seek treatment, mental health and sports industry experts say.  

“To admit such a thing in the ‘biggest, fastest, strongest’ culture, it could be seen as a failure,” Dave Czesnuk, director of operations of Sport and Society, a Northeastern University Center told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “A whole lot of resources are spent to keep athletes healthy on the field. But when you get into mental health side of the game, it’s seen as a luxury or is considered an off-the-field issue.”

Andrews is the latest in a recent string of athletes whose bouts with mental health issues has made headlines. Former NFL star Herschel Walker revealed this year in his book, “Breaking Free,” that he suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct personalities or identities.

Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams, who was so shy that he did media interviews wearing his visor-covered football helmet, was diagnosed with depression and social anxiety disorder. He also has had to cope with a drug problem that led to an NFL suspension.

In 2004, WNBA all-star Chamique Holdsclaw, then with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, left the team in the middle of the season, prompting rumors that she was on drugs or pregnant.

Months later Holdsclaw admitted that she suffered from a depression so deep that it drained her competitive spirit and alienated her from family, friends, and teammates.

“Depression, people just don’t realize how it can take over your mind,” she told The Washington Post. “Yes, I was walking around and looked fine.”

Andrews isn’t the only Philadelphia Eagle who has grappled with depression. After Andrews went public with his case, veteran free safety Brian Dawkins acknowledged that he was treated for depression early in his career.

And Andre Waters, the hard-hitting defensive back under Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan, struggled with post-retirement bouts of depression before he committed suicide in November 2006.

Yet for all these examples, athletes who may be suffering from symptoms of depression afraid to seek help either from team doctors or private mental health providers, Czesnuk said.  

Andrews was no different. He said he knew something was wrong for a while, but was too embarrassed to go to a psychiatrist, for fear of being spotted. He said he made one appointment, but never showed up.

“My pride got in the way, he told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I didn’t want anybody to see me walking into a psych clinic.”

Andrews wouldn’t talk about what he thinks could have triggered his depression, but the 25-year-old has lived through some hard times. An obese 23-year-old friend of his died of a heart attack, an incident that prompted the mammoth Andrews to lose weight and eat healthier.  

Andrews’ brother, Derrick, a soldier in the U.S. Army, has done two tours of duty in Afghanistan. And Andrews told reporters that he’s had guns brandished at him several times in Philadelphia, the most recent incident occurring last year.

But athletes sometimes get little sympathy from fans who often view players as rich, pampered and spoiled.  

“Fans in general spread all sorts of identities on athletes, they expect them to be super heroes or villains, and not consider them human beings,” Czesnuk said. “They forget that this (sports) is a job and these are people.”  

FOX sportscaster and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw used to talk about the depression he suffered after his retirement from football but stopped because of negative responses from unenlightened fans.  

"There's just idiots out there who refuse to understand what it is - it's a disease, you morons," Bradshaw told The Charlotte Observer in 2006. "You don't get it from bad food or a needle. It's the way I was made. . . . [But] I got tired of people making fun of me. I decided I'm bringing this on myself and I don't need it."  

College and pro teams need to become more enlightened, too, according to Czesnuk. For all the mental and physical testing done on athletes before they are drafted into the pro ranks, sports franchises must do a better job of being aware of the metal health of players once they join the team.  

“Teams have a long way to go in mental health – it’s the next frontier,” he said. “We’re a few decades behind. Problems can’t be dealt with until they are revealed.”