Originally published Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 12:00 AM

People in Sports | Matt Lepsis

Matt Lepsis was living the good life last season, making millions in the NFL and finally fitting in when he locked himself in a closet and...

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DENVER — Matt Lepsis was living the good life last season, making millions in the NFL and finally fitting in when he locked himself in a closet and screamed for help: Please, God, help me kick this drug habit.

The Denver Broncos left tackle, who called it quits after last season and enrolled in seminary, admitted he was high on drugs for the first six games of his final season.

"There are times my mind was completely in a different place than concentrating on the next play," Lepsis told The Associated Press. "I was in another world."

There, in that closet in his house, struggling to kick a habit that intensified after knee surgery following the 2006 season, Lepsis begged for help.

He believes he was heard — and rescued.

The drug habit now gone, Lepsis — who declined to identify which recreational drugs he abused — is taking classes at Dallas Theological Seminary, learning Greek and taking an introduction to theology course.

The offensive lineman had nearly $9 million left on his contract over two years. But he walked away, retiring after last season.

"People hear this story and think, 'He was at rock bottom and had nowhere to go and was trying to find answers to all these problems. So naturally he looked to God,' " said Lepsis, who first told his story to the Colorado Springs Gazette. "That's not what happened. I can't stress this enough: I was loving life."

The drugs transformed Lepsis from a "wallflower" into a "social butterfly," he said. After struggling with social anxiety issues, he was suddenly more outgoing and personable.

"I felt like it was making me a better person," he said. "I felt like I could communicate with people better. It was helping me."

Not in football, though.

"It was to a point I was willing to sacrifice that," said Lepsis, who didn't say how he dodged the league's drug tests. "Just because I felt like it was helping me with every other way in my life."

The Associated Press

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