Former No.1 draft pick Jonathon Patton opens up on darkest day

Jonathon Patton has opened up about his darkest day when he almost deliberately crashed his car on the Monash Freeway before being admitted for treatment.

Jonathon Patton was the number 1 draft pick in 2011.

Former No.1 draft pick Jonathon Patton has opened up about his darkest day when he ended up in a mental hospital.

Patton was stood down by the Hawks in January last year after claims of inappropriate behaviour towards women on social media.

The former GWS forward recalled almost deliberately crashing his car while driving on the Monash Freeway which led to him being admitted for treatment.

“There were some heavily dark times,’’ Patton told his former GWS teammate Tommy Sheridan on his Ausmerican Aces podcast.

Jonathon Patton told his former GWS teammate Tommy Sheridan about his mental struggles. Picture: Toby Zerna

“There was one day I was driving back from the psych’s office and I was on the Monash Highway, lucky my car has a lane (beeping) thing, because at one stage I was literally driving and I tried to veer off and run into an off ramp.

“And who knows what would have happened if I wouldn’t have braked, but I was driving off and lucky my lane thing came on and put me back into my lane. I knew I had to pull over and call the right people and say I’m pretty f---ed here and I need to get some professional help.

“So that was the moment where I was like, ok, I can’t be doing that. That was the darkest day. Anyone that has been through a time like that, everyone has a moment where they go that was a time. That made me go, ‘I need to seek some help’.”

Within two hours of calling his manager Paul Connors and the Hawthorn club doctor, Patton was in a mental hospital where he stayed for six weeks.

He said he was already dealing with depression after undergoing a third knee reconstruction and had wanted to call it quits.

Patton on the Hawks bench after an injury. Picture: Getty Images

“That was definitely the toughest time of my life,’’ he said.

“People are very quick to judge and say things, but one thing I’ve learnt is you can never put yourself in another person’s shoes. And I was already heavily depressed well before that.

“With Covid and not being able to leave the house. Just so shit, (thinking) like why the f–k did I move to Melbourne? So much stuff was going on.

“I was about to retire after that 2020 year. I caught up with Robbie D’orazio, one of our managers, and I said, mate I’m done. He said mate, you’re going to be leaving almost a million dollars on the table. I said ‘I don’t care I’m done’.”

Patton officially retired in April last year with 95 games for GWS and Hawthorn, after several women accused him of sending sexually explicit images and videos of himself via social media.

He relocated to the Gold Coast where he is thriving as a real estate agent with prestige agency Kollosche.

Patton is finding success on the Gold Coast as a real estate agent. Picture: Supplied

He spoke in detail about his time in the mental hospital.

“For the first week I literally didn’t leave the room,’’ he said.

“You’re on a lot of different drugs, you’re on a lot of different things to sort of get you back down to somewhat not thinking these suicidal thoughts. I never thought in my life I’d ever feel that.

“The people in there are amazing, they’re so good. I don’t know what they get paid, but they deserve to get very well paid. They’re just really good people. You meet some really different people in those places, it brings you back down to earth.

“But you get to see so many different perspectives in a place like that. Everyone treated me really well. I’ve actually got one of my best buddies who I met in there. He got married on Mermaid Beach and we both looked at each other and we were like, a year ago we were in that house together. It’s cool how far you can come.”

Patton also revealed he was originally offered the seven year, $7 million dollar contract by the Bulldogs that ended up going to his former GWS teammate Tom Boyd. His knee injuries were a factor, and then he went to the Hawks with a three year offer on the table.

GWS teammate Tom Boyd got the $7 million Bulldogs contract. Picture: AFL Media

“That was tough (after my third knee), that’s when you go, ok retirement,’’ he said.

“I think I was only 26, so retirement, what else am I going to do. There’s so much going through your head at stage, maybe this just isn’t for me but it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. Who the f--- am I? Your self being, your soul. When that gets taken away from you again--- and that’s where resentment came in for me for football.

“Looking back I was probably depressed but at the time you’re thinking, I’m not depressed, I’m earning half a million dollars a year. I’ve got a couple of houses, everything I need, you shouldn’t be depressed.

“Going through what I did really up until now, I was definitely depressed.

“I didn’t know that I was at the time. It’s perspective and what is depression at that age too. I wasn’t depressed as a kid so I didn’t really know what it was.”

Patton said he’s rebuilt his life and has regained confidence — his new goal is to become one of the country’s top real estate agents.

Patton confirmed he was “definitely depressed” during his football career. Picture: Getty Images

“The reason I’m so set on this career is because I had so much time to think about what I wanted to do,’’ he said.

“Some guys who play their careers straight, they can’t get away from their identity. They need to be there because that’s their feel of self worth almost.

“I look back and go I think that was a blessing somewhat, all those times when I was down and out, there’s more to life than just football.

“I’m a confident guy when I’m good. I pretty much just back myself in to do anything and this is where a new motivation has come from being in this industry. I was on good money in football but I’ve earnt double what I earnt in a year.

“That’s what type of industry it is. It can be whatever you want it to be. I’m here for the long game, I want to be one of the best agents in Australia.

“I set a goal when I was young and people probably thought I was stupid and I did it. Being no.1 pick that was my goal so that’s where that confidence, people might think it’s arrogance, but I’m confident because I’ve done that before and that’s something a lot harder I feel.”