'Friends' Matthew Perry Helped My Sobriety; He Was 'Instrumental' - Emotional NFL QB

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Tony Fisher | Last updated 11/5/23

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf is paying tribute to actor Matthew Perry, revealing that the late "Friends'' star, who this week was found dead inside his hot tub outside of his Los Angeles-area home, was "instrumental'' in helping Leaf to sobriety.

"There's a lot of people that I owe for the life I now have, get to live ... and he's certainly at the top of that,' said Leaf, the former No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. "Matt, we'll miss you. I'll miss you. I hope you are finally at peace because I just don't know if you ever truly were.'

Perry, who died at the age 0f 54, had long been open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol. Same with Leaf, who paid tribute to Perry on his 'Straight Line' podcast as he said that the actor was 'instrumental in my recovery.'

Leaf revealed that Perry 'immediately' offered him support after the star QB got out of prison in 2014 for burglary and drug possession charges.

I’ve waited to speak about this. It’s hard to. When there are those who actually have had a hand in saving your life what can you really say…Thank you Matt, my family thanks you, and I hope you now have found that peace! #soberlife pic.twitter.com/MK515hFAuB
— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) November 1, 2023

Said Leaf: "I got out of prison and when I got to Los Angeles, Matt put his arm around me immediately. And he carried me for like, the first six months probably in Los Angeles, trying to learn how to be a sober person really in a public platform.

'I don't know if I'm here right now, being able to do stuff like this -- or anything -- if it weren't for him, and him sharing his story and making me understand that you can be a guy in the public eye that everyone knows and still be sober, be humble and be about helping other people.''

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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