There is a lot of talk in the NFL about rookies hitting a wall. According to New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, it's a real thing.

During his rookie year, Darnold suffered a foot injury November 4th against the Miami Dolphins. The injury caused him to miss more than a month. Although, it hurt  to miss games, Darnold knows looking back, it was the best thing for him.

“The break definitely helped me get a little more juice and a little more energy because that rookie wall is real,” Darnold said this spring via the Jets team website. “Don’t get me wrong — I’m the last person to make an excuse, but it’s a long year for us: going through the draft, combine, all those things that go along with the process, pro day, getting ready for so many different things.”

Darnold was also dealing with some family stuff that was putting pressure on him and not making football fun. After sitting out a few games he remembered that football is just a game and he needed to focus on having fun again.

“It was starting to become a lot. I had some family stuff I was dealing with too, towards the end of the year right when I got hurt,” Darnold said. “So it was just a lot and I think for me it was taking a step back and realizing, ‘Hey, man. This is a game. You’re supposed to go out there and have fun, not be so stressed.’”