Donahue says 30-day stay in rehab was ‘lifechanging’

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Dylan Donahue feels fortunate to have a second chance.

At football. And, most of all, at life.

The New York Jets linebacker knew he needed to make some major changes this offseason after making a decision that nearly cost him everything.

The 25-year-old Donahue was arrested and charged with drunken driving early on Feb. 26 after police say he drove the wrong way in the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey and collided with a jitney bus, injuring four people.

“I’m a firm believer in God,” Donahue said after practice Tuesday. “I was born and raised Christian and I believe that He saved me and the other people that were involved.”

Donahue “definitely” considered the incident a wake-up call, and soon after checked himself into a substance-abuse treatment facility in Jacksonville, Florida, after his second DUI arrest in less than a year. Donahue, a fifthround pick last year out of West Georgia, had another DUI arrest in his hometown of Billings, Montana, on May 9, 2017 — 10 days after he was drafted by the Jets.

“That was a major factor in why I decided to go down for treatment,” he

said.

Donahue spent 30 days at an in-patient facility, working to become sober.

“It was very enlightening,” he said. “I went through a lot. … I think it was a life-changing experience. So, it was very awakening and life-changing this offseason.”

He fully embraced the idea of going to rehab, something he hadn’t previously considered.

“It wasn’t necessarily a scary experience,” Donahue said. “I was honestly kind of excited because I was ready to make some life changes.”

Donahue says he has cut out alcohol from his life, and has seen noticeable changes.

“My mind feels a lot clearer,” he said. “I’m able to remember things a lot better and think a lot clearer. Physically, too. I’ve gained a little bit of weight and last year, that was kind of a problem for me, keeping on the weight. So, there’s a lot of benefits.”

Donahue