Colts Lineman Braden Smith Present At Training Camp After Unusual OCD Diagnosis

Braden Smith, an offensive tackle for the Colts, missed the final five games of last season after being placed on the non-football injury list. Smith’s injury wasn’t immediately shared but has since been revealed as religious scrupulosity, a very specific form of OCD.

Religious scrupulosity, per McLean hospital, is described as a person experiencing "significant doubt, anxiety, and distress about their moral beliefs or religious practices.

… people who have scrupulosity may worry if they are performing the rites, observations, prayers, or other obligations of their religion correctly.

They may even place extra demands on themselves that their spirituality or religion does not even ask of them.

The obsessive thoughts of scrupulosity can lead to a never-ending sense of doubt. People who experience such feelings are faced with a relentless desire to make up for their perceived failings.

Despite their best intentions, they become trapped in a vicious cycle of uncertainty and shame."

Smith’s OCD religious thoughts and rituals were so troublesome that he contemplated taking his own life, telling the IndyStar earlier this offseason: "I was physically present, but I was nowhere to be found.

… I (felt like) was a month away from putting a bullet through my brain."

After leaving the Colts with five games remaining, Smith sought to manage his OCD in an effort to improve his mental well-being and eventually return to Indy’s offensive line. Throughout his offseason, he underwent therapy, visited a health clinic, and tried medicines to control his OCD.

The 29-year-old tackle’s treatment is ongoing, but he’s been able to return to the Colts and is once again a regular participant in training camp practices. 

WESTFIELD, IN - JULY 23: Indianapolis Colts tackle Braden Smith (72) runs through a drill during the Indianapolis Colts training camp practice on July 23, 2025 at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Though Smith contemplated retirement last season and still suffers from OCD, he is no longer as obsessive over religion or things that are out of his control. He has an understanding of his condition and no longer allows religious scrupulosity to dictate his life or career.

Earlier this week, he told the IndyStar he’s no longer obsessing and is in a good place: "This is probably the best I’ve felt in a really long time. It’s kind of nice to see everything come together. Now, I can just go play football."

A healthy Smith is projected to start at right tackle for Indianapolis, a spot he’s occupied for the majority of his career since being selected in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. 

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