We often focus on the unfortunate things in the NFL—the domestic violence, the DUI’s, the assaults, the growing issue of CTE—it’s all very depressing really. But every once in awhile, something good happens, something happens that kinda restores your faith in people. A few months back, Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still learned his 4-year-old daughter had cancer (stage 4). The diagnosis hit Still’s family very hard.
He posted this on Instagram 4 weeks ago:
Normally today would be filled with excitement because it’s my first game back since my injury in December but because it is also the day my daughter starts her 3rd round of chemo and I can’t be there it feels different…usually on game day I pray for safety and a good game but today I’m just sending up one prayer so God knows how important it is to me and that is he stay by my daughters side and comfort her and protect her since I can’t be there….I’m going to handle my business on the field today and she’s going to handle hers in that hospital #PrayForLeah
Unfortunately, the Bengals didn’t have room for Still on their 53-man roster and on Saturday, he learned he was out of a job and potentially out of health insurance. But the Bengals weren’t leaving him high and dry. As Good Morning America reports, Still was signed to the practice squad, thus giving him the health coverage his daughter so desperately needs.
The NFL does a lot of things wrong. But this? Yeah, this was all kinds of right.
[Deadspin]
