The NFL preseason’s final round of cuts always includes some surprising names that, for many, are tough to swallow. Among this year’s batch – Devon Still, the defensive tackle whose young daughter, Leah, has been fighting cancer over much of the past year. This summer, she earned the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPYS, where Devon gave an emotional speech in her honor.
If you’ll recall, Still was cut by the Bengals in late August of last year, then re-signed to the team’s practice squad to help him pay for Leah’s cancer treatments. In early September, Still was promoted to the team’s 53-man roster, where he remained for the rest of the season.
Still was once again cut by Cincinnati in their final round of cuts on Saturday in a decision that could not have been easy at all for the folks within the Bengals organization. Unfortunately, Still’s practice squad eligibility is up, so he’ll have to sign onto another team’s 53-man roster to keep receiving an NFL paycheck.
But there is a silver lining.
Important to know, because #Bengals kept Still on last year, he and Leah now have 5 years of NFL health insurance regardless of NFL status.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 5, 2015
On Saturday afternoon, Still commented on his release via Instagram, thanking the Bengals organization for their support.
It’s probably safe to say that most football fans (and good people, in general) are rooting for Still to catch on elsewhere in the league.
