Devon Still’s Jersey: The Gift that Keeps Giving
Sep 14, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still (75) against the Atlanta Falcons at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Leah Still’s (Devon Still’s daughter) battle with cancer has been well documented to this point. She recently underwent successful surgery to remove much of the cancer she continues to fight. Devon Still and the Cincinnati Bengals have been persistent in doing what they can in this fight. Still has proven to be an incredibly strong father and a man worth admiring, as has been expressed by several of his teammates.
Congrats to @Dev_Still71 and his family on an inspirational battle. Proud to call that man a teammate. Continuing to #PrayForLeah
— Giovani Bernard (@G_Bernard25) September 25, 2014
He’s been actively pushing fans and society alike towards joining in the fight against pediatric cancer. The Still inspired PLDGIT.com campaign has continued to raise money “to sack pediatric cancer” (a campaign where money is pledged per sack produced by the Bengals). Take a look today if you haven’t already. Meanwhile, the Bengals have taken up a supporting role in the Still’s fight. They began by placing Still on their practice squad, which would provide him the necessary insurance for his daughter’s care and give him time to deal with this situation and the emotions that come with such an ordeal. The Bengals then decided they would donate all proceeds from Still’s jersey sales to pediatric cancer research and care. This sparked a public demand for jerseys that was mind-boggling.
As I just mentioned on @SportsCenter, #Bengals are nearing the $1 million mark in funds raised from selling Devon Still's jersey.
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) September 25, 2014
Sean Payton, the New Orleans Saints coach, even bought 100 jerseys himself.
Big thanks for to the saints for ordering jerseys to help support pediatric cancer..only one word to describe everything, AMAZING!!
— Devon Still (@Dev_Still71) September 10, 2014
It’s a fantastic story and truly inspiring. It should be publicized more and would likely be if the NFL wasn’t distracting society with its self-inflicted controversies.
The Bengals have now chosen to go even further with their support. Paul Dehner, of the Cincinnati Enquirer, had this to report this morning.
In #Bengals latest turn of generosity, they now will also donate costs of Devon Still jerseys to Cincy Children's. About 500K value.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 28, 2014
As a result of all the support, more than $1 million will go to Children's Hospital pediatric care/research. #Bengals
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 28, 2014
It’s an amazing show of support, and as Dehner puts it…
You hear of people rallying behind a cause all the time, but it's been a long time since I've seen something like this in pro sports.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 28, 2014
It’s support that the Bengals are proud to provide according to the team’s Executive Vice President Katie Blackburn, daughter of owner Mike Brown.
"“The welfare of Devon and Leah are foremost in our minds, but we are proud and excited to be able to be a part of something that can help advance the cause of fighting childhood cancer.”"
The Bengals should be revered by the NFL at this point. While they continue to battle themselves, the Bengals continue to show society what the NFL can be capable of even in spite of its recent questionable leadership and character. It’s a proud day to be a Bengals fan.
You can buy a Devon Still jersey here, if you haven’t already.