Throughout decades as the most popular professional sport in the United States the National Football League has earned itself a reputation as a cold, unforgiving and largely heartless entity. Player careers are alarmingly short and the long term effects of the game can be tremendous. The NFL is a business that presents you two options, make plays or go home. Given the choice NFL teams will typically make the decision the prudent business football decision rather than doing the “Right” thing.
Devon Still is a defensive lineman drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals out of Penn State in 2012. While he’d made the Bengals active roster previously his stint in Cincinnati ended near the end of this years camp when he was cut by the Bengals. Cutting a player is always a difficult decision for a team but in this instant it was the correct football move. Devon Still admittedly hadn’t given football his undivided attention this year having missed organized team activities and mini-camps throughout the summer.
Still learned in June that his young daughter has stage 4 neuroblastoma and doctors have only given her a 50% chance of survival. He’s been by her side while she endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy. He’s watched in agony as the battle between cancer and the treatment took their combined tolls on her young body. When the Bengals released him he completely understood their decision. They need to put together the best 53 man roster that they can and he needs to be with his daughter.
While Still focused on savoring every available moment with his daughter and preparing for her upcoming tumor removal surgery the Cincinnati Bengals were preparing to make one of the most improbable and incredible decisions in recent sports memory.
The Bengals offered Still a spot on their practice squad.
Their decision means that not only will Still continue to draw a weekly salary, he’ll retain his health insurance. A fact that is absolutely critical when you consider that his daughters treatments could easily reach one million dollars.
His practice squad position means that he won’t be required to travel with the team. Rather than being on the road for the next four months Still will be able to be home to take care of his daughter.
His continued relationship with the Bengals means that after his daughter is healed he’ll be able to resume his chase for an active roster spot. It also means that he is with a team that is familiar with his situation. Players and coaches alike understand what he’s going through and everyone understands where his focus must remain.
The Bengals decision has placed Still in the ideal position to continue his career while takes care of his precious daughter. The Bengals get to keep a player that they drafted in their organization and possibly save a young girls life.
Only time will tell how this situation will pay dividends for either side but for now the Cincinnati Bengals are making headlines for all the right reasons. In a league where the “Right” thing is cast aside for the “Football” thing seeing a team make a decision that satisfies both is truly remarkable.
