It may be an imaginary title, but if one were to be awarded to the best NFL fan of the season, Devon Still‘s daughter Leah would be a shoo-in. No others need apply. For that matter, her father’s story is an inspiring one as well, and the Cincinnati Bengals as an organization deserves full credit for one of the most heartwarming sports stories of 2014.
In August, as the preseason was winding down and teams were coming up against the final roster deadlines, Still received word that he was going to be released. In the grand scheme of things, the news of his release probably ranked well down his list of priorities, as he had received word a couple of months earlier that his 4-year old daughter Leah was diagnosed with a tumor in her abdomen. Stage 4 neuroblastoma – one of the rarest forms of pediatric cancer. Her chemotherapy treatments began immediately.
The following week, the Bengals announced that they were signing Still to their practice squad to help him pay for Leah’s treatment. Still earned a spot on the 53-man active roster, and he has remained on the team since week 2 this season, chipping in with 14 tackles off the bench as the 2nd-string defensive tackle behind Geno Atkins.
Meanwhile, Still’s jersey has become the 11th-highest selling jersey in the league this season, in what must surely be a record for a 2nd-string defensive lineman. #LeahStrong has also become a trending topic on Twitter. Almost everything about Devon and Leah Still has gone viral, perhaps most famously this short clip of Devon giving Leah a pep talk before going in for surgery in the morning of Thursday, September 25th.
The talk was successful, evidently. Doctors were successfully able to remove the tumor and lymph nodes, and Leah is still undergoing radiation treatment and stem cell treatments to help her regrow precious bone marrow.
On Thursday night, the Bengals take the field for a home game on national tv against their division rivals the Cleveland Browns. For the first time since her father became an NFL player in 2012, Leah Still was given the OK to make the trip from Delaware to see Daddy in action. The tweets have already been coming in fast and furious today, celebrating her impending presence in the stands.
https://twitter.com/triceybaybeee/status/530379198175911937
“It’s going to be added motivation just knowing that my daughter is watching me. I want her to be able to hear how the crowd cheers loud whenever I make a tackle, so I’m going to go out there and do whatever I can do to put a smile on her face.”
Devon Still, Monday, November 3rd
No matter what happens during the game tonight, and no matter what the final score, every football fa………….no, every sports fan out there needs to give their full attention until the very end of this game. When Devon Still takes the field, and if his name is called for a play, you will know precisely why the crowd will be going nuts. In a league where players too often make the headlines for all the wrong reasons when it comes to happenings off the field, this is a story that deserves to be talked about everywhere.
#LeahStrong
(Feature image: @Dev_Still71)