“This is for you”
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White plays in Munich a few days after his father’s death – and towers above
Munich Shortly before leaving for the NFL game in Munich, Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers learned of his father’s sudden death. The 24-year-old gets on the plane anyway and shows an outstanding game.
Devin White is the defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The linebacker is one of the best in his field in the NFL and also played well in Munich in his team’s win against the Seattle Seahawks (21:16). He had the most of his team with nine tackles and brought down Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith twice. At one point, he even used it to free the ball, allowing Tampa to capture it. After that, White pointed to the sky — and with good reason.
Two hours before the Buccaneers were about to leave for Munich last Thursday, the 24-year-old received the terrible news of his father’s sudden death. The circumstances are still unclear, White’s father was only 45 years old. Nevertheless, Devin White sat on the plane to Munich a little later. Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles was amazed “that he even got on the plane,” as he later said. “Losing his father right before you go to Germany and then coming along and playing says a lot about this guy.”
“It was very difficult to play. It was very emotional,” White admitted afterwards. But that was his relationship with his father: football. It felt right: “At the end of the day I have a job to do.” The preparation for the opponent, the time on the training ground – all of that made it even easier to deal with the situation. “When I was alone in the hotel, it was more difficult. But when I was in practice, it was all about doing the right things to win a football game.”
It succeeded, also thanks to White’s strong performance, with which he wanted to honor his father. “It was a bit like: this is for you. I felt like I’m going to go out and have a good game,” he said.
White led a defense that took the Seahawks out of the game for a long time. Only later did it get a little cramped again. The fact that she was able to win the ball from Seattle in the meantime was extremely important on the way to victory. And it was the first time the Buccaneers had managed such a turnover after a five-game losing streak. “It was a big moment for us,” White said. And for his father.
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