Just three days past the death of his father, Carlos Thomas, Devin White played for an audience of one in Germany. Two hours before the Buccaneers' transatlantic 10-hour flight to Munich, White received a phone call that altered his reality; his father had suddenly passed away at the age of 45 - a day that will forever be engrained in White's mind.
"For him to even get on the plane, it happened right before we were leaving, and he still got on the plane to play the ballgame" Head Coach Todd Bowles stated. "Lose your dad right before getting ready to go to Germany and to come out and still play says a lot about the guy."
Not only did White take the field at Allianz Arena, but he did so in sensational fashion. He notched his sixth multi-sack game, finishing with 2.0 sacks, a team-high nine tackles, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble. White leads all inside linebackers in the NFL with 20.0 sacks since the inception of the 2019 season. On Sunday in front of a vivacious crowd at Allianz Arena, White became the pass rush catalyst, spurring the defense to utter dominion.
Under the two-minute warning in the second quarter, White looped inside and shot through the A-gap, dropping Seahawks' quarterback Geno Smith for a loss of 10 yards. Before the traditional 'Giddy Up' celebration dance, White honored his late father with a heartfelt gesture. He made the sign of the cross, ending with blowing a kiss to the sky.
The trend continued in the third quarter, where White flew around the corner and stripped the ball from Smith, halting the Seahawks' drive. He kept Seattle potentially out of the end zone on a promising drive and shifted the momentum of the ballgame. After a five-game drought without a takeaway, White drew first blood. Ultimately, his valiant effort spearheaded the 21-16 victory.
"It was very hard to play," White said following the game. "Just a lot of emotions. But I tried to turn them into good emotions and just kept a great spirit. That is the relationship we had - just all about ball, all about just going out there and being the best and just getting this thing turned around."
In grappling with loss, everyone grieves in their own way. For White, football provides a safe haven and a sanctuary amidst darkness. Embodying strength with an emboldened sense of purpose, White led the unit while wearing the green helmet sticker on Sunday, as the quarterback on defense. White is no stranger to tragedy, after losing his brother, J'Marco "Jae Jae" Greenard in June of 2011 in a motor vehicle accident. The two had been inseparable and White has always stressed the presence of his late brother watching from above. After Sunday's victory in Munich, another unequivocal influence was added, as White referenced "angels" now watching over him. Following the game, Todd Bowles awarded White the game ball for his significant contributions that fueled the team.
On Instagram, White paid tribute to his father before the team charter left Germany, stating "Life will never be the same, I love you daddy."
Thoughts and prayers go out to the White family.
