What Deontae Lawson Will Miss Most About Playing for Alabama

PASADENA, Calif. — Alabama beat writers and reporters voted linebacker Deontae Lawson as the winner of the "Media Good Guy Award" a couple of weeks ago, and it was perhaps most evident on Thursday.

The No. 9 Crimson Tide's season had just ended after falling to No. 1 Indiana 38-3 in the Rose Bowl. It was Alabama’s worst losing margin since the 1998 Music City Bowl against Virginia Tech (38-7), but it was also Lawson's final game of his collegiate career.

With tears in his eyes, the redshirt senior spoke to the media after the game. In his last press conference as a member of the Crimson Tide, there were numerous long pauses and a shaky voice, but every question in those eight minutes was answered insightfully in the most difficult of circumstances.

The Mobile, Alabama, native quickly worked his way up the depth chart and started in four of his 11 games played during his second season in 2022 and was the No. 1 option in 2023.

The two-time captain earned his first "C" on the jersey in 2024, but late into the year, he tore his ACL. He decided to return to Alabama instead of declaring for the NFL Draft and it led him to leading the Tide in tackles this season.

It's been a long road for Lawson, and from the final question of his collegiate career on Thursday, he shared what he'll miss most about the University of Alabama.

"I think, honestly, the grind," Lawson said. "The grind every day, man. The grind with the guys.

"You know, coming in, freshman, five-star, feels like he's everything, to be honest. But he really gets humbled. I really got humbled my first year and did not play as much as I wanted.

"And then, just being able to grow. The guys around me, the guys I had around me since my freshman year, those guys really pushed me to be where I am today. The leader, man, just everything, honestly.

"I love Alabama. Not even growing up an Alabama fan, but man, I'm an Alabama fan now, for sure. I have an Alabama 'A' tatted on me. Man, I'll just miss everything about this place."

The All-SEC Second Team member made a lot of big plays throughout his Alabama career. He was second on the team in tackles in 2023 and 2024, has had his name on numerous award watch lists and has been viewed as the ultimate leader on the gridiron.

But that's not what leaving a legacy behind means to Lawson.

"Honestly, it's not even about the football," Lawson said. I just hope I was an inspiration to the guys in there. Just battling, man. Just trying to be a warrior.

"I just want guys to remember how I made them feel and not what I did on the football field. If I did that, then I'd say I had a pretty good legacy."

What Deontae Lawson Will Miss Most About Playing for Alabama

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