Ron Rivera: Why Thomas Davis deserves SI's Sportsman of the Year
Thomas Davis is one of the leading contenders for Sports Illustrated's 2015 Sportsman of the Year. You can see the full list and the entire series of essays that make the argument for each candidate here.
I remember meeting Thomas Davis at the Panthers facility when I arrived in 2011. I had known about him for some time and admired his athleticism. Thomas made a point to come by right away, and his enthusiasm was contagious. He was anxious to get the taste of a bad season out of his mouth—the team went 2-14 before I got there—and he just wanted to get past that. Listening to him talk about wanting to become a better football player and wanting us to become a better football team was inspiring.
Now that I know Thomas well, one of the best ways I can think of to describe him is “high character.” Here is a young man that gives back to the community constantly. He’s so caring about those types of things. But he’s also a tremendous player having a tremendous season, a tremendous teammate, and just a tremendous young man who really truly believes what he preaches.
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Donald Miralle for Sports Illustrated
