Panthers win fueled by Mike Davis’ memory of his dad. ‘I’m trying not to tear up, man.’
Shortly after the Panthers’ 21-16 win Sunday against the Chargers, running back Mike Davis tweeted a video of his touchdown, with the message, “I know my dad is proud.”
But when asked about the tweet Sunday, the question seemed to catch him off guard. He let out a nervous laugh.
His father’s death is difficult to talk about.
“Dang. How do I explain this?” he said, while wearing a Panthers T-shirt, a ball cap turned backward and a silver chain around his neck.
Davis’ dad, Mike Oliver, died Sept. 25, 2019, to prostate cancer, two years after he was diagnosed with the disease. And Sunday’s game occurred two days after the anniversary of his death.
“I’ve just really been thinking about it,” Davis said of his father’s death. “This game, I really just wanted to go out there and play for him, even though I’m always out here thinking about him. It was just a big deal for me.”
Davis, who was starting in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey, led the Panthers with 46 yards rushing on 13 carries. He also had eight catches for 45 yards and a receiving touchdown.
His touchdown, a 13-yard screen pass from Teddy Bridgewater, was key to securing the Panthers’ victory. Davis broke a tackle and followed his blockers to the end zone, putting Carolina up 15-7 shortly before halftime.
When he reached the end zone, Davis spiked the ball and flexed his biceps in a downward motion, as his teammates congratulated him.
“I was thinking about him the whole time,” Davis said with a smile. “My dad was really my biggest fan, and I know he really wanted to see me play and go out there and do my thing. With me wearing No. 28, I know he would have just loved to see it.”
Davis wore No. 28 when he was in high school and in college at South Carolina. He wore different numbers at his previous stops in Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco. But he’s back wearing No. 28 with the Panthers.
The Panthers claimed Davis off waivers last November, a couple of months after his father passed, and signed him this past offseason. Davis was one of the MVP’s of training camp, Panthers coach Matt Rhule said.
When McCaffrey went down, Davis was next in line. It was fitting that Davis’ first start as a Panther neared the first anniversary of his father’s death.
Davis, who is from Atlanta, is one of six children. His older brother James Davis was a running back at Clemson and had a four-year NFL career.
Mike Oliver was not James Davis’ biological father, but Mike Oliver treated James like a son, too, James said. He attended all of James’ and Mike’s games from youth football to the NFL. James Davis also said Mike Oliver was Mike Davis’ biggest fan.
“(His dad) would have been excited,” James Davis told The Observer on Sunday. “He was always there. He always traveled to the game with us, no matter where we go.”
He said he knew the anniversary of Mike Oliver’s death was weighing on his younger brother, who is seven years younger. He said he texted his brother that he should use his father’s memory as motivation Sunday.
Mike did. His 13-yard touchdown was the Panthers’ only touchdown of the game. And it was the difference in the 21-16 win.
But even after the victory, the loss of his dad still stung. He should have been out here, watching him score.
“Me, being close to home, it really kind of hurt a little bit, because I know he would want to be at every game,” Davis said, his voice cracking. “I’m trying not to tear up, man. I just love my dad so much, and I think it’s crazy cancer really took him away from me.”
This story was originally published September 27, 2020 at 9:58 PM.
