Mack Brown talks about how UNC will honor Tylee Craft going forward
The North Carolina Tar Heels will try and turn their football season around Saturday at Virginia, but they'll be doing so with heavy hearts.
UNC lost wide receiver Tylee Craft, one of the toughest kids to ever come through the program, to a lengthy battle with lung cancer on Saturday, Oct. 12. No one knew Tylee passed until after the game, when North Carolina head coach Mack Brown told his players and, shortly after, the media.
After the Georgia Tech loss, when Brown broke the sad news, he also spoke briefly about the Tar Heels' plans to honor Tylee going forward.
Brown doubled down on those plans in his Monday press conference, highlight how Tylee will be honored through the reminder of UNC's 2024 season.
“The players asked that we put "Tylee Strong, Keep Swinging,” signs up going into the stadium for the game, home and away," Brown said. "We will carry a sign that says Tylee Strong, Keep Swinging to Virginia this weekend – and each player will touch it on the way out to the stadium. To make sure that his legacy is one that’s remembered – longer than just the players on the team – we have a commemorative plaque that explains who he was and what he went through. That will be up at the Nutrition Center for future players to look at. There will be a logo on the field with Tylee Strong for the last two home games, that have been approved by not only the university, but the ACC. And then one of the receivers will wear his jersey everyday at practice, and then they (the players) will decide, one of the receivers, will wear his jersey during each of the five remaining ballgames. It’ll be a different player each week, and they haven't decided yet how they’re going to determine that."
In addition to North Carolina's plans in honoring Tylee, Virginia will be wearing Tylee Craft stickers on their helmets. Classy move from a big ACC rival.
The Tar Heels might be struggling big-time on the field, but you won't find a program that cares more about its players. UNC loves and certainly misses Tylee, so I'm glad to see his former teammates and coaches carrying out his name.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire : Mack Brown talks about how UNC will honor Tylee Craft going forward
