Judging by the tears falling down Corey Davis' face as early as the national anthem leading up to Thursday's head-to-head between his Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts, it was clear that the receiver was playing with a heavy heart. On Wednesday, Davis' older brother, Titus, passed away at the age of just 27 after a battle with renal medullary carcinoma, an aggressive form of kidney cancer. While nobody would have blamed Davis for sitting out of this Week 10 game, he decided to play, telling reporters postgame that it was exactly what his brother wanted.
"As he was laying there all he kept telling my sister was to tell me to play, regardless of what happens," said Davis, via the official team website. "He just kept telling me to play, telling me to play throughout the whole process. That's my biggest fan. Since I was a little kid I was always chasing after him and trying to be like him. I wore his number every year to copy him. He thought it was annoying, but I looked up to him tremendously. That was my idol, my hero. I tried to honor him tonight."
Davis, who was a top-five overall pick by the Titans back in 2017, led all Tennessee receivers with five catches for 67 yards in the 34-17 loss to the Colts. He admitted that his brother, who he once credited as the reason he began playing football, was a consistent presence in his mind throughout Thursday's contest and did find solace knowing that he was on the field with him in spirit.
"It was heavy on my mind, every play," Davis said. "But I just kept thinking this is what he wanted me to do. He wouldn't want me to be sad and sulk and feel sorry for myself. I obviously miss him and wish he was here, but I know he's in a better place and that he was with me today."
Along with Corey, Titus was a promising receiver in his own right. At Central Michigan University, where he played from 2011-14, he broke school records with 3,700 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns, both records previously held by Antonio Brown. Titus was also the first player in NCAA FBS history with eight or more receiving touchdowns in four seasons. After going undrafted, he did make a few stops in the NFL, spending time with the Chargers, Jets, Bills, and Bears as either a practice squad member or a training camp attendee.
