)
Devon Still
NFL Defensive End & Childhood Cancer Advocate
Devon Still
NFL Defensive End & Childhood Cancer Advocate
Biography
Devon Still is a professional athlete, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and advocate for childhood cancer awareness.
He is also a former Houston Texan’s defensive end, a former Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive tackle, a Penn State University All-American, and a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Perhaps most importantly, Still is Leah’s dad, helping her publicly “beat up cancer” and embarking on a pediatric cancer-fighting journey.
A snapshot of his accolades speaks volumes about his purpose, his heart, his life’s mission – the 2015 Jimmy V Espy Award for Perseverance, People Magazine’s 2016 Dad of the Year and the 2017 Penn State Alumni Achievement Award for most successful alumni under 30. He’s thrived amidst adversity and stayed in the game.
But how did land here, from the drug infested, violent streets of Wilmington, Delaware, to become the first person in his family to graduate from college and be selected in the second round of the 2012 National Football League Draft by the Bengals? How did he lead the Penn State football family through the media-obsessed Jerry Sandusky scandal? By reaching deep within, harnessing his passion and perseverance, his grit, and refusing to watch life from the bench.
Still has dodged adverse life events that almost sidelined his destiny. The middle child of divorced parents, he spiraled out of control and got caught up in the dream-stealing street scene early in life. But at age 13, Still’s father introduced him to football – the sport that would change his life and open his path to help others.
When his precious daughter Leah was diagnosed with a rare pediatric cancer in 2015 – two months after Still almost died from post-back surgery blood clots in his lungs – he miraculously returned to the football field wearing Leah’s message of hope during every game. Their fight impacted and inspired millions around the world. Now, through the Still Strong Foundation, his partnership with socially conscious organizations has raised more than $2 million and is influencing the global cancer conversation.
Still’s natural football abilities and focus kept him fast tracked collegiately and professionally. Injuries and life hurdles halted his on-field hustle, but proved to strengthen his mental muscle. Returning time and again from seemingly career ending injuries and life-altering circumstances, Still continually steps on the football field and the life stage as a leader with renewed energy and determination. Still uses his hard-learned lessons and creatively combines them into his speeches moving audiences around the country demonstrating his talent as an inspirational speaker.
“Through all of this and more, I’m still standing because I understand that, as long as I am alive, I’m still in the game.” – Devon Still
Speaker Videos
The Connection Between The Fight of Football and The Fight of Life
The Strength from Within
A Playbook for Life’s Battles
Leadership and Values
Overcoming Adversity
Testimonials
Speech Topics
The Business Playbook: Building a Championship Culture
Devon Still’s message resonates throughout the corporate culture: “Winning is a mentality not a skill.” Audiences are captivated as Devon shares his unique leadership experiences from the football field, seamlessly paralleling today’s corporate ‘game day’ dilemmas. Remember the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University? As captain, Devon led his football family through an unimaginable media firestorm, keeping them focused, motivated, and strong. You’ll want to incorporate his strategies that emphasize manageable goals, teambuilding, self-assessments, resiliency, and determination.
Well-respected and lauded for his leadership on and off the field, Devon brings an athlete’s structured mindset to the business community. Forbes magazine touts the benefits athletes offer the corporate environment, and Devon comes ready with a candid conversation fueled by time-tested strategies that work. A page from his personal, oft-used playbook will transform your vision, your leadership style, and your company’s success.
The Adversity Playbook: Never Stay on the Ground
Devon Still walks on stage with a life-tested message, “As long as I’m alive, I’m still in the game.” In retrospect, he could have easily been a street casualty consumed by violence and drugs. But he didn’t allow a broken home, brushes with law enforcement, or potentially life-threatening and career-ending football injuries to shatter his dreams. Devon was determined to complete his college education, become a Penn State All-American, and be a top NFL draft pick. Dreams achieved.
Football taught Devon resiliency, to “never stay on the ground,” despite his circumstances. His strength would be bent, but not broken, when his precious daughter Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 pediatric cancer at age 4. Devon fought through emotion, assembled the best medical team, and helped Leah survive and thrive despite 50/50 odds. He shares the secrets to winning big, even after seemingly insurmountable life setbacks. “You don’t know how strong you are until you have no choice but to be strong.”
The Spirituality Playbook: Still Standing by Faith
Devon Still reveals he’s still growing in his faith and spiritual understanding. But Devon doesn’t hesitate to share how spirituality has carried him through life’s tough moments. Throughout professional and personal hardships, Devon prayed for spiritual guidance, but often questioned God’s love and direction. Despite it all, God’s promises prevailed, and with hard work and tenacity, Devon is realizing his dreams.
Devon credits his wife, Asha Joyce, with reconnecting him to the church as the all-consuming NFL lifestyle threatened to sideline their personal dreams. Devon and Asha’s spiritual path, including Devon’s baptism two months before Leah’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis, is a heartfelt message of passion, purpose, and perseverance. Devon candidly admits his spiritual struggles are still real, and shows how Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” renews his faith.
The Parenting Playbook: Shaping Your Child’s Future
Devon Still’s inner city childhood was riddled with nail-biting, street-side trouble, leading to wayward behavior, school suspensions, and parental distress. Devon discusses how football saved his life, opened unparalleled educational opportunities, and expanded his world-view. He embraces being a role model for children around the world.
This People Magazine’s 2016 Dad of the Year speaks to how his tumultuous transformative years shaped his personal parenting approach. He emphasizes compassionately connecting with your child, understanding their needs, and creating a loving structure to help them make wise choices. Devon also weaves in the unique challenges of parenting a critically ill child, drawing on firsthand experience after his four-year-old daughter Leah’s unexpected stage 4 cancer diagnosis. He temporarily benched his NFL ambitions to help Leah “beat up cancer” because that’s just what dads do. She’s now in remission.
Related Speakers
)
)
)
)
Global Head of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix, Former NFL Player, Corporate Inclusion Advisor & Educator