In a normal NFL offseason, linebacker Tae Davis would have be working at the Cleveland Browns’ facility in the NFL team’s offseason program this month. Instead, he’s riding out the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois – and helping feed the elderly during the crisis.

Bad news interrupted the former Oxford High School standout’s focus on preparing for his third NFL season while in isolation. Back home in Lanett, his 67-year-old uncle Ronnie McCulloh, 70-year-old aunt Evelyn McCulloh and 64-year-old aunt Edith Davis had COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

“I got a phone call one night from my cousin and found out the outbreak had happened back home,” Davis said. “I called Mom and called everyone else trying to figure out what was going on. The next day, I got a call that they had to rush my great-uncle, who I call my PawPaw, to the hospital, and that they were testing for corona, and it came back that it was positive.

“It was like time stood still, like I was just shocked to think that it could happen to them or anyone in the family. It’s definitely tough. When it hits home like that, it’s definitely an unreal feeling.”

Davis had to sweat out his relatives’ illness from 800 miles away, but it appears everything’s going to be OK at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika.

“They’re all doing better,” Davis said. “They’re out of ICU. They’re off the ventilators, and they’re expected to make a full recovery. …

“They’ve definitely been on my mind. It’s tough because you can’t talk to them or you just have to continue to get updates through the family. Just that unknown feeling about how they’re doing.”

Working with Athlete Relations, a Chicago-based virtual personal-assistance company for athletes and their families, Davis donated 500 meals to Meals on Wheels’ coronavirus response effort.

“Throughout this whole pandemic, I’ve been thinking about helping, but trying to find the right program to help,” Davis said. “My grandmother is fortunate enough to still have my mom pretty close, so my mom was able to get out and get groceries and get the essential goods that she needed. But not everyone is as fortunate to have someone do that for them. You see on the news, people trying to get out to stores and get the food and groceries and the essential things that you need, and just to see how chaotic it is, that’s pretty tough for any elderly to get out and deal with that madness.

“So I discovered Meals on Wheels and saw what they were doing with the elderly and how they were donating meals to them so they wouldn’t have to get out of the house, and that kind of cut down on exposure since they are high risk. That was definitely something that I wanted to do, so it was a no-brainer for me.”

Meals on Wheels America supports more than 5,000 community-based programs that address senior isolation and hunger.

“Tae Davis has set an example for others by helping us to ensure America’s most vulnerable seniors will continue to receive the meals they desperately need amid this national crisis,” said Kristine Templin, chief development officer of Meals on Wheels America in a release from Athlete Relations. “This donation will help to provide certainty during these uncertain times, and I speak on behalf of the nationwide Meals on Wheels network in expressing our appreciation.”

Davis made the New York Giants’ regular-season roster in 2018 as an undrafted rookie from Chattanooga. He spent three seasons as a safety for the Mocs before moving to linebacker as a senior.

He played in 14 games, with four starts, as an NFL rookie. Last season, he played in four games for the Giants and nine for the Browns, with fewer snaps on defense and more plays on special teams than in 2018.

“I’m very excited,” Davis said about the 2020 campaign, “just because I’ve learned so much through these past two years that I’ve been in the league. I definitely experienced some highs and some lows that taught me some lessons, and right now I’m just excited and eager to get back out there and utilize the knowledge I have learned. I feel like I’m a lot better player. I can truly say I’m finally learning how to be a pro, and it’s definitely showing, and, hopefully, I get a chance to showcase that this fall and help the Browns win some ball games.”

Cleveland has a new coaching staff this season with Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski succeeding former Alabama quarterback Freddie Kitchens as the Browns’ head coach. But with NFL team facilities closed because of the pandemic, Davis is having to learn new defensive coordinator Joe Woods’ schemes at home.

“Right now, we’re doing everything virtual,” Davis said. “We have our iPads. We have our new playbook. We go through those. The workouts, they send it to us through a little app, and we kind of keep up with all our announcements and everything like that. So we’re basically doing OTAs from home.

“It’s a little different, but at the end of the day, the work has to get done and you have to stay ready because the last thing you want is to not do the things you need to do to be successful, and when the season does arrive, you’re trying to play catch-up.”

While Davis said there were good things about having a home-based offseason program, it wasn’t the same as what he could get done with his teammates.

“Something you just kind of miss is just being around the guys, being around the building, being in one setting and developing those relationships and different things like that,” Davis said. “You can still do that from home, do all the Zoom calls, and even with videogames you can talk and chat with the guys whenever you’re free, checking on them and everything like that. Just that in-house feeling of being there and all working together, that’s definitely something I miss, and I’m sure a lot of guys miss as well. But right now, we’ve got to deal with the cards that we’re dealt.”

Davis was one of three Oxford alumni to play in the NFL last season, along with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander and Miami Dolphins defensive back Bobby McCain. Another former Yellow Jacket, safety Trae Elston, was on the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad, in 2019 and running back Roc Thomas, who played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, is in the Canadian Football League.

“Oxford, the standards are set high for sure there,” Davis said. “When I was growing up going to the Friday night games, you’d see guys and you be like, ‘Man, I can’t wait to be on that level.’ To go out there under Friday night lights and play for your hometown and realize the history and the traditions that Oxford has, you can’t help but want to add to that and create more.

“I’m very fortunate to even to be a part of that Oxford history and be one of the guys who have came from that school and been fortunate to reach the league, and I don’t see us slowing down any time soon.”

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.

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