By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

In the midst of our fandom it’s easy to look at the team name on the front of the jersey, and not the player name on the back.

No matter your feelings towards the Carolina Panthers, it’s hard not admire their current linebacker and former Georgia All-American, Thomas Davis. (I realize Davis will serve a four-game suspension to start the season due to testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, so I understand if that changes your opinion of him. Personally, while it certainly factors in, I view it as merely a footnote as opposed to the main story.)

Normally, when a player like Davis is about to retire- he announced months ago this would be his final season- unless that athlete was a complete malcontent, most of the focus is aimed towards any accomplishments he or she received on the field.

A Super Bowl appearance, 3 Pro Bowls, 1 All-Pro team, and one 2nd team All-Pro tends to lend itself to pats on the back. I’m not quite sure if Davis is Hall of Fame worthy, but you could make an argument in his favor. However, in this particular case his on-field achievements are merely an opening act to a much larger headliner.

For starters, and it has been well documented, are Davis’ return from three ACL tears.

Sports has a history riddled with athletes that couldn’t get over the mental and physical hurdle of one ACL year, let alone three.

Not only did Davis return but he came back better than he was before; all those accolades I just mentioned above, they after took place after those three surgeries.

I’m so mentally fragile, I came across a copperhead walking my dogs the other day and now I’m trying to teach them to use a toilet so I don’t have to take them outside. If I tore my ACL once I just render that leg useless for the rest of my life.

Now the one piece of recognition I didn’t mention and the second piece of Davis’ legacy that will be remembered is his philanthropy.

In 2014 he was awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, given to a player based on his volunteer and charity work.

There have been numerous instances of Davis’ charitable work around the Charlotte/Mecklenburg area, as well as his hometown of Randolph County. None have been more influential though than his Defending Dreams Foundation.

Through his foundation Thomas has spent an immeasurable amount of time and money giving the youth in his community opportunities they would otherwise never be afforded. As someone who has friends and family in the Charlotte area, the name “Thomas Davis” has become synonymous with giving.

There are better and more athletic players that have come out of the Georgia football program but I’m not sure there has been a more successful one, considering all the different phases of life.

As Davis enters his final season it will be easy to get caught up in his suspension, after all we are a country that seems to feed off negativity. My suggestion though would be to focus on what he has overcome and how incredible it has been for him to actually achieve what he has.

Once the season ends though, there really will be only one question on my mind- “How does Thomas Davis feel about copperheads?” The potty training hasn’t gone according to plan and my dogs really need to go outside.