Saints Coach Sean Payton Buys 100 Devon Still Jerseys

Finally, and unexpectedly, a feel-good story out of the NFL.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton was driving home from practice Tuesday night when he heard the story about Devon Still, according to New York Daily News, and that proceeds of the sale of Still’s jersey would go to pediatric cancer research.

So Payton bought 100 of them.

“Driving home the other night, I heard the story about Devon Still and what he is going through with his daughter on the radio. As a parent, myself… I couldn’t help to think about the situation he was in.”

If you’re not familiar with the story of Devon Still, here’s what happened: Before the season began, Still was cut from his team, the Cincinnati Bengals, after a poor performance at training camp, according to this Inquisitr report. Still admitted that he wasn’t able to give 100 percent of his attention to football, and for good reason: His daughter, Leah, is battling Stage 4 Pediatric Cancer and, according to the Washington Post, has a 50/50 chance of surviving.

After a 24-hour period that allowed other teams to claim Devon Still (and none did), the Bengals signed him to the team’s practice squad, meaning he could still earn a minimum salary of around $6,000 per week and, most importantly, stay on the team’s medical insurance plan.

Right around a week later, the Bengals re-signed Devon Still to the regular team roster, and announced that proceeds from the sales of his jersey, number 75, would go to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and to pediatric cancer research and care.

In 24 hours, Devon Still’s #75 Jersey sold more than any other Bengals jersey ever sold in a single day.

Big thanks for to the saints for ordering jerseys to help support pediatric cancer..only one word to describe everything, AMAZING!!

— Devon Still (@Dev_Still71) September 10, 2014

If Devon Still’s Twitter feed is any indication, Sean Payton’s purchase of 100 jerseys may be the start of something big — a sort of wearable Ice Bucket Challenge, so to speak. His feed is full of tweets from fans, with many posting pictures of their children who have battled, or are battling, cancer. Others are telling Devon that they, like Sean Payton, have bought one of his jerseys.

Are you inspired by Sean Payton’s move? Do you plan to buy a Devon Still jersey for yourself? Let us know what you think in the comments.

[Image courtesy of: AOL]