Corey Davis on Brother's Death: 'My Idol, My Hero'

Wide receiver was the Tennessee Titans' leader in receptions during Thursday's loss to Indianapolis a day after he lost his brother.

NASHVILLE – Corey Davis always wanted to do what his older brother did.

Thursday, he did what his older brother said. He played football. And he played well.

A day after Titus Davis succumbed to cancer at 27 years old, Corey Davis was the Tennessee Titans’ leading receiver in their 34-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium. He caught five passes for 67 yards just five days after he went without a reception (on three targets) in a victory over the Chicago Bears.

“It’s definitely tough,” Davis said following the contest. “As he was laying there all he kept telling my sister was to tell me to play, regardless of what happens. He just kept telling me to play, telling me to play throughout the whole process. That’s my biggest fan.”

Titus Davis was diagnosed this summer with Renal Medullary Carcinoma, a rare cancer of the kidneys for which the average survival rate is less than a year. He was a record-setting wide receiver at Central Michigan but never played in the NFL.

Corey Davis, two years younger, became a record-setting wide receiver at Western Michigan and took things one step further than his older brother when the Titans selected him fifth overall in 2017. Thursday’s contest was the 49th of his NFL career, his 15th with at least five receptions.

“Since I was a little kid I was always chasing after him and trying to be like him,” Corey Davis said. “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 (Thursday) night.”

Against the Colts, four of Davis’ five receptions went for first downs. His first two, a 20-yard catch in the first quarter and an 18-yard catch in the second quarter were part of touchdown drives. He accounted for three of the offense’s six longest gains in the contest.

No other member of the Titans finished with more than two receptions or 21 receiving yards.

“Yeah, just told Corey, I love him, support him, I'm here for him,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “… He played a heck of a game, made some big plays for us, so he showed a lot of toughness. But it's tough, you know. The game's over but those feelings aren't gone. So definitely my heart goes out to Corey.”

With seven games still to play, Davis is the Titans’ leading receiver with 34 receptions for 436 yards. He is at the top despite the fact that he missed two games because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list and was shut out against Chicago.

He was on the field for 40 of a possible 65 snaps, the least amount of playing time he has had this season in terms of plays and percentage (62 percent). Yet it was more than many could have – or would have – done.

“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 (Thursday).”