CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– Since March 14th 2022, former UNC wideout Tylee Craft has battled with Stage 4 lung cancer. His journey has become a rallying point for the entire football program, inspiring players, coaches and fans alike with his unwavering spirit and determination.
Last weekend, Craft was supposed to attend the game versus Pittsburgh last weekend. Instead, he found himself making an unexpected trip to UNC Hospital.
Head coach Mack Brown, his voice cracking and eyes brimming with tears, addressed reporters about Craft’s condition:
“We need everybody’s thoughts and prayers as he fights through some of this stuff and continues to fight,” Brown implored, uncertainty clouding his usually confident demeanor. “Tylee needs to remain in our thoughts and prayers.”
Despite the cancer’s relentless spread through his body and brain, limiting his mobility in recent weeks, Craft’s commitment to his team has never faltered. Whether using a cane or an electric wheelchair, he has been a constant presence at most games, refusing to let his physical challenges keep him from supporting
his teammates.
This past summer, he transitioned from active player to student coach. His diagnosis hasn’t deterred him from attending nearly every meeting, workout, practice, or team activity. The proximity of UNC Hospitals to the team’s facility has made his continued involvement possible, easing the strain on his ailing body.
All week, Coach Brown has worn his #TyleeStrong T-shirt, a visible reminder of the young man’s fight.
Today, against Georgia Tech, the entire team is honoring Tylee and his ongoing battle. The game has become more than just a contest; it’s a tribute to Craft’s indomitable spirit.
Despite his own struggles, Craft has found the strength to support others. When teammate and UNC tight end Cal Tierney was diagnosed with nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, it was Tylee who stepped up. Drawing from his own experiences, he guided Cal through what to expect from chemotherapy and offered invaluable emotional support – a gesture made all the more poignant by Craft’s unique ability to truly empathize with Tierney’s situation.
Throughout this challenging journey, Tylee and his mother, September, have found solace at the SECU Family House. This extended-stay facility provides crucial services, including housing, meals, and transportation for UNC Hospital patients grappling with serious illnesses. The support offered by SECU Family House has been instrumental in allowing Craft to maintain his connection with the team.
Today’s game, coinciding with Cancer Awareness Month, is dedicated to Tylee Craft. Every player and coach is wearing a shirt honoring Tylee, both during the team’s traditional Bell Tower walk and in pre-game preparations. The sea of #TyleeStrong shirts serves as a powerful visual reminder of the young man who has become the heart of this team.
Craft’s teammate and close friend JJ Jones will honor Craft today by wearing his jersey during the game.
As the Tar Heels take the field today, they carry with them not just the hopes of victory, but the inspiring resilience of Tylee Craft. His fight has become their fight, his strength, their motivation. In the face of life’s most daunting challenges, Tylee Craft and the UNC football team have shown that true teamwork extends far beyond the gridiron.
Prayers for Tylee, his family, and his health continue to sweep through the Tar Heel nation. Today, they don’t just play for victory – they play for Tylee.