Thomas Davis may have broken his arm in the Carolina Panthers NFC Championship victory, but the star linebacker won’t let it break his will. Carolina last traveled to the Super Bowl back in 2004, their only appearance so far. (Patriots 31, Panthers 29.) Davis joined the team a year later, likely thinking he was joining a perennial Super Bowl contender. It didn’t work out that way.
During his long wait for the Panthers return to the big game, Davis has fought his way through devastating injuries — including three ACL tears that each had potential to end his career. He has been a stand-up guy throughout his career, being awarded the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2015 for off-the-field service to his community. (It was a good year: Davis also signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers in 2015.) Davis has vowed to play in Super Bowl 50 despite his broken arm, which was surgically repaired Monday morning. He said in a postgame interview: “I’m not gonna miss the Super Bowl for the world.”
Davis and his wife at the hospital:
