What McConkey has written on towel has deep personal meaning – Football – Sports

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey lost his grandfather, Vic, in 2016, but has never stopped honoring him throughout his football career.

McConkey and the Chargers face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, as Los Angeles looks to start the season 2-0 for only the second time in 13 years. The Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 and faced backlash from Taylor Swift fans after Travis Kelce was slapped during the contest.

The hostility remains in Week 2, as Raiders head coach Pete Carroll refueled his rivalry with Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh ahead of the game. Amid the negativity, McConkey writes a date on his towel before every football game to honor his grandfather.

Five years ago, when McConkey received an offer from Georgia to play college football, he revealed a heartwarming story about his grandfather. McConkey writes ‘1-20-16’ on his towel before every game, and that is the date his grandfather, Vic McConkey, lost his battle with cancer.

The offer became even more surreal when McConkey realized that Georgia had contacted him on that very same date. Exactly four years after losing his grandfather, McConkey was asked to play for the Bulldogs.

In an interview with Dawg Nation, McConkey reflected on the most significant moment of his football career, which fell on the anniversary of his grandfather’s passing. “It did. It really did,” McConkey said.

“It’s crazy. I know. … It was definitely something. I realized it, and then I went ‘Whew’ because that was really something. That really means something.”

Vic McConkey was a huge Tennessee fan, and Ladd said that he would have been ecstatic to hear about the offer. “He was really special,” McConkey added. “He was one of my biggest fans.

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“Every single game. He was there. He told me when I was messing up and didn’t play my best, and he told me when I played great. He was definitely a big part of my life.”

McConkey won the national championship twice with Georgia and was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chargers. He had 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but set an NFL record in his postseason debut.

Though the Chargers were humbled 32-12 by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round, McConkey had 197 receiving yards. It was the most by any rookie in a single playoff game, and he also scored Los Angeles’ only touchdown.

A stunning breakout season saw McConkey voted by his fellow NFL players as the 100th best player in the league. McConkey had 74 yards from six receptions in Week 1, but is looking for his first touchdowns this season.