ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� Tre鈥橠avious White arrived in Buffalo in 2017 driven to be the best and began entertaining visions of one day wearing a Hall of Fame gold jacket before two debilitating injuries stopped the cornerback’s rising trajectory.
It took time, bouts with depression and spending a year away from Buffalo for White to find peace and discover what matters most in life upon .
“Football means a lot, but it鈥檚 not the end-all and be-all. Good game, bad game, my people still gonna love me,鈥� White told The Associated Press as Buffalo (12-5) prepares to at Jacksonville (13-4) on Sunday.
鈥淚 feel I鈥檝e got so much life to give other than what I can do on the football field. And that freed me up,鈥� he added. 鈥淚 just think this game has given me that perspective on life. And I wouldn鈥檛 have got it nowhere else if I wouldn鈥檛 have went through those dark times.”
The limits of White’s resolve were tested after he tore a left knee ligament in 2021 and then his . There were days during his recovery when members of the Bills training staff had to visit his home .
White鈥檚 new-found perspective has been reflected nearly every day this season in how he greets everyone with a beaming smile and happily skips each time he takes the field. This wasn鈥檛 always the case in 2022 and 鈥�23, when White turned inward by declining interview requests to the point he faced potential NFL fines for not following the league鈥檚 media policy.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have much to cheer or be upbeat about,鈥� White said, reflecting back. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e learned over time that I can鈥檛 let the game dictate my attitude toward life. … Because at the end of the day, when I stop playing, nobody is gonna care how many tackles I had.鈥�
On Thursday, White was giddy upon being voted the Pro Football Writer鈥檚 Association鈥檚 an award given to a player best demonstrating respect, thoughtfulness and cooperation with reporters.
“Ain鈥檛 no way,鈥� he said, with a laugh upon accepting the plaque. 鈥淢y teammates have to be as mean as (stuff) if you all are giving me this award.鈥�
White, who turns 31 next week, has made a bigger impact on the Bills with his play, willingness to share his wisdom and upbeat demeanor.
鈥淗e brings so much joy, so much positivity, so much energy. It means so much to have him back,鈥� cornerback Christian Benford said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so proud and thankful God has uplifted his spirit, his mind to allow him to bounce back and fight through a lot of this.鈥�
Sean McDermott grows emotional nearly each time he speaks of the player from Shreveport, Louisiana, who starred at LSU before becoming .
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say enough good things about Tre鈥� and what he means to me, personally, and what he鈥檚 meant to our football team,鈥� McDermott said. 鈥淚 just believe in my heart that there鈥檚 something deeper behind all of it with Tre鈥� because I know what this place means to him.鈥�
If not for his injuries and contract, White wouldn鈥檛 have departed Buffalo in the first place after being cut in March 2024 for salary-cap reasons. Upon splitting last season between the Rams and Ravens, White was so eager to re-sign with Buffalo, he told his agent to not call unless he had a deal done with the Bills.
鈥淲hen I go to sleep at night and when I envision myself making plays, it鈥檚 always in red, white and blue,鈥� White said, referring to the Bills’ colors.
鈥淭his is where I want to be. This is where I鈥檓 supposed to be. This is home,鈥� he added. 鈥淲hen I take my last snap as a football player, I want it to be in red, white and blue and No. 27, rightfully so. Hopefully.鈥�
However uncertain his future is beyond the playoffs, White gained closure in a season during which he reestablished himself with 16 starts and an interception. The production might pale from the days White was regarded as one of the NFL鈥檚 top shutdown cornerbacks and earned first- and second-team All-Pro honors in 2019 and 鈥�20.
But what are numbers to White, who wondered why it takes someone having to reach their lowest point to find themselves.
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 let extreme circumstances turn us into a person that’s going to help others or see life this way now because this happened to me,鈥� White said. 鈥淣o, let鈥檚 see life for what it is right now, and not wait until bad things happen.鈥�
It鈥檚 a lesson he’s imparting to his three sons.
鈥淚鈥檓 so happy that I was able to go through what I went through, to get that callus and come out the man that I am now,鈥� White said. 鈥淚 feel like maybe as a player, it may not have been what I wanted. But as a person, I鈥檓 better going forward.鈥�
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