UNC head coach Mack Brown was openly emotional about graduate student wide receiver Tylee Craft on Saturday afternoon. This was following his team’s 34-24 loss against the Pittsburgh Panthers. North Carolina’s third straight loss of the season.
Brown opened his postgame press conference with warm regards to the disasters in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Then proceeded to talk about Craft’s ongoing situation.
“Let me start by talking about the disasters of the mountains and all the thoughts and prayers,” Brown said. “Tylee Craft went into the hospital this morning.”
“He’s really struggling,” Brown added. “He needs a lot of thoughts and prayers … he was supposed to be at the game today.”
Craft, a Sumter, South Carolina native is in a battle with a rare lung cancer — he was diagnosed with a stage 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. A health situation that left him unable to play at the start of the 2022 season and until recently.
Tylee Craft's inspirational battle with cancer
Back in 2022, Craft received the notable Disney Spirit Award on ESPN’s College Football Awards. This award is given to the most inspirational figure in college.
The wide receiver has played in 11 games in Chapel Hill. Craft came out of high school as a four-star recruit and listed as the No. 7 player in North Carolina as well as the No. 60 at his position on ESPN.
In Craft’s long battle, his coaches, teammates, friends and family will be right behind him for everlasting support. Craft is never alone in his fight with cancer.
