The Night I Learned the Game Is Never Over

There are moments in sports that stop being about sports.

They become life lessons you carry with you long after the stadium lights go dark.

For me, one of those moments happened on a cold November night in 2013, during the Iron Bowl when Auburn and Alabama were tied 28–28, the clock was bleeding out, and it felt like the game was heading to overtime. Or Alabama could possibly win 

And then…

Chris Davis caught that kick.

What followed was 109 yards of disbelief, adrenaline, chaos, and history. A return so improbable it earned a name: The Kick Six.

But what people forget is this:

That play only existed because someone refused to give up on the final second.

Was It a Miracle?

Yes.

Was It Hard Work?

Absolutely.

Was It Determination?

Without question.

Was It a Lesson in “Don’t Freaking Quit on Life”?

One hundred percent.

When I watched Chris Davis run sideline to sideline, weaving through defenders, the crowd losing its collective mind, I didn’t just see a football play.

I saw every moment in life when quitting would’ve been easier in my life .

I saw:

• Fighting illness when the fear felt louder than hope

• Ending a relationship that was breaking me instead of saving me

• Standing back up after failures that felt permanent

• Choosing to keep going when it would’ve been simpler to sit down and stay there

That run reminded me of something I’ve had to tell myself more times than I can count:

The game is not over just because the clock says it should be.

Life has a way of convincing you it’s finished:

• When depression whispers that nothing will change

• When you lose a job and feel replaceable

• When grief settles in and makes everything feel heavy

• When heartbreak convinces you that joy was something you already used up

But that’s a lie.

Because sometimes, just like that night at Jordan-Hare—everything changes in one final, defiant moment.

Chris Davis didn’t stop because the odds were impossible.

He didn’t slow down because the math didn’t work.

He didn’t hesitate because history said it wouldn’t happen.

He ran like someone who knew quitting wasn’t an option.

And that’s the part I hold onto.

If you are reading this and you are tired—

If you are hurting, scared, or unsure how you’re supposed to keep going—

Please hear this:

You are not at the end. You are at the moment before the run.

Your life is not defined by the score right now.

Your pain does not get the final word.

Your story is not finished just because things look tied, stalled, or hopeless.

Sometimes the greatest victories come when you think there’s no time left.

The game isn’t over.

Life isn’t over.

And your breakthrough might be waiting for you to take one more step down the field. 🧡💙

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Check out this video, "the kick six"