In a week dominated by talk of the upcoming college football season, Texas safety Michael Taaffe brought something different to SEC Media Days in Atlanta: perspective. Wearing a burnt orange tie stitched with the initials of the 27 victims at Camp Mystic, one of several communities impacted by the recent devastating floods in Texas, Taaffe used the national stage not to promote himself or the projected preseason No. 1 Longhorns, but to honor lives lost in his home state, a reminder that some things matter more than football.
“These are the initials of all the victims at Camp Mystic who passed away — all the girls, the counselors and then the camp executive director, Dick Eastland,” Taaffe told a group of reporters. “I just wanted to shed light on what’s going on in Texas because, you know, football is cool, but this is real life.”
Flash floods that swept through Central Texas on the morning of July 4 have killed more than 130 people, with more than 160 still missing, according to local officials and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“This is more important than football,” Taaffe continued. “I wanted everyone around the country to know what Texas is dealing with and how I can give back and show my support to them. Anything I can do for them, I’m going to do it.”
Taaffe, a former walk-on turned fifth-year defensive back at Texas, grew up roughly three hours east of Camp Mystic in Austin, where he starred at Westlake High School. He has made 43 career appearances and 26 starts for the Longhorns, earning second-team All-America honors from The Associated Press in 2024. He was also a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the top FBS player who began his career as a walk-on.
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