Swinney's message to fans during crisis: "We can kick this thing in the tail"

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney says to lift up your fellow man.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Mar 25 16:34:18 GMT-04:00 2020

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney delivered a powerful message to Tiger fans Wednesday afternoon, telling everyone to lift up their fellow man, follow instructions, and we will all kick this thing in the tail.

The final six practices of the spring, which included the annual Orange and White Game, were canceled due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus. Swinney had not spoken with the media until a video that the football office released Wednesday afternoon.

“The biggest thing is I miss all of y’all. Sorry, we didn’t get a chance to finish up what we love to do,” Swinney said to the fans. “I really hope everyone is safe. I know this is a time of uncertainty, but you know what, it is also a time when we all have an opportunity to grow. We all have an opportunity to maybe reconnect in different areas of our lives.

“Also, keep all these people in your thoughts and prayers that have been negatively impacted. You think about the waiters and the waitresses and the supply chains and all these things. it’s just a domino effect, people losing jobs and so forth. Let’s just lift them up. Keep our focus on the right things. Football will take care of itself.”

With the Clemson campus closed the players are all at home and the coaches are working from their homes, and Swinney said he hopes once life gets back to normal everyone will have a greater appreciation for life.

“Our team is in a good place. We are all missing sports in general and all those things,” Swinney said. “Hopefully, when we do get our lives back and get back on track hopefully we will have even more an appreciation of the privilege that we have of living in this country and all the information, knowledge, and great and wonderful doctors and nurses out there.”

Swinney then urged everyone to follow precautions and stay safe and we will overcome the uncertainty by kicking the virus in the tail.

“It is amazing what’s going on in our country and all these great people that are serving so many. Just pray for our leadership,” Swinney said. “Pray for guidance. Pray for all the medical people. Just everyone stay safe. I’m certainly not an expert on what is going on. I wouldn’t even try to be. I definitely think learning from the experts and the protocols that people have put forth out there to try to help us overcome this challenge. Stay clean. Wash your hands a lot. Be very mindful of where you are. Hopefully, you are all home safe but if you are out, stay out of groups and try to stay away from sick people.

“If you are sick, stay home for sure. We can kick this thing in the tail and get back to our lives here at some point. God bless all of you. Hope to see everyone real soon. Hopefully, we will all be back in the Valley celebrating this September another great game day. But until then stay safe, follow the protocols that have been put forth by a lot of smart people out there. Let’s do our part. God Bless and Go Tigers.”

Watch all of Dabo Swinney's remarks here