In November of 2015 while sitting in his car in Miami Gardens, Florida, Stedman Bailey was shot. Less than a year later, the wide receiver is stating his desire to play in the NFL again.
Bailey nearly died, but after seven hours of surgery and plates and screws being inserted into his head, he survived. Now, Bailey is back at the University of West Virginia working on his degree while helping coach his college team.
But Bailey wants more. The wideout wants another chance at the NFL after spending three seasons with the Rams.
“Physically I feel great,” Bailey told FOX Sports. “I feel like I could line up and compete right now, but the doctors and specialists who did the surgery on my head said that I need at least a full year to heal up before they can re-evaluate because contact wouldn’t be too good. After November, I’ll start to re-evaluate again. Hopefully, I’ll get good results.”
“I’d be extremely hurt if I can’t play again,” he said. “This would only be my fourth year and I still feel like I have so much to give. “
Bailey was drafted in the third round in 2013 and in three seasons with the Rams, he racked up four touchdowns, 59 catches, and 843 yards. Before he was shot in November, Bailey played in eight games with the Rams in 2015, recording 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown.
Even though the gun shot ended his season prematurely, Bailey knows it didn’t end his life and he doesn’t want it to end his career either.
“Had the bullet hit a different spot in my head, it could’ve been a much worse result,” he said. “I think about that all the time. I am very blessed. A part of my purpose of my life is to speak out and reach people to push through and overcome adversity.”
The three people involved in the shooting have been captured and Bailey is back on his feet. While Bailey hasn’t gotten his life back to where it was a year ago before the incident, he is making the most of his time away from the NFL.
Bailey told his mother he would graduate from college, which he is 22 credits away from doing. While helping coach the Mountaineers, Bailey is taking 15 credits this semester.
“His job is to get his degree,” Dana Holgorsen, Bailey’s old coach said. “He goes to class. I see him carrying his book bags around, but he’s also really helped us out. I see him bringing young guys over, working on little technique [things]. He’s just a very positive guy that picks these guys up.”
During his junior year at WVU, Bailey was a first-team All-American after catching 114 passes for a school-record 1,622 yards and 25 touchdowns.
While Bailey is happy that the players listen to him because of his accomplishments with the Mountaineers, he’s also happy they’ll listen to him about life goals as well.
“Play every play like it’s your last,” he said. “Make the most of this opportunity. Hopefully, I can rub off on them.”
