On July 15, 2023, former OSU WR Carnell Tate’s world turned upside down. He used to FaceTime his mother at least 4-5 times a day and did the same before his mother, Ashley Griggs, attended a class reunion. But instead of those cheerful memories from her class reunion, only grief came Tate’s way. Hours after his FaceTime call, Ashley was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago, just blocks from where Tate grew up. But Tate channeled that grief to fulfill his mother’s dream.
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Last season, Tate returned to Chicago when OSU faced Northwestern and, with his family in attendance, pulled off one of the most spectacular performances of his career. Not only did he haul in two touchdowns, but he also blew a kiss towards the sky, dedicating the performance to his late mother. And now, he is dedicating his jersey to his mother with a heartwarming gesture, picking #14 as his number.
“It was probably the best number available for real,” Tate said on May 2. “You can [look] at [it], my mom’s birthday is November 14, but then also [it’s] round one, pick four. You’ve got two ways to look at it. And it’s just a new opportunity.”
Carnell Tate didn’t wear #14 at Ohio State, but every time he scored a touchdown, he looked towards the sky, dedicating the performance to her. At this year’s NFL draft, he also had his mother’s name imprinted on his jacket and wore a chain with her name. Most importantly, Tate’s real remembrance of his mother was in his 1,872 receiving yards at Ohio State, which led to him becoming the 4th overall pick to the Tennessee Titans.
Carnell Tate on why he chose number 14 with the Titans: His mom’s birthday is Nov 14 and he’s “round 1, pick 4”
“My mom was a football mom. She loved coming to our games, loved it, cheering us on, loved going out there supporting my friends and me,” Tate said about his mother’s dream to see him in the NFL. “My mom thought I was going to achieve every dream of mine that I had always wanted. We talked about the NFL almost all the time. And my mom was right there behind me, supporting me through each and every step of my journey.”
After his mother’s passing, Ryan Day, the coaches, and all his teammates rallied behind Tate to support him. Brandon Inniss, for instance, assured his fellow WR teammate that he was always there for him. The whole process of grieving and still navigating his college career wasn’t easy. Considering the level of bond the duo shared, the process took time, but Tate built on that momentum and found healing with his teammates and his family.
“He and his mom were very close,” Ryan Day said in 2023. “When you lose somebody close to you like that, it just takes the rug out from underneath you, and I know that happened to Carnell. He does have a team that’s here to support. We’ve all kind of surrounded him and tried to help them the best we can. He’s a pretty private person as well. I think football has allowed him a distraction to kind of get his mind off of it when he’s not in his room or back in Chicago.”
To always keep his mother’s memory close, Tate has set Ashley’s photo as his phone’s screensaver, and the #14 jersey will see consistent touchdown celebrations in her memory as Tate gradually becomes an NFL star.
Carnell Tate wants to excel in the NFL for his mom
On April 17, ESPN featured Carnell Tate’s story about his grief and his journey through college football. It described the events surrounding his mother’s passing and how the tragic event became a “defining” moment in his life. Appearing in the video, Tate’s father, LeSean Tate, described his son’s bond with Ashley as the WR navigated his grief.
“[Carnell] and his mom were very close,” LeSean Tate said. “I won’t say he’s a mama’s boy, but you know how a mama’s bond is with her son. It’s close.” Tate described his mother’s passing as if his world ended, as she was “everything” to him. “We used to talk 4-to-5 times per day. And then it felt like my world had just ended that night. She always wanted me to chase my dreams. I’m doing exactly that. She sees her son doing what he loves.”
Carnell Tate is at Tennessee now and is trying to make the PFWA rookie team. Even winning the rookie of the year award is a reasonable expectation for him. It’s not because Tate wants it, but because that’s what his mother always dreamed of: Seeing her son suiting up for an NFL team as the crowd goes crazy on his touchdowns.
