Titans WR Corey Davis to play to honor late brother

In the midst of tragedy, Titans wide receiver Corey Davis will suit up and honor his late brother Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts.

Titus Davis died Wednesday of renal medullary carcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of kidney cancers, typically found in young adults — and often those of African descent who carry the sickle cell trait.

Titus announced publicly he had cancer in July:

Half of patients who are diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma don’t live past four months.

Titus died at the age of 27. Dolphins safety Kavon Frazier, a teammate of Davis at Central Michigan, announced his passing on Twitter:

Titus Davis was a football star in his own right, becoming the first player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to catch eight or more touchdowns in each of his four seasons.

He broke Central Michigan’s record of receiving yards and touchdowns — 37 touchdowns and 3,700 yards— previously held by Antonio Brown.

He went undrafted after four years at CMU, but was signed as a free agent by the Chargers. He competed for two years on five NFL practice squads.

Davis’ coach at Central Michigan, Dan Enos, said in a statement to The Detroit News:

“I’m heartbroken by the loss of Titus, who was first and foremost an outstanding person. On the field, he was a phenomenal athlete and competitor. He was also a great friend and teammate to many.”

Corey Davis, 25, a Western Michigan grad who was the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, was candid about his relationship with his older brother, saying he was a huge influence on why he decided to play football.

“He’s the sole reason I’m playing this sport today,” Davis said.