Watch: Dabo Swinney honors late Clemson wide receiver with classy pregame gesture

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney took part in the team’s traditional pregame Tiger Walk with a heavy heart on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the team announced that former Tigers wide receiver Diondre Overton had died at age 26.

Overton played for Clemson and Swinney from 2016-19, was part of the Tigers’ 2016 and 2018 national championships and was most recently playing in the USFL.

According to the Guilford (NC) County Sheriff’s Office, Overton was shot and killed at a house party overnight Saturday in his hometown of Greensboro. No arrest has been made as of early Sunday, but deputies continue to conduct an “active and ongoing homicide investigation.”

Ahead of Clemson’s 2024 home opener against App State, those tragic circumstances led to an emotional moment during the team’s pregame Tiger Walk, where team captains from each Clemson season of are listed on the sidewalk.

During his walk down the sidewalk, Swinney stopped in front of a plaque honoring Overton’s status as a co-captain during the 2019 season. Someone had placed a bouquet of flowers and a Clemson balloon there earlier Saturday afternoon.

Swinney knelt, rubbed Overton’s plaque, paused for a moment and then kissed his hand and pressed it to the plaque before standing back up. He looked visibly emotional for a moment as he continued his walk into Memorial Stadium.

Clemson also held a pregame moment of silence for Overton ahead of its home opener and, in another touching gesture, had the two players on its roster who wear No. 14 (Overton’s number) run down The Hill before the rest of the team.

Swinney traditionally leads the Tigers in their traditional run down the hill in the east end zone, followed by players. But Clemson sent the two No. 14 players on its roster (QB Trent Pearman and safety Rob Billings) down first, alone, instead.

Dabo Swinney pays tribute

After the No. 25 Tigers beat App State, 66-20, in their home opener, Swinney used the opening minutes of his postgame news conference to pay tribute to Overton, who he called “one of the best teammates we’ve had come through here.”

A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Overton was a top 200 national recruit coming out of Page High School before he signed with the Tigers.

Overton played for Clemson from 2016-19 and was part of the Tigers’ 2016 and 2018 national championship teams. He had 52 career catches for 777 yards and seven touchdowns in 51 games (five starts) and also played professionally in the USFL.

Swinney said he woke up Saturday morning to a number of texts about Overton’s death, including one from Robbie Caldwell, a former Clemson assistant coach who was one of Overton’s lead recruiters when he was in high school.

“It took the wind out of my body,” Swinney said.

Swinney described Overton’s death as “senseless” and said he’d spoken with Overton’s parents.

“He truly was just one of the sweetest spirits and kids that we’ve had come through here,” Swinney said. “And again, truly a great teammate. My heart hurts, and my prayers are with his family.”

His death prompted an outpouring of support from former teammates and coaches on social media, including former Clemson WRs coach Jeff Scott, QB Trevor Lawrence, WRs Tee Higgins and Amari Rodgers and DE Xavier Thomas.

Swinney also thanked the anonymous person who laid out the flower bouquet and balloons at Overton’s captain plaque at the Tiger Walk.

“The good news is, I know where he is,” Swinney, who’s long been open about his Christian faith, said of Overton. “I know he’s with the good Lord. He was actually baptized while he was here at Clemson. Got a picture of that on my phone. So, a life cut way too short. But I do know that piece of it.”