It is hard for UGA fans to say goodbye to someone who has given as much to the program as Sony Michel has.
But sometimes we forget it can be even harder for someone such as Michel to say goodbye to the place he called home for the last four football seasons.
On Thursday morning, the NFL-bound running back released an emotional farewell to Georgia through The Players’ Tribune.
The title? “Thank you, Georgia.” Now might be a good time to break out the Kleenex if you’re the emotional type.
In the letter, Michel shared some intimate details from the Bulldogs’ historic Rose Bowl win against Oklahoma, including what was going through his mind in the moments after scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
“I was under the lights in Pasadena, and had just played in one of the most incredible college football games of my life,” Michel wrote. “But all I could think about was getting back home to the Bulldog faithful.”
Michel details the use of the “I got your back” mantra that helped fuel the comeback win against the Sooners, and he also shared why he held Athens so near and dear to his heart in a moment of great joy experienced across the country in Pasadena, Calif.
“The thing is, Georgia fans, and the whole UGA community, went out of their way to make it clear that I actually wasn’t a second-string back,” Michel wrote in The Players’ Tribune post. “You guys made me feel special, and every time my name was called, you showed me love as if I was the starter.”
What a special note from a special Dawg. Classy gesture.
You can meet with Michel, along with fellow former Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb and linebacker Roquan Smith, at DawgNation’s upcoming DawgNation Appreciation event. Tickets are on sale now.
