When the news broke that veteran defensive tackle D.J. decided to take a break from football due to some very personal issues, the first instinct that head coach Dabo Swinney and Reader’s teammates had was to reach out to Reader, support and encourage him.
“We’re here to support our players. It’s just that simple. I’ve always said I’d rather lose trying to do things right than to win not doing it right,” Swinney said
As a senior, Reader has formed a lot of close friendships with his fellow Tigers since he first joined the team. Fellow defensive lineman Kevin Dodd expressed his support for Reader and his decision, but he also knows that the team needs to continue to move forward.