Bryce Stanfield was a picture of perfect health, athletic prowess, and academic promise.
After a successful high school career, he committed to Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina as a defensive lineman. Stanfield spent each year making the most of every opportunity alongside New England Patriots long snapper Julian Ashby.
Together, they would take the practice and game fields determined to improve with every snap, but off the field they shared a common interest to strive for something more.
Along with their names being side-by-side on Furman's roster, they could also be found on All-Academic Teams and Honor Rolls in each of their years spent together. When not on the field or in the classroom, it was in the community they could be found working with the local youth or supporting local hospitals.
On February 9, 2024, during his junior year at Furman, Bryce passed away due to undetected and unforeseen complications with blood clots. The tragedy brought the Furman and Greenville communities closer together, charged by Bryce's legacy of compassion, consistency, and leadership on Ashby and everyone around him.
"He was an incredible player and great student," said Ashby. "You could always count on him to have a smile coming into the weight room or out to practice."
Bryce's infectious zest for life left an impact that Ashby carries in his heart and will soon wear on his feet. The seventh-round selection in the 2025 Draft is one of four Patriots rookies to participate in the National Football League's 'My Cause My Cleats' initiative.
On February 9, 2024, during his junior year at Furman, Bryce passed away due to undetected and unforeseen complications with blood clots. The tragedy brought the Furman and Greenville communities closer together, charged by Bryce's legacy of compassion, consistency, and leadership on Ashby and everyone around him.
"He was an incredible player and great student," said Ashby. "You could always count on him to have a smile coming into the weight room or out to practice."
Bryce's infectious zest for life left an impact that Ashby carries in his heart and will soon wear on his feet. The seventh-round selection in the 2025 Draft is one of four Patriots rookies to participate in the National Football League's 'My Cause My Cleats' initiative.
Ashby will honor Bryce in collaboration with the National Blood Clot Alliance to raise awareness and stand up for those effected by the delicate and sometimes tragic cases of blood clots. In the words of the NBCA's slogan, and one of many seen on Ashby's cleats, he aims to 'Stop the Clot.'
"Bryce isn't able to tell his story, so I think it's kind of my duty to tell that story for him," said Ashby. "Hopefully others who have been or will be impacted by blood clots at some point can use this to raise awareness going forward."
Ashby served as a guiding light for Bryce, according to his mother and 'Thrombassador' for the NBCA Teri Stanfield. A year above Bryce, Ashby showed him the ropes that helped hoist him to the top of student-athlete life.
It would turn out Bryce's life shed light on things for Ashby as well. He used one of his first opportunities to speak to his new team as a mid-year transfer to tell Bryce's story and the impact it made on him. Something Teri will always be grateful for.
"Julian was Bryce's road map, Julian was there encouraging him and coaching him on the way," said Stanfield. "I was always proud of Bryce for choosing Julian as a role model."
Stanfield joined the organization six months after her son's passing to raise awareness about the preventative nature of blood clots, especially in the cases of athletes.
According to the NBCA's resource center for athletes, the most common clots they face are deep vein thrombosis of the leg and pulmonary embolisms. While easier to flag in non-athletes, these symptoms are often disguised as common athletically based issues, causing some cases to be overlooked.
"Healthcare providers may interpret the leg symptoms from DVTs as a muscle tear, charley horse, twisted ankle, or shin splints. Chest symptoms from PE are often attributed to a pulled muscle, costochondritis (inflammation of the joint between ribs and breastbone), bronchitis, asthma, or a pneumonia."
Bryce Stanfield's death was completely avoidable, according to his mother, had his symptoms not been flagged because of athletic wear and tear. It's the epidemic that no one is discussing, she said.
On third-and-8 was Bryce's time to shine, and now, his mother strives to rally like Bryce did when the game was on the line. With the help of Ashby and the NFL stage, these conversations can be spread far, and wide so athletes and healthcare providers can be better advocates towards stopping the clot.
"I just remember on third down he would look up at the in the stands and he would just tell everybody 'Get up, get up,' 'Make noise, make noise'," said Stanfield.
"I made a promise to Bryce that I am going to shake all these bleachers and make so much noise to raise awareness for blood clots so that another athlete doesn't have to experience this tragedy."
On Monday, Dec. 1, Ashby will take the field with Bryce's fighting spirit laced into his game cleats, and his parents in attendance at Gillette Stadium. Over 65,000 fans will be cheering on a Patriots' win, but they plan on fighting for something more.
The opportunity to protect all athletes, from the biggest stages to the well-worn recreational fields across the nation. So, they can safely strive to live life like it's third-and-8, play Stanfield strong, and above all, be like Bryce.
