HOUSTON -- After a workout last month, the Houston Texans have signed defensive tackle Devon Still to a futures contract.
Still hasn't played since the Bengals released him in September. He became well known for his daughter's inspirational battle with cancer. Leah Still is in remission.
"Leah's last treatment is Friday," Still said in a post linked on Twitter. "I just signed a contract to get back to doing what I love. I would say this week is a good week! I told myself from day one with Leah's diagnosis I would give her my all and sacrifice my career because if I lost her to cancer I could never get her back but if I lost football, given the right opportunity, I could get it back. Thanks to the Texans for giving me that opportunity!"
ESPN Bengals reporter Coley Harvey wrote a nice story about Still's path when the Bengals released him.
Last year while Leah was in the hospital, the Texans sent her a gift basket themed by the movie 'Frozen.' Her story rallied many around the league. The Bengals sold his jersey in their team store, a rare move for a practice squad player, and Saints head coach Sean Payton joined the hordes of people buying them. He bought 100. The jersey sales' proceeds supported cancer research.
Still was initially a second-round draft pick by the Bengals out of Penn State in 2012. He and Texans coach Bill O'Brien barely missed each other at Penn State -- O'Brien became the head coach later in 2012.
A futures contract can be signed after the regular season ends, but takes effect at the start of the new league year in March.