Michael Taaffe honors those who died at Camp Mystic with special tie during SEC Media Days

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns senior defensive back Michael Taaffe wants to use his platform for good, and that was on full display Tuesday at the Southeastern Conference Football Media Days in Atlanta, Georgia.

Taaffe spoke to reporters wearing a tie with 27 sets of initials on it, each representing someone who died after catastrophic flooding overtook Camp Mystic in the Texas Hill Country during the July 4 weekend. He said the camp holds a special place in his heart.

“I want to shed light on what’s going on in Texas to the SEC, to everybody around the country,” he said. “At the end of the day, football is important and it brings us joy, but this is more than football. I wanted to show how important this is to us. We’ve been praying continuously for those families and the community, and I want to help them any way I can.”

Taaffe said the camps in the area mean a lot to him, his family and his friends. He signed autographs and spoke with fans as part of a flood relief fundraiser at the West Campus location of P. Terry’s Burger Stand before he went to Atlanta. He’s an Austin native and a Westlake High School graduate, so the tragic events that resulted in children’s lives being cut far too short weigh on him.

“It’s about making an impact,” he said. “My platform is unique because Texas is such a great fan base that I have the opportunity to impact others and shed light on things that are important. Being successful is important, yes, and I love being successful, but being significant is more important to me.”

Taaffe, along with junior linebacker Anthony Hill Jr and sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, represented the Longhorns at the event alongside head coach Steve Sarkisian.