Cody White ready to make Pittsburgh the next city he shines in
PITTSBURGH (BVM) 鈥� Cody White did anything and everything. There were social media posts about his football aptitude before he was even old enough to drive himself to practice. It would’ve been very easy to become arrogant, or let the hype get to his head. But having a father with NFL experience coupled with a relentless motor, the stars were aligned for greatness.
At Walled Lake Western High School in Commerce, Michigan, White was the quintessential embodiment of a student-athlete.鈥� He played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track, all while maintaining a 3.6 GPA. In his senior year of high school, White won Mr. Football. He threw for 678 yards and nine passing touchdowns, had 43 catches for 705 yards and nine receiving touchdowns, and ran for 576 yards with seven rushing touchdowns.聽
The reason White accumulated passing stats is that Western鈥檚 quarterback was forced to miss the first three games of the season. Even while being recruited as a wide receiver, he did whatever the team needed of him on a given night. That also included punting, kick returns, punt returns, and playing on defense.聽
鈥淚 absolutely loved playing QB, being able to spread the ball around and being able to make plays for the offense,鈥� White said. 鈥淚 felt like playing QB only enhanced my recruiting and showed how versatile I was as a player.鈥�
White鈥檚 magical season ended by hoisting the Michigan Mr. Football trophy in front of friends, family and teammates. The next football game for him was set to be in East Lansing as a freshman wide receiver at Michigan State University. Many would鈥檝e expected him to start preparing for that first big step in his athletic career, only that wasn’t the case. Instead, it was on to basketball season as the starting shooting guard. After that, it was onto baseball season in center field, while also running track on afternoons baseball season didn鈥檛 interfere.聽
鈥淚 grew up always loving sports,鈥� White said. 鈥淚 loved playing football, basketball, and baseball growing up, and eventually adding track to that list in high school. It was my competitive nature and love for sports that had me finding ways to play more games.鈥�
Once in East Lansing, it was more of the same for the former Mr. Football. White set a Michigan State record with 490 receiving yards his freshman year, the most ever by a Spartan true freshman. He finished second all–time with 35 receptions in that same season, along with four touchdowns.聽
鈥淚t was a great accomplishment,鈥� White said about breaking the freshman record. 鈥淛ust knowing how many talented WRs had come before me at Michigan State and to see my name at the top of that list is truly an honor.鈥�
White missed four games because of a broken left hand his sophomore year, but still led the team in receiving yards with 555. In his junior year, White led the Spartans in receptions (66), receiving yards (922), and receiving touchdowns (6). There was nothing more he could accomplish collegiately, and he decided to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.聽
This was a really big moment for the entire White family. Cody鈥檚 dad, Sheldon White, was a defensive back in the NFL for six seasons. He also has worked numerous front office jobs in the NFL, including 19 years on the Detroit Lions鈥� staff. It meant a lot for Cody to be able to follow in his dad鈥檚 footsteps and start his NFL journey, which also is a factor Cody credits to getting him to this point in his career in the first place.聽
鈥淔or sure it was a big component for me, being around football my entire life,鈥� Cody said. 鈥淚 remember my dad always bringing me on the sideline before every Detroit Lions鈥� home game. Since he also played in the NFL for 6 years, I was able to receive insider tips and traits that not everyone else gets. It definitely is a big component of why I鈥檓 where I am today.鈥�
Sheldon was able to get Cody in front of the league鈥�s best to be able to show him first-hand what it takes to play in the NFL. Those experiences growing up were so important, especially to a player who had nothing but success as a kid. Cody was dominating his youth football circuits, but his dad was able to show him how much work there still was to be done.聽
鈥淐ody was able to see the seriousness, intensity, and preparation it takes to get ready for Sunday games,鈥� Sheldon said. 鈥淗e was able to see Calvin Johnson work up close and personal in practice, see the team in the locker room and on the sidelines before the game. Calvin eventually even worked with Cody individually to get him prepared for the next step.鈥�
All of these components lead to the day Cody has dreamed about forever: draft day. What was supposed to be a glorious day in the White household unfortunately didn’t go as expected, as Cody went undrafted. But the former Mr. Football and Michigan State record holder wasn’t going to let that day define him. He was determined to take the adversity as fuel for even more motivation than there already was.聽
鈥淚t definitely was a little of both,鈥� Cody said about going undrafted. 鈥淵ou are of course a little disappointed when that last pick comes off the board and you haven鈥檛 heard your name. But then the motivation kicks in. It made me hungry to have the strongest work ethic, to eventually become the best WR I could be.
鈥淭he draft is just the starting point and that was years ago. Now I am constantly working to improve my game and driving myself to improve our team. I鈥檓 motivated to make my story different from others.鈥�
Shortly after the draft, Cody was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. However, the Chiefs were forced to make cuts prior to training camp because of a temporary COVID-19 roster limit rule. He was never even given an opportunity to showcase his talent in a practice or preseason game.聽
鈥淭he initial move by the Chiefs was right before training camp,鈥� Cody said. 鈥淚t really put me in a tough spot to get added to a roster because other teams were reducing them as well due to the rule.鈥�
Cody kept working on his craft, even while being in ‘no man鈥檚 land.’ He waited patiently for opportunities, even if most were due to an injury. Because of the Covid–limited roster rules, he was used as a temporary fill-in for teams until other players were healthy. Cody helped out at one practice with the New York Giants, and approximately six with the Denver Broncos.
Like going undrafted, Cody turned what could be seen by many as a negative into a positive. He took in everything he could at every stop, using every day, no matter where he was, as a day to get better.聽
鈥淚 just stayed focused and kept working while teams were just searching for 鈥榣egs鈥� for camp,鈥� Cody said of his three stops during the 2020 offseason. 鈥淚t helped me learn how to become a professional, for sure. Finding out the right things to do and also what are the bad things players do. Picking up traits from top guys and figuring out what makes them so successful.鈥�
Those learning moments paid dividends, as Cody signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers鈥� practice squad in September of 2020 and has been there ever since. He stayed on the practice squad for the 2020 season, continuing to get better everyday for when his number was eventually called.聽
On Sept. 26, 2021, before Pittsburgh鈥檚 Week 3 game, Cody got the call he has been waiting his entire life for: he was being promoted to the active roster for the first time in his NFL career. With his family in attendance, Cody caught two passes for 17 yards. For a guy who has caught countless passes throughout his life, those two will stick with him forever.聽
鈥淚t was an unreal moment,鈥� Cody said. 鈥淎ll the hard work and preparation is what finally allowed me to succeed in that moment. That game really just made me more hungry to want to continue to level up in this league.鈥�
It also meant a lot to Sheldon and the rest of Cody鈥檚 family. Moments like those are even more appreciated when they look back and realize the energy and effort it took to get to this point.
鈥淚t was awesome to be there and share his big moment,鈥� Sheldon said of being in the Heinz Field stands for Cody鈥檚 first game. 鈥淥ur family watched him remain ultra focused through the turbulent Covid times and be prepared to take advantage of his opportunity.”
Cody ended up staying on the active roster for the duration of the season. It was a special one in Pittsburgh as it was legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger鈥檚 final season. Catching passes and learning everyday from a guy with the experience Roethlisberger has was something Cody doesn鈥檛 take for granted.聽
鈥淧laying with Big Ben was definitely a big help for me as a young player,鈥� White said. 鈥淗is leadership and knowledge of the game really helped me improve as a player.鈥�
In a season with, for obvious reasons, many personal accomplishments for Cody, he also was a part of celebrating Big Ben鈥檚 final game at Heinz Field. On Monday Night Football, needing a win to get into the playoffs, Roethlisberger was able to give the Pittsburgh crowd one last home victory.
鈥淭he majority of the season was business as usual,鈥� Cody said. 鈥淯ntil his last game, when you could just feel a different energy from both him [Roethlisberger] and in the stadium. It was truly an honor to have played and caught passes from a player of that caliber.鈥�
After what was a crazy first couple of years in the NFL, Cody is happy to finally have a home in Pittsburgh. But this is just the beginning for him and his career. The rookie jitters are out of the way, and now it is time to continue to work and blossom even more into the player he knows he can become.
鈥淔or the offseason, I鈥檓 about to start my training with Mo Wells and Jordan Bush at ,鈥� Cody said. 鈥淚 will be in Pittsburgh again next season, and I鈥檓 so ready to give it my all and be an impact in bringing a Super Bowl back to the city of Pittsburgh.鈥�
Both life and football are all about how someone can handle obstacles and adversity. As a Mr. Football winner and collegiate record breaker, there wasn鈥檛 much of that early on for Cody. Everything thrown at him he had an answer for as he grew up. The only thing left to answer was how he would overcome the level of adversity the NFL had for him. After taking a year or so to settle down in Pittsburgh, the answer is now abundantly clear. Watch out for No. 15 in the black and gold next season.
