His mom played a big role in that.
It was announced Wednesday that Lacy will help promote the Q-Collar and brain health and safety. In addition to wearing the device in games and practices, Lacy will appear in marketing content for the brand and share his experience while promoting brain health and safety on his social media channels.
The Q-Collar is worn around the neck and applies light pressure to help limit brain movement during football-related head movements. It is designed to protect the brain from the effects of repetitive head impacts.
“My mom, she really brought it to my attention,” Lacy said. “Being a caring mom, she wanted me to be safe, so she did some research about it. We’re trying to make sure I do everything in my ability to perform at the highest level as long as I can.”
Several NFL players have promoted the product, such as Colts two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Gardner, Bills Pro Bowl tight end Dalton Kincaid, Vikings Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and Titans Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard. That led Lacy’s mother, Kendra McGrew, to begin looking into how the device could help her son.
“Doing my own research, I became curious,” she said. “I felt it was a great opportunity to do what he does on the field and be safe and comfortable and confident with having the extra layer of precaution and protection on the field. On my Facebook and Instagram after we had the conversations, it was all over my feeds, so I was able to watch other people and athletes that wear the Q-Collar give their perspective on using it.”
Lacy took a lot of pounding, carrying the ball an SEC-high 306 times during a breakout season in his first year at Ole Miss after transferring from Missouri. He ran for 1,567 yards and an SEC-leading 24 touchdowns for a 13-2 Ole Miss team that reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.
“I think it will play a major role, because we don’t do a lot of things for our brain,” Lacy said. “I’m using this as another way to stimulate my brain and be more prepared on the field.”
Lacy will also be a featured cover athlete for the video game EA Sports College Football 27’s standard edition that releases July 9.