Dabo Swinney acknowledges Diondre Overton’s captain plaque on emotional Tiger Walk

Dabo Swinney has gone through the tradition known as the “Tiger Walk” on many occasions over the years, as fans cheer the Clemson head coach and the team while they enter the stadium on game day.

On Saturday as Clemson looks to bounce back from its Week 1 loss to Georgia, it’s obvious the Tigers’ head coach had a heavy heart as he led his squad into Memorial Stadium for a 8 P.M. ET home kickoff against Appalachian State.

Just hours before leading the Tigers on the “Tiger Walk” to prepare to face the Mountaineers, multiple reports confirmed former Clemson wide receiver — and key member of the national championship teams in 2016 and 2018 — Diondre Overton tragically passed away at age 26.

Swinney paused as he entered Memorial Stadium on Saturday, knelt, and blew a kiss to Overton’s captain plaque in an emotional moment for the Clemson head coach.

Here’s video of the moment, courtesy of Chapel Fowler:

Emotional stuff: During Tiger Walk just now, Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney stops, kneels and blows a kiss to Diondre Overton’s captain plaque. Overton, a former Tigers wide receiver, died at age 26, the team announced this morning pic.twitter.com/Be0K7vfzL7

— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) September 7, 2024

Overton closed out his Clemson career with 52 receptions for 777 yards in his 4 years playing for the Tigers.

He went on to play professionally in the USFL, recording 42 catches for 533 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Philadelphia Stars over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

A native of Greensboro, N.C., Overton signed with the Tigers out of Walter Hines Page High School. He earned his degree from Clemson in sports communication in the summer of 2019.

Sean Labar

Sean Labar is an SEC football contributor for Saturday Down South.