Devon Walker is no longer able to play football but has been signed to the New Orleans Saints.
The former Tulane University safety was paralyzed during a game in September 2012 when he collided with a fellow teammate.
Walker graduated on Saturday and attended the Saints rookie minicamp. Following the minicamp, Walker thought he was going out to eat when he was surprised with a press conference with Saints head coach Sean Payton and a contract.
#Saints sign former Tulane safety Devon Walker pic.twitter.com/0vquq8SvLm
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 17, 2014
“When Devon got hurt, his football career was just starting to take off after three years of hard work,” Payton said, according to NBC Sports. “Despite the devastating injury he suffered, Devon refuses to let that define him.”
“He is an outstanding young man, who is not only an inspiration to his coaches and teammates at Tulane but to all of us. Devon’s character, determination, intelligence and work ethic are everything that we look for in a New Orleans Saint when we sign a player. This is the least we can do to recognize Devon and these attributes that we want all of our players to have.”
Walker earned his degree from Tulane in cell and molecular biology.
Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.