CLEMSON – Brannon Spector is used to hearing the word “adversity.”
While the Tigers have been learning the importance of this word in the game of football, Spector has had his fair share of adversity to overcome in his own life as well.
Spector, a graduate student, spent the 2021 football season recovering from sickness and caring for his mother, who suffered from colon cancer. After Spector was diagnosed with COVID in February of 2021, he noticed that it was taking much longer than usual to recover. His breathing was irregular, and he was also experiencing acid reflux.
His sickness dragged all the way to December of 2021, which is when he had to get a life-changing surgery and was officially diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). As this was all going on, his mother was undergoing treatment for her colon cancer. All in all, it was a tough season, but not on the field, but in Spector’s life.
Thankfully, both Spector and his mother have recovered. Spector is breathing normally and is healthy, and his mom is cancer-free.
However, Spector continues to remind himself on and off the field to not let obstacles define him as a person, given what he underwent back in 2021.
“Being so sick and then having good health again teaches you how to not take anything for granted,” he said.
Spector is now using his own experience of facing hardships to teach his fellow teammates how to find the diamond in the rough and use their challenges as an opportunity to learn something about themselves and their team. Brannon’s brother, Baylon Spector, who graduated from Clemson in 2021, continues to encourage Brannon while playing in the NFL, telling him and his former team to keep their heads high.
“[Baylon]’s disappointed, and I’m sure any other player in the NFL right now is disappointed. But he continues to tell us to work, regardless of win or loss,” Brannon said. “In the NFL, you lose all the time, but at the end of the day, you have to continue showing up. And that’s how it is in college, in the NFL, and in life.”
Brannon Spector also touched on some of the other players and how they have handled adversity, such as fellow wide receiver Troy Stellato and quarterback Cade Klubnik. Spector is happy to see Stellato doing his thing after being besieged by injuries for most of his first two-plus seasons at Clemson.
“I’m proud of Troy for all the adversity he has battled. Everyone knows he’s had a tough road, but he’s continued to fight back week by week and give his all,” Spector said.
As for Cade Klubnik, Spector noted the quarterback has been climbing week by week, and that he has made strides compared to last year when they played Notre Dame.
“I truly think Cade has unreal potential. I feel for the kid. As a quarterback, if you don’t play perfectly, you get criticized by everyone. But he’s got a lot of talent, and I believe in that kid,” the Clemson receiver said.
Despite the hardships the Tigers have faced this season, Spector still feels extremely lucky and thankful that he is a part of the Clemson program and is still able to go out on the field and play after everything he has been through.
“Your health, your family, whatever it is that you enjoy, just make sure that you are never taking it for granted. Enjoy life because you only get one shot at it,” he said.
The Tigers hope they get a win over No. 12 Notre Dame Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
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