NORWOOD, Ohio — D.J. Blair was in Florida at the start of the summer when he sent an urgent text message to Norwood football coach Matt Money.
Blair, a Norwood senior wide receiver/defensive back, needed Money’s guidance in an unthinkable moment. Blair’s friend had just died by suicide.
“At 4 or 5 a.m., coach was calling and texting me and was telling me, ‘Brother, everything is going to be OK,’” Blair recalled. “Just like, ‘I got you. Take your time off, rest and when you come back I want you to just keep working and keep doing it for him because you can fight through any adversity that comes to you.’”
Blair, 17, has overcome challenges throughout his four years in the Norwood football program.
“We’ve had a lot of conversations when things have been tough on him," Money said. "When he’s gone through some tragedy in his life when he says, ‘Man, coach I don’t know how to respond.' “I’m like, ‘You don’t have to respond right now. You can reflect. Remember what you have going for you, what you are trying to build for yourself.’”
Listed at 5 feet 8 and 155 pounds this spring, Blair was a Miami Valley Conference Scarlet division second-team selection in 2023. He had two kickoff returns for touchdowns last season; he averaged 35 yards on kickoff returns. He’s impressed his coaches and teammates this preseason.
“No matter what happens he is always giving his absolute best in the moment,” Money said. “He is also somebody who does not accept a great play, a great moment. He’s like, ‘No, I can do another one.’”
Norwood won just one game in 2023. And yet the Friday night results don’t measure how much the football program impacts Blair's life.
“It’s given me a future; it’s given me a lot of opportunity,” Blair said. “And it’s given me a clear road to where I want to go. It’s also given me a lot of hope.”
Blair has a vision for success due to his perseverance and mental toughness. He has a 4.0 grade-point average entering this school year and has already earned college credits. A number of college football programs including those in NCAA Division II and III along with NAIA teams have shown interest.
“I think that a lot of people underestimate him,” Money said. “And that fuels him.”
It’s football which has offered Blair a playbook for life.
“I’ve gone through a lot of things,” Blair said. “Some of the things that really affected me – I lost my little sister a few years ago to a custody battle so I don’t really get see her no more. She’s the main thing I do it for. I’ve lost a lot of family members in the past few years. And also would say seeing my father struggle as a single parent – it just hurts sometimes and I just want to be able to help him out as much as I can. And that’s why I do football.”
Money has been impressed by Blair’s ability to have a singular focus on the field.
“I do know that he’s gone through some early deaths,” Money said. “Some cousins. He’s had some grandparents pass away. I know he’s had a few people in his life that have had issues with drugs and alcohol.”
Still, Blair remains committed to a sport and his academics.
“Without football I don’t know where I would be to be honest,” Blair said. “I’ve thought about that. The path that it’s paved for me I don’t think it’d be paved any other way.”
It's why Blair has the ultimate respect from teammates and his coaches.
“He’s different,” Norwood junior quarterback Vance Callahan said. “He’s just always constantly working to make himself better. He’s always focused on his goal. And I love that about him.”
When Norwood opens its season against visiting Shroder Aug. 23, Blair will hear a familiar voice. His grandfather, Danny Blair, is the public address announcer at Shea Stadium. His grandmother, Tammy Blair, also works in the school district. They've been a significant part of DJ's life.
“His grandparents inspire him a lot,” Money said.
It's that inspiration which assists Blair as a student-athlete. He has aspirations of playing football in college and professionally.
“He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever met in my life," Money said. "And every single day coaching him is a privilege."
Blair has interest in studying business and real estate. He’s also considered veterinary medicine.
No one is doubting his resolve to succeed in life.
“D.J. embodies everything with Norwood,” said Norwood athletic director Chuck Richardson. “He’s tough, resilient, gritty. I’m proud to be DJ’s athletic director. D.J is definitely one of the ‘Gems of the Highlands.’”
