In high school, Byron Washington opened Instagram to a DM from NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal after the four-time champion saw a video of the offensive lineman.⁠ ⁠ Shaq advised Washington over FaceTime on how to leverage his football prowess to eventually buy a house for his mother, Brittany Lewis, who recovered from severe brain cancer. Washington recorded his first college snaps for Syracuse University against Colgate and is set to play a major role for Fran Brown in the future.⁠ ⁠ Click the link in our bio to read more about Washington’s bigger purpose with his football journey. Photograph by @LJ.Lenns.