Latavius Murray Pursues Stem Cell Treatment to Extend NFL Career

Syracuse, N.Y. – A couple weeks ago, Latavius Murray flew to Medellin, Colombia for a stem cell treatment.

A Syracuse native, Murray finished his 11th season as an NFL running back when the Buffalo Bills lost last January to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. He is 34 years old, his career stretching well past the expiration date of 2.6 years for NFL running backs. He wants to play another NFL season and has not ruled out Buffalo as his 2024 destination.

He had been researching stem cell procedures for a few years, he said Monday. He’d spoken with athletic trainers, sports agents and other athletes about stem cell treatments in Colombia.

“I did homework my last few years,” he said. “I finally pulled the trigger myself. It was just a matter of me being comfortable with it. I had never done anything like that.”

Murray was speaking by telephone from an auto shop in Buffalo, where he was awaiting an oil change. He and his wife, Shauntay, bought a house in the area when he signed with the Bills last fall. Their children are finishing the school year.

Murray is busy preparing for the second annual Jon Diaz Community Center gala, scheduled for May 4 at the Oncenter. Bills coach Sean McDermott and tight end Dalton Kincaid will be among the guests at that event, which raises money for a community center in Murray’s old Nedrow neighborhood. The center honors Murray’s close friend, Jon Diaz.

Murray embarked on the stem cell treatment, he said, to help his body rejuvenate from the rigors of professional football. Murray said he sent MRIs and other imaging to the facility in Medellin, where treatments are “more potent” than the FDA will allow in the United States.

Doctors, he said, looked at images of his body and consulted with him on how to tailor treatment to his specific needs. After arriving in Colombia, he met with doctors. The next day, he was hooked up to an IV drip and was injected with stem cells in targeted areas.

“You do the IV stem cells and then you get the injections within the joints or wherever you want to have the injections,” he said. “Essentially the IV is supposed to still penetrate into the parts of your body that are sore; the IV does overall health. But then the localized injections are for the areas that you want to specifically treat.”

Murray said he feels “great” after those treatments, though he endured a brief stretch of soreness when the procedures were finished.

“I wanted to give my body the best treatment that I can going into this season,” he said.

Murray wants to play another year in the NFL, despite his diminished role with the Bills last season.

In 2022, Murray carried the ball 171 times for 760 yards and six touchdowns in New Orleans and Denver. The Saints signed him to their practice squad in September; he then signed with the Broncos in October.

Last year, Murray had 79 carries for 300 yards and four touchdowns for the Bills.

He “learned a lot” last season, he said. During the early years of his career, he had been a featured running back. The last few years, he was used primarily in goal-line situations and on third down, with the occasional carry on first or second down.

But in Buffalo, particularly late in the season, he was used mostly as a third-down protector of Josh Allen.

“That was frustrating, if I’m being honest. But I had to check myself and embrace this different role. A role I had never been in,” he said. “I think there was a sense of growth mentally that even in Year 11 it was like, look, you may be asked to do something different. You may be asked to be in a role that you’re not used to.

“So it came to me (that) I want to play again even if my role looks different from any of the years in the past. I still believe and know I have the ability to play. If that looks different, so be it. I still want to play. I love the game and still want to try to compete for a ring.”

Jet McKinnon has become Murray’s inspiration for extending his football career.

He met McKinnon when the pair played in Minnesota. McKinnon has won two Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has a total of 93 carries over the last two seasons.

Murray said he eventually appreciated the role he was asked to play in Buffalo last season.

“I grew. I truly grew mentally from that,” he said. “It’s easy for me to sit here and be in my feelings and feel a certain way. I had to look at a friend of mine — and he and I have never talked about this — I look at a Jet McKinnon and from the outside looking in, Jet was running the ball and now man, he only goes in on third down. And he’s been with the Kansas City Chiefs and he has two Super Bowl rings.

“So me as an observer I’m looking back and saying man, this guy humbled himself to be a part of something bigger. I took from that. He’s a little bit younger than me (31), but I took from that. Because I want what he has.”

What Murray has wanted, all these pro football years, is a chance to play in the Super Bowl.

He wants to return to Buffalo in 2024 to achieve that dream.

“Yeah, absolutely. And I expressed that,” he said.

He has what he described as “a good relationship” with McDermott.

“And I got a good relationship with (Bills GM) Brandon Beane, too,” Murray said. “That door isn’t closed, let’s put it that way.”

ABOUT THE GALA

When: May 4, 2024

Where: Oncenter, Syracuse

Tickets: $200 per personavailable until April 20, with options for a VIP experience

What: A Kentucky Derby cocktail hour, dinner, live entertainment, silent auction, NFL guests including Dalton Kincaid, Trent Sherfield, Justin Simmons.

Contact Donna Ditota anytime: Email | Twitter

2024-04-16 12:00:00
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