“The biggest thing about it is I have a brother that’s in prison,” McGee told Buffalobills.com. “He’s incarcerated and he never gets to see me play. He really only gets to see the Cowboys and Texans games on TV, so this week he’ll be able to watch me play.”
McGee’s older brother Roderick has been in jail in Tennessee Colony, Texas since Roderick was 18-years old. Part of a car robbery in 1993 that turned into a car-jacking in which no weapons were involved, McGee’s brother was sentenced to 99 years in a state penitentiary while his three accomplices received 15-20 years sentences. Roderick McGee’s sentence was far more severe because he assaulted the victim during a struggle in the vehicle with a beer can.
Those familiar with the case believe McGee’s older sibling received such a stiff sentence due in part to some bad timing. Two weeks prior to the incident a well-known judge in a neighboring district was carjacked and put in the trunk of his vehicle where he was held captive for an entire day. To be facing similar charges on the heels of such a well-publicized case did not help the elder McGee’s cause.
“He got 99 years,” said McGee. “I’ve been doing some things myself to try to see if anything can be brought up about his case, but it didn’t really pan out. He’s got 99 years and he’s eligible for parole after 49 and a half. He made his own choices with what he did, but I still think at the end of the day when I tell anyone the story they can’t believe he got a life sentence for what he did.”
Only 12 when his older brother, and only sibling at the time, went to prison, McGee not only missed out on having an older brother to grow up with, but the chance for his only sibling to witness the growth of his football career.
“He’s been in since 1993,” McGee said. “He missed all my high school and missed all my college. The first game he saw me play was in 2003 on TV when we played at Dallas. That was the first game he got to see me play ever in football period. And then he saw me against Dallas on Monday night a couple of years ago. He got to watch that game.”
Hearing McGee explain the situation it’s clear he’s become accustomed to how his relationship with his brother has been compromised by Roderick's prison sentence. At the same time, one can’t help but sense that the cornerback feels like something has been taken from him. Something as simple as looking up in the stands during a break in a game and seeing his older brother watching, or to hear his brother’s voice shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines.
Roderick McGee shows his support for his younger brother's football career in other ways. He has a giant tattoo on his back with the NFL logo and a large image of Terrence. He writes letters to McGee frequently, even tossing in some of his best solutions for injuries, which make McGee laugh more than anything.
“When I hurt my hamstring earlier this season he sent me a letter and wrote, ‘You might not know this, but getting in the cold tub really helps.’ I’m thinking to myself this is 2011 now and I think our trainers know what the cold tub is about,” said McGee chuckling. “He thinks he’s got all these home remedies.”
McGee makes sure he visits his brother every time he travels home, which included the bye week three weeks ago. When he visits the BETO Unit in Tennessee Colony the other inmates have come to recognize the Bills cornerback. They too offer McGee well wishes.
In a way Buffalo's longest tenured defensive back must feel like his career helps keep his older brother going. Knowing his success as a professional athlete is something Roderick can focus on and enjoy when the days get long and the nights are longer. A life to live through vicariously when he knows how and where most of his own life will be spent.
“My brother is one of my biggest supporters,” McGee said. “He’s probably my biggest fan aside from my mother. She’s special, but out of anybody I know he has my back and it’s 110 percent love for me and what I do. He just really follows me.”
During pre-game warm-ups Sunday at Cowboys Stadium, McGee will find the spot where his mother and young son will be seated during the game. He’ll also think of Roderick knowing he’ll be fixated on the television at his correctional facility from kickoff to the final whistle.
“These are big games for him,” said McGee. “I just want to go out there and do something good for him. It’s a big thing for me knowing it’ll be big for my brother.”
