The Brightside: From Salisbury to the NFL, a dream in the making
SALISBURY, Md. — From Salisbury to the NFL, one phone call changed everything for former Wicomico High School football player Dominic Bailey. WMDT spoke with the defensive lineman about his dream come true in the newest edition of The Brightside, sponsored by Choptank Electric Cooperative.
Salisbury native Dominic Bailey said, “As a kid, you know how teachers ask you what your dream is when you take tests? I would always write down ‘go to the NFL.’ Some teachers would say, ‘That’s not realistic. Put down a real dream.’ I was just taking the zero because that’s my dream.”
Eight years later, Bailey was back on his high school field, just days after signing with the Houston Texans.
“I’m just trying to take it all in. It really hasn’t dawned on me yet. I’ve just been going. But it feels good. Something you work for your whole life, since I was seven years old,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s football journey began at the Salvation Army, where the sport was all about fun, but he quickly outgrew the game.
“I didn’t play in middle school because I was too big, so they didn’t let me. But once I got back to high school, I picked it up again right here at Wicomico,” he said.
He continued building momentum his senior year at St. Francis de Sales Catholic School and in college, playing SEC football with the Tennessee Volunteers.
“Tennessee just felt like home. It felt like the place I needed to be to become a man, to become a better version of myself,” Bailey said.
For those around him, Bailey has always been more than an athlete, and his impact stretches far beyond the scoreboard.
Stosh Schtierman, athletic director for Wicomico County High School, said, “I know this is about the accolades in football, but talk about Dominic in the hallways and in the classrooms. He’s just a pleasure—an absolute pleasure to be around every day.”
Bailey’s hometown friends watched him accomplish everything they had always dreamed of.
“We kind of talked about this all our lives since we were kids,” said Eddie Hayward, a friend and high school teammate. “This is a moment that would be great for any of us, but more importantly, him.”
That phone call changed his life and his family’s.
Bailey shared that both of his parents were crying with joy. “Just a whole lot of celebration, a whole lot of tears. It was just happiness. The family was proud of me. There were a lot of emotions, but it was good. I loved it because it felt like I fulfilled something—I made my mom and dad happy,” he said.
After only five months with the Texans, he’s ready to make a difference.
“I’m excited to actually go out there and put my hands on somebody soon. I haven’t played football in a while,” Bailey said. “I expect to take the fight to everybody. I expect to win games on the defensive side of the ball. That’s what I’m going in there with.”
Ronnie Satchell, another of his best friends and high school teammates, said, “I wish him nothing but the best. I’m proud of him. I’ve seen the sacrifices he made to get to where he is today.”
Do you have any Bright ideas? Email us at newsroom@wmdt.com
